Australian Biological Resources Study
Issue 24
Australian Biological Resources Study, June 2001
ISSN 0814 B8880
* indicates a new project
| Algae | |||
| Grantees | Institution | Project Title | Amount 2001 |
| T Entwisle & S Skinner * | Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney | Taxonomic revision of the order Oedogoniales (Chlorophyta) in Australia | $30 000 |
| GM Hallegraeff & CS Bolch * | University of Tasmania | Molecular phylogeny and morpho-taxonomy of Australian gymnodinoid dinoflagellates | $45 000 |
| JM Huisman & WJ Woelkerling | Murdoch University | Revision of the Acrochaetiales and Bonnemaisoniales (Rhodophyta) in Australia | $40 000 |
| Dr GT Kraft | University of Melbourne | The Marine Red Algae of tropical and subtropical eastern Australia | $20 000 |
| WG Vyverman, KH Sabbe & DG Mann * | University of Gent, UK | Diversity, ecology and biogeography of Australian freshwater diatoms - a revision of the Eunotiophycidae and selected genera within the Bacillariophycidae | $15 000 |
| Fungi | |||
| Grantees | Institution | Project Title | Amount 2001 |
| AW Claridge, JM Trappe & MA Castellano * | NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service, Queanbeyan | Taxonomy and biogeography of Australian sequestrate fungi in the Pezizales, Elaphomycetales, Boletales and Hysterangiales | $10 000 |
| KD Hyde & AJS Whalley | University of Hong Kong, HK | Xylariaceae of Australia | $4 000 |
| T Lebel * | Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne | A taxonomic and systematic revision of the sequestrate Russulales of Australia and their allies, based on morphological and molecular characters | $10 000 |
| TW May | Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne | Catalogue and Bibliography of Australian Microfungi | $30 000 |
| TW May & SH Lewis* | Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne | Interactive key and synopsis to the genera of macrofungi in Australia | $40 000 |
| A Young * | Unattached, QLD | Completion of the revision of Hygrophoraceae of south-eastern Australia | $35 000 |
| Vascular Plants | |||
| Grantees | Institution | Project Title | Amount 2001 |
| DE Albrecht & NG Walsh * | Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne | Treatment of Lobelioideae (Campanulaceae) for the Flora of Australia | $5 000 |
| RJ Bayer | CSIRO, Division of Plant Industry | Systematics of Australian Polygalaceae and Xanthophyllaceae | $18 500 |
| JA Chappill & MD Crisp * | University of Western Australia & Australian National University | Taxonomic revision and phylogenetic analysis of Aotus, Phyllota, Otion ined., Urodon, Eutaxia, Euchilopsis and Latrobea (Leguminosae, Mirbelieae) | $20 000 |
| LA Craven | CSIRO, Division of Plant Industry | Generic limits of the Australian representatives of Hibisceae (Malvaceae) | $7 000 |
| RPJ de Kok & J West * | CSIRO, Division of Plant Industry | Interactive identification system for pea-flowered legumes of Australia | $40 000 |
| MF Duretto & PY Ladiges | University of Melbourne | A systematic and biogeographic analysis of Phebalium (Rutaceae) and its allies based on morphology and molecules | $7 000 |
| MJ Henwood | University of Sydney | A revision of Australian Apiaceae | $58 000 |
| JA Jeanes | Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne | A taxonomic revision of the genus Thelymitra J.R. Forst. et G. Forst. (Orchidaceae) in Australia | $32 000 |
| PY Ladiges, JW Grimes & F Udovicic | University of Melbourne | Phylogeny of Acacia subgenus Phyllodineae - new characters for the discovery of sectional groups | $10 000 |
| T Pocs | Eszterhazy College, Hungary | Taxonomic revision and phytogeographic evaluation of the genus Frullania Raddi (Hepaticae) in Australia and the adjacent islands | $5 000 |
| CJ Quinn & PG Wilson | University of New South Wales | Generic concepts in the Baekea complex | $40 000 |
| IR Thompson & NG Walsh * | University of Melbourne | A taxonomic review of Senecio(Asteraceae) and a treatment of taxa in tribes Senecioneae, Anthemideae and Lactuceae for Flora of Australia | $40 000 |
| Protists | |||
| Grantees | Institution | Project Title | Amount 2001 |
| RD Adlard & M Peirce * | Queensland Museum | Characterisation of blood-borne protozoan parasites of Australian birds | $8 000 |
| Animals | |||
| Grantees | Institution | Project Title | Amount 2001 |
| JS Ashe | Natural History Museum, USA | Aleocharine staphylinids (Coleoptera) of Australia | $44 000 |
| AD Austin | University of Adelaide | Taxonomy, diversity and endemism of cryptobiotic insect parasitoids - the Doryctinae and Helconinae (Braconidae) | $30 000 |
| BC Baehr & RJ Raven * | Queensland Museum | Australian ant spiders (Araneae, Zodariidae, Storeninae): biodiversity of the Australian fauna, taxonomy, systematics and phylogeny of the Australian species | $40 000 |
| MS Bryant * | Queensland Museum | Characterisation of the Nematomorpha of Australia: a pictorial key to aid in their identification | $3 000 |
| AA Calder | CSIRO, Division of Entomology | Australian Cerambycine genera: overview and keys | $50 000 |
| LRG Cannon * | Queensland Museum | Taxonomy of the typhloplanid microturbellarians (Platyhelminthes) of Australia | $35 000 |
| DH Colless * | CSIRO, Division of Entomology | Taxonomy of Australian Diptera | $3 000 |
| MJ Colloff | CSIRO, Division of Entomology | A taxonomic overview of Australian centipedes (Chilopoda), with an interactive key to the families, genera and species | $50 000 |
| TH Cribb & MA Schneider * | University of Queensland | Taxonomy of thelastomatoid nematodes of Australian cockroaches | $22 000 |
| VE Davies * | Queensland Museum | New spiders (Araneae: Amaurobioidea) from Australian forests | $10 000 |
| AL Dyce | CSIRO, Division of Entomology | Atlas of wing photographs, with a summary of numerical characters of the Culicoides species of the Australasian zoogeographic region | $6 000 |
| J fromont, S Toze, DC Sutton, KM Usher, & JS Kuo * | University of Western Australia | Systematics and biogeography of the genus Chondrilla (Porifera: Demospongiae) and its cyanobacterial symbionts in Australia using molecular and classical taxonomic techniques | $24 000 |
| PJM Greenslade | Australian National University | Biogeography and revision of Setanodosa (Collembola: Brachystomellidae) | $5 250 |
| B Halliday | CSIRO, Division of Entomology | Generic overview of Australia non-psoroptid Astigamata (Acari) | $50 000 |
| MS Harvey, DK Yeates & ME Hodda | Western Australian Museum | Australia's terrestrial invertebrates: an interactive key | $50 000 |
| RJ Hoare * | Landcare Research, New Zealand | The Depressarilid Genera of Australia (Lepidoptera: Gelechioidea) | $12 000 |
| M Horak | CSIRO, Division of Entomology | Completion of the Australian genera of the Phycita group (Pyralidae: Phycitinae) | $45 000 |
| WF Humphreys * | Western Australian Museum | Towards the documentation of the subterranean fresh-water fauna of inland Australia | $15 000 |
| JT Jennings & AD Austin * | University of Adelaide | Evanioid wasps of Australia Insecta: Hymenoptera): taxonomy, (distribution and host relationships) | $14 000 |
| MK Jones, TH Cribb, & ID Whittington * | University of Queensland | The Platyhelminthes of Australia: an interactive, pictorial Web-based database of species, relationships, distribution, habitats and hosts | $40 000 |
| J Just * | Queensland Museum | Australia's Paramunnidae, marine Isopoda (Asellota, Janiroidea) | $15 000 |
| RJ Kohout * | Queensland Museum | Towards a complete treatment of the Australian spiny ants, Polyrhachis (Formicidae: Formicinae); revision of the subgenus Hagiomyrma Wheeler | $5 000 |
| P Mather * | C/- Queensland Museum | Taxonomy of the Ascidiacea | $35 000 |
| AJ McArthur | South Australian Museum | Revision of Camponotus claripes, novahollandae and subnitidus groups of ants | $5 000 |
| PB McQuillan | University of Tasmania | Generic review of biosystematics of southern Australian ennomine geometrid moths | $20 000 |
| DC Morris & LA Mound | CSIRO, Division of Entomology | The taxonomy and biological diversity of the thrips species-swarm on Acacia trees in arid Australia (Insecta, Thysanoptera, Phlaeothripidae) | $50 000 |
| KR Norris | CSIRO, Division of Entomology | Taxonomy and bionomics of Australian blowflies | $4 000 |
| R Pearson & Dr R Sluys * | James Cook University | Biodiversity, biogeography, and phylogeny of Australian aquatic planarians (Platyhelminthes, Tricladida, Paludicola) | $45 000 |
| WF Ponder & SA Clark | Australian Museum | Interactive CD ROM guide and key to the freshwater Mollusca of Australia | $30 000 |
| WF Ponder & PU Middlefart | Australian Museum | Systematics of problematic, small-sized marine bivalves of the Galeommatoidea, Cyamioidea and Condylocardiidae | $25 000 |
| BJ Scott * | Victoria University of Technology | Systematics and biogeography of the hadroid Camaenidae of eastern Queensland (Gastropoda: Pulmonata): preparation of manuscripts for publication | $4 000 |
| JD Taylor & EA Glover | Natural History Museum, UK | Systematic revision of lucinoid bivalves of Australia (Mollusca, Bivalvia, Lucinoidea) | $10 000 |
| GDF Wilson & SJ Keable | Australian Museum | A systematic revision of the Phreatoicidea (Crustacea, Isopoda) of Australia | $40 000 |
| G Woerheide & J Hooper | Queensland Museum | Australian calcareous sponges (Porifera: Calcarea): biodiversity of the Great Barrier Reef fauna, taxonomy and systematics of Australian species | $30 000 |
| DK Yeates & ME Irwin | CSIRO, Division of Entomology | Expeditions to inform systematic research on Australian Stiletto Flies (Diptera: Therevidae) | $10 000 |
Australian Botanical Liaison Officer
Amount: $50 000 (Australian)
Summary
Since the 1930s, an Australian Botanical Liaison Officer has been appointed annually to work at the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew in the United Kingdom. The role of the Officer is primarily to assist Australian botanists with relevant searches of library and plant specimen holdings at the Kew Herbarium. Applications are invited each year from experienced Australian taxonomic botanists. The appointment is for up to 12 months, with the Officer's own institution providing a salary and allowances, and the ABRS contributing towards travel and living expenses. The appointments for 2001 and 2002 are currently under consideration by the Minister.
ABRS Postgraduate Scholarships
Amount: $64 000
Summary
The ABRS awards postgraduate scholarships to foster research training in the taxonomy of the Australian flora and fauna. Applications are sought from outstanding students wishing to pursue a career in taxonomy. One Postgraduate Research Scholarship is awarded each year, and has a tenure of up to three years. The ABRS award includes an equivalent stipend to that of the Department of Education, Training and Youth Affairs (DETYA) Australian Postgraduate Award (currently $17,606) plus a $2,500 research support grant. The ABRS has already awarded three scholarships, the most recent being to Ms Jennifer Tonkin from the University of Melbourne for 2001 to study agaracoid genera Lactarius and Russula (Russulales) which are forest macrofungi.
New Bursaries for Students
Amount: $10 000
Summary
As part of the ABRS objective to encourage training of young taxonomists, the ABRS Advisory Committee allocates up to $10,000 every year towards travel to national and international conferences for students studying taxonomy. Awards from $500 to $1,000 are awarded each year. See page19 for more details on the awards given in 2001.
As advised in the October 2000 issue of Biologue the ABRS Participatory Programme is shifting the awarding of grants from calendar year to financial year. Below is the new schedule for the Year 2002/2003 grants. Information on the new research priorities, guidelines and application forms will be posted on the ABRS web site by August 2001, and notification to institutions will be distributed before the advertisement scheduled for 29 September 2001 in the Weekend Australian.
| Activity | Timing |
| Advertisement in Weekend Australian and letters to institutions advising on call for grant applications | 29 September 2001 (Saturday) |
| Deadline for research grant applications | 10 November 2001 |
| External peer review process | mid December–February 2002 |
| Advisory Committee grants selection meeting | mid March 2002 |
| Ministerial consideration and approval phase | late March/early April 2002 |
| Notification to applicants on outcome | May 2002 |
| Receipt of signed Offer of Grant forms | June 2002 |
| Initial payment of ABRS grants | July 2002 |
Note that process of submitting ABRS applications forms will change from hardcopy to full electronic submission. Detailed information on how to submit applications will be included in the Year 2002/2003 Guidelines for Research Grant Applicants are due out in August 2001. Information on the new research priorities will be released in August 2001.
Participatory Programme contracts - Update
In Year 2000 ABRS funded six contracts (listed below) and most are now completing or near completion. Products from all these projects are being prepared for public access this year. The October 2001 issue of Biologue will give full details of these exciting new products.
| Name: Located: Project Title: |
Associate Professor AD Albani Department of Geology, University of New South Wales TAXOMORPH - an interactive computer catalogue for the natural sciences. Module 2 - Recent Foraminifera from the South Pacific. |
| Name: Located: Project Title: |
Mrs RM Barker, Dr WR Barker, and Dr L Haegi C/- State Herbarium of South Australia An electronic key to Hakea (Proteaceae). |
| Name: Located: Project Title: |
Mr JR Croft and Mr M Fagg CSIRO Division of Plant Industry, Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research/ Australian National Botanic Gardens, Canberra What's its name? A regular periodic review and newsletter of plant name changes in the Australian flora. |
| Name: Located: Project Title: |
Dr JK Lowry and Dr PB Berents Australian Museum Interactive Identification System for the marine benthic Amphipoda of Australia. |
| Name: Located: Project Title: |
Mr RO Makinson CSIRO, Division of Plant Industry, Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research An interactive identification key to Grevillea (Proteaceae) in LucID. |
| Name: Located: Project Title: |
Dr R Raven and Dr M Harvey Queensland Museum/Western Australian Museum An interactive key to Australian spider families and genera. |
| Name: Located: Project Title: |
Dr DE Walter and Dr HC Proctor Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Queensland Biodiversity on the Web: An Introduction & Key to the Mites of Lamington National Park. Also available as a CD ROM. |
Dr Ian Common given Order of Australia in 2001.
In the Honours List of the centenary of Federation, Dr I.F.B. Common was made an Officer of the Order of Australia for his outstanding contribution to entomology, science, and education of the community. In his retirement from CSIRO, Entomology, and supported by funding from ABRS, he has worked tirelessly to produce a three-volume generic revision of the mallee moths (Oecophorinae).
Ian Common joined the CSIRO Division of Entomology in May 1948 and in 1951 was able to concentrate on lepidopterous pasture and crop pests. There followed his classic taxonomic revisions of Heliothis, Agrotis, Persectania, Pectinophora, Scirpophaga, Epiphyas and Merophyas. Also outstanding was his ecological investigation of the bogong moth, Agrotis infusa.
In 1960 he transferred to full-time taxonomic research concentrating initially on the Tortricinae and later on the Oecophorinae. Some of his most outstanding work, however, was on the higher classification, the studies on the Tortricinae, Carthaea, Munychryia, Imma, Lophocorona and Hypertropha all having global implications for the classification of the Lepidoptera. This work was best demonstrated by his Lepidoptera treatment in The Insects of Australia (1970), a classic overview which has aided and stimulated research around the world.
He also recognised community interest in Lepidoptera, producing small books on moths (1963) and butterflies (1964) and later, with D.F. Waterhouse, publishing Butterflies of Australia (1972) which became a "bible" for enthusiasts around Australia; the latter was extensively revised in 1981. In Moths of Australia (1990), Ian Common condensed more information on Australian moths than any other author could have done, producing the first and only reasonably comprehensive book on their biodiversity in Australia. Following this he concentrated on his favourite group, the Oecophorinae, represented in Australia by 271 genera, 1899 described species and about 3300 known species as well as many undoubtedly currently unknown. In the three volume project funded by ABRS, he completely reorganised the genera to provide a meaningful the generic classification making the group accessible to future work.
His contribution to Lepidoptera studies was recognised by the award of the Karl Jordan Medal in 1996, the international award for Lepidoptera research. His contribution to scientific societies was recognised by Honorary Life Memberships of the Lepidopterists Society and the Australian Entomological Society in 1987.
He has contributed most towards building the Lepidoptera section of the ANIC into by far the most comprehensive collection of Australian butterflies and moths, as well as one of the best curated. His protocols have maintained this excellence of preservation and documentation; he has also designed some of the most sophisticated light traps for collecting Lepidoptera.
His wide and detailed knowledge has meant that he is as at home in talking to international workers on the higher classification as he is to colleagues on the details of the fauna or to amateurs on their latest discoveries or on field collecting. To those who have the pleasure of working with him he is scholarly, meticulous, critical, approachable, open minded and generous with his knowledge, and modest.
Article from E.D. Edwards
Dr Ian Common's contribution to ABRS activities
ABRS congratulates Dr Common for his Order of Australia award presented in 2001. from 1992–1998 over $330,000 was awarded to Dr Common from ABRS to complete a major project on Oecophorine genera of Australia (Lepidoptera: Oecophoridae) or mallee moth. In Australia there are about 5500 species of mallee moth in 250 genera and Dr Common is an internationally recognised specialist in this group. Dr Common has since produced three major illustrated monographs on Oecophorinae outlining the identification, distribution, biology and names of all species of each genus. The volumes contain the wealth of research information accumulated by Dr Common over the last 50 years, and ABRS is very proud to have supported his work that has lead to these three major publications.
Common, I.F.B., 1994. Oecophorine genera of Australia. I. The Wingia group (Lepidoptera: Oecophoridae). - Monogr. Aust. Lepid. 3: i-xvi, 1-390.
Common, I.F.B., 1997. Oecophorine genera of Australia. II. The Chezala, Philobota and Eulechria groups (Lepidoptera: Oecophoridae). - Monogr. Aust. Lepid. 5: i-xvi, 1-407.
Common, I.F.B., 2000. Oecophorine genera of Australia. III. The Barea group and unplaced genera (Lepidoptera: Oecophoridae). - Monogr. Aust. Lepid. 8: i-xvi, 1-453.
Dr Ebbe S. Nielsen
7 June 1950 – 7 March 2001
Dr Ebbe Schmidt Nielsen died suddenly in his sleep in California on his way to attend a meeting on the Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Although Ebbe had had major heart surgery two years ago he recovered remarkably well and would tell how he had not felt better for a decade. His death at only 50 years of age came as a shock to friends and professional colleagues.
Ebbe grew up on a small farm near Ry in Jutland in one of the most beautiful parts of Denmark, in a loving family with no tradition of academic pursuit, but with a deep appreciation and understanding of the surrounding nature. from an early age Ebbe showed a keen interest in plants and animals, an interest which soon focused on insects, and moths in particular. Ebbe completed his Ph.D. at the University of Copenhagen in 1980, with research based to a large extent on material collected during a six months expedition to Patagonia and the Chilean Andes in South America. After two years affiliation with the Zoological Museum, University of Copenhagen, where Ebbe and I met for the first time, he was 'lured' to CSIRO Division of Entomology in 1982 on the recommendation and persuasive work of Dr Ian Common. In 1990 Ebbe was appointed Director of the Australian National Insect Collection (ANIC), a post he held and treasured to his death.
Over the years Ebbe became strongly engaged in promoting taxonomy in Australia and globally; he was a driving international force in the development of the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) and played a major role in the promulgation of the Global Taxonomy Initiative (GTI). He was a great supporter of the Australian Biological Resources Study (ABRS), where he served for nearly a decade on its fauna editorial committee with considerable influence on ABRS' publication programmes. Ebbe had an uncanny ability to explain and visualise taxonomy to politicians, bureaucrats, scientists and the general public: from Prime Ministers to young volunteers; his achievements will last, but the loss of his untiring efforts will be felt for a long time to come.
Ebbe received many honours as one of the world's leading entomologists for his work on the taxonomy, phylogeny and biogeography of primitive moths in particular. Among other accolades he was the recipient of the highest honour in entomology: the Karl Jordan Medal (1990), and he was awarded the David Rivett Medal (CSIRO, 1990) and the Ian Mackerras Medal (1992). He was made Foreign Associate of The U.S. Academy of Science (1997) and Foreign Fellow of The Royal Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters (1998).
In many ways Ebbe was larger than the life he enjoyed so much and lived to the full. He was extraordinarily generous and faithful to his many friends in Australia and all over the world. His death - not least on a very personal note - is an irreplaceable loss.
May his never failing enthusiasm, optimism and compassion be a guide for us all. He will live in our hearts.
Jean Just
Former Director, Strategies and Research
Australian Biological Resources Study
Emeritus Professor Sir Rutherford (Bob) Robertson A.C., C.M.G., Ph.D. (Cantab.),
D.Sc. (Syd.), F.A.A., F.R.S.
1913 – 2001
Botanists in Australia and abroad, and many members of the wider scientific and tertiary education communities, were saddened to learn of Bob Robertson's death on 5 March 2001. He had been one of Australia's most distinguished biological scientists for decades, a teacher and mentor to generations of students and a role model for more than a few of them. For many of us his passing marks the end of an era in Australian botany.
Born in Melbourne before the First World War, Bob spent part of his childhood in Christchurch, New Zealand, where he attended St. Andrew's College before entering the University of Sydney to study botany and chemistry. This combination formed the basis for his distinguished research career in plant physiology, which began with his appointment to a Linnean Macleay Fellowship at the University of Sydney in 1934 and continued at St. John's College, Cambridge, 1936–39.
Returning to Sydney University on completion of his Ph.D. degree he was appointed as Assistant Lecturer in Botany and, in addition to his teaching and research responsibilities, was given the task of co-ordinating the Botany teaching programmes of the main campus of the University and the then newly established New England University College at Armidale (now the University of New England). There began a phase of his career - combining scientific research and science administration - that was to last half a century.
Bob Robertson joined CSIR (later CSIRO) in 1946, initially as a Senior Research Officer in the Division of Food Preservation, located in Sydney - first at Homebush and later at Ryde - applying his research on the physiology and biochemistry of plant respiration to improving the storage of agricultural produce, especially apples and pears. In the early 1950s he negotiated with the University of Sydney to establish a joint Plant Physiology Unit between CSIRO and the University. The Unit was set up in the University's Botany Department in 1952 with Bob as its head, an arrangement that enabled him to take an honorary teaching appointment at the University and to establish one of the most lively and productive post-graduate research groups yet to be seen in Australian botany. It was then that his group's work on the role of mitochondrial membranes in plant respiration, which was perhaps the highest achievement of his research career, was most productive and Granny Smith apples of high quality became available from Australian fruit vendors throughout the year. He also contributed very substantially to teaching plant physiology to undergraduate students in the Faculties of Science and Agriculture, which became fertile recruitment grounds for his research group.
It was a constant source of frustration to Bob that, as his career advanced, he was even more in demand as an administrator of scientific programmes than as a hands-on research scientist. Clearly, he preferred the latter role but after a year as Visiting Professor at UCLA in 1958- 59 he was persuaded to join the CSIRO Executive in 1959. However, when invited to take up the Chair of Botany at the University of Adelaide in 1962, he welcomed the opportunity it provided to resume his personal research agenda. There he joined forces with Hansjoerg Eichler, Keeper of the State Herbarium of South Australia, to boost taxonomic training in botany. Eichler was given honorary staff status within the Botany Department, and in that capacity supervised or co-supervised a large number of post-graduate students over more than a decade. This fruitful partnership to build a taxonomic centre of excellence delivered a cohort of taxonomists who are still active in many Australian (and overseas) herbaria and universities.
Administration caught up with Bob again when, from his base in Adelaide, he was elected Vice-President of the Australian Academy of Science in 1963–64 and appointed by the Australian Government as Chairman of the Australian Research Grants Committee for the period 1965–69. In 1969 he moved to Canberra, accepting an invitation from the ANU to take up the position of Master of University House, with the prospect of spending part of his time on research in plant physiology. This he did, and he was also elected President of the Australian Academy of Science in 1970–74, having become one of its earliest Fellows in 1954 and its Secretary (Biological Sciences) in 1958. He was appointed Director, Research School of Biological Sciences, ANU in 1973 and retired from that position in 1978, though he remained with the ANU, for a time, as its Pro-Vice-Chancellor and was also Deputy Chairman of the Australian Science and Technology Council at this time. He was appointed President of the 13th International Botanical Congress, held in Sydney in 1981 and worked tirelessly to make the Congress a great success.
Although he had no direct, academic interest in plant taxonomy himself, Bob Robertson was to become a significant figure in the development of plant taxonomy in Australia. In addition to the Adelaide initiative described above, he maintained a strong interest in the Academy of Science's initiatives to promote the preparation of a new Flora of Australia. When the Government established the Interim Council for ABRS in 1973 he strongly supported the Academy, of which he was then President, to combine funds provided by private donors with CSIRO resources to carry out preparatory studies for a flora. Three projects - the Australian Plant Name Index, a compilation of Plant Taxonomic Literature in Australian Libraries, and some experimental flora treatments - were undertaken at the CSIRO herbarium under the direction of Dr Nancy Burbidge and the guidance of the Academy's Flora Committee.
When ABRS was established as a continuing programme by the Fraser government in 1978–79, Bob Robertson was appointed Chairman of the ABRS Advisory Committee, continuing in that role until September 1981. One of the Advisory Committee's earliest recommendations to the Minister was that the Government should embark on the writing of a new Flora. The Government accepted this challenge and established an Editorial Committee with Bob as its first Chairman. It was appropriate, therefore, that when the Flora of Australia was launched at the Sydney IBC, he was involved in the key roles of Chairman of the Editorial Committee and President of the Congress.
Bob maintained a very active interest in scientific developments until the end of his life. He continued to receive several key journals in his fields of interest and to read them thoroughly and thoughtfully. Sometimes he would contact authors, occasionally even writing to them, to discuss what they had written and to contribute his ideas on the subject. It was fitting, therefore, that in 1999 a large group of members of plant science societies in Australia and New Zealand - about 100 of them, including many of his former students and collaborators - combined to write 'Plants in Action: adaptation in nature, performance in cultivation', a large modern textbook of plant physiology which they dedicated to Bob "in recognition of his formative influence on plant science in Australasia". A copy of the book was autographed and presented to him by all the contributors shortly before he was diagnosed with cancer early last year.
It was a privilege for me to have known Bob for most of my career in botany; we had our first meaningful conversation about plants at a party at the University of Sydney, convened to celebrate his 40th birthday, and our last when I visited him and his wife, Lady Mary Robertson, at their home in Yass only 3 weeks before his death. On the latter occasion he updated me on a new research initiative in plant membrane physiology that he was trying to have established, through friends and colleagues, in the last months of his life. Then he sought my views on the package of science policy initiatives announced by the Prime Minister a few days previously. The incisiveness of his mind on that day, compared with the weakness of his body, was almost unbelievable.
In a paper published in 1992 Bob wrote:
“I believe that the most satisfying philosophy of life encourages unselfishness, with concern for and tolerance of fellow humans. In this, science can play a vital role, helping us to leave the world a better place for having lived.”
Nobody would doubt that Bob adopted this philosophy for himself, and that there will be lasting benefits from his unselfishness, concern, and many outstanding contributions to science.
He was survived by his wife, Lady Mary Robertson, their son Rob and his family. Lady Robertson died tragically, following a motor vehicle accident, on 21 April 2001.
The ABRS staff extends its condolences to Rob and his family.
Written by Alison McCusker
Dr Doug F Waterhouse, O.A., C.M.G., D.Sc, F.R.S, F.A.A., F.T.S.
1916 – 2000
Dr DF Waterhouse (known to his many friends as Doug) was born in Sydney on 3 June 1916, the second of four sons of Professor EG and Mrs Janet Waterhouse. from a very early age he wanted to be an entomologist and in this he was greatly encouraged by his uncle Dr GA Waterhouse, then the authority on the butterflies of Australia, whose large collection was subsequently donated to the Australian Museum, Sydney.
Doug graduated from Sydney University with 1st Class Honours and the University Medal in 1937 and was immediately appointed to the Division of Economic Entomology of CSIR in Canberra, and this was to remain his lifelong workplace. In 1960 he was appointed Chief of the Division of Entomology and continued in that position until his retirement in 1980. He initiated many developments as Chief, including arranging for the gazettal of the Australian National Insect Collection (ANIC), and he was responsible for initiating the production of the internationally recognised textbook "The Insects of Australia". He was also instrumental in the establishment of the Grain Storage Laboratory, which has done much to minimise pest damage in Australian grain, and he was particularly concerned to ensure the development of new projects in biological control, from which many innovative developments emerged. For example, Doug gave full support to a proposal for the importation of dung beetles in order to provide control of the buffalo fly and other dung-breeding pests. He arranged use of a plant parasitic fungus for the control of skeleton weed, of nematodes for insect control, especially of Sirex wood wasp, and for many other successful programmes; and he was influential in promoting Integrated Pest Management systems (IPM) both in Australia and overseas.
Doug was co-opted by FAO in the very early stages of the examination of the resistance of pests to pesticides, and remained involved with FAO in many aspects of insect control.
In addition to his pre-eminent role in entomology, Doug was influential in many other aspects of the development of Australian biological science programmes, for example, in the development of ABRS. Questions relating to the need for a biological survey of Australia had been on the scientific agenda since the early 1900s. Each of the States had established herbaria and museums to cater for their local needs and State Governments did not see the necessity for a national institution. In spite of representations by ANZAAS and other bodies, successive Australian Governments of all political parties had shown no interest in the matter. The Australian Academy of Science had established a Flora and Fauna Committee in 1959 and on the basis of its review, Doug, as its Secretary, (Biological Sciences), had written to the appropriate Ministers in 1962, 1964 and 1968. The early proposals were not accepted, but all his life Doug had shown determination, patience, and the ability to argue a persuasive case. All those qualities were needed, and in addition he was totally committed to ensuring that the Australian biota be better understood.
By 1972 both major political parties had accepted the proposal for a biological survey and in 1973 the Minister for Science established an Interim Council for an Australian Biological Resources Study, with Doug Waterhouse as the Chairman. The Interim Council reported to the Government in 1975, proposing
Doug was also much involved in education in the ACT. He was member of the Interim Council to establish the Canberra CAE (now the University of Canberra). In 1969 he became Chairman of the Council of the College and subsequently its Chancellor. He served for many years on all the major Committees of the College (the Finance Committee, the Buildings and Site Committee, etc), and continued his association with it when it attained University status.
For his many contributions, Doug was the recipient of numerous honours and awards; he was appointed CMG in 1970, and made an Officer in the Order of Australia in 1980. He was awarded DSc (Sydney) in 1952, DSc (Hon) ANU in 1977, Fellow of The Australian Academy of Science 1954, Fellow of the Royal Society of London 1967, and Honorary Fellow of the Royal Entomological Society 1972. He was also appointed a Foreign Fellow of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences 1974, and of the USSR Academy of Sciences, a Foreign Member of the US National Academy of Science, and many more.
After his retirement, Doug gave much time to encouraging the use of biological control of insect pests notably in developing countries and especially in the Pacific and SE Asia, where his efforts were greatly appreciated. In 1993 Doug was diagnosed with cancer, but in spite of intense therapy he continued to work with great vigour and published extensively for the next 7 years. Several publications are currently in press. Doug is survived by his wife, Dawn, their daughter Jill and sons Douglas, Jonathan and Gowrie, and their families.
The staff of ABRS extends its condolences to Doug's family.
Written by Max Day, CSIRO, Division of Entomology
Ms Jennifer Tonkin Cross from University of Melbourne was awarded the 2001 ABRS Postgraduate Research Scholarship, to study agaracoid Russalales (macrofungi). The project title is Systematic studies in the Australia agaracoid genera Lactarius and Russula (Russulales) and will include the study of over 60 species, including some undescribed taxa. The taxonomy of these genera plus distribution patterns, conservation status and ecological preferences will be studied. Ms Tonkin will receive a stipend plus a research support grant for three years to complete her Ph.D. Her supervisors are Dr Teresa Lebel and Dr Tom May from Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne, and Dr C McLean from University of Melbourne. Congratulations on your award Jennifer!
Each year ABRS offers financial support to postgraduate students in Australian institutions for travel to a national or international conference relevant to both the student's research programme in systematics or taxonomy and the Aim and Objectives of the ABRS. A maximum of $1,000 is available for an international conference and $500 for travel within Australia. Up to $10,000 is available each year for these awards.
Eligibility
To obtain an application form contact:
Business Manager
Australian Biological Resources Study
GPO Box 787
Canberra ACT 2601
Ph: (02) 6250 9554
Fax: (02) 6250 9555
E-mail: abrs@deh.gov.au
Applicants should ensure that completed forms are lodged with ABRS by 10 September 2001.
The latest awards are to Ms Adele Harvey from La Trobe University to attend the Australasian Society for Phycology and Aquatic Botany Conference in Queensland, and to Gilianne Brodie from James Cook University to attend the World Congress of Malacology in Austria. Both conferences are in August 2001. Congratulations to these students for their travel award.
During Year 2000, three students were awarded the $1,000 grant to attend an international conference. One of the students, Mr Skye Thomas-Hall from University of New England has submitted a report on his trip to the U.S.A. for this issue of Biologue (see below).
Skye Thomas-Hall - recipient of ABRS year 2000 bursary award
G'day, I'm Skye Thomas-Hall of the University of New England, Armidale. I'm currently finishing off my Ph.D. in microbiology, more specifically, characterising new species of Antarctic Yeasts by modern molecular and classical techniques. Recently I was awarded an ABRS bursary, which helped to fund my travel to the 10th International Symposium on Yeast in 2000. This was held at Papendal Conference Center, Arnhem, the Netherlands. There were 460 participants, and attendance at this conference was beneficial as it helped me to make many new contacts and strengthened old ties with professionals in my field from the world over. I now maintain regular communication with a number of Professors regarding research topics of mutual interest. At the conference I presented a poster on eleven new Antarctic yeasts and I also gave an invited talk on modern taxonomic methods and possible industrial applications for these new yeast species. Both presentations were well received. I was also heavily involved in the final summary session, which stimulated a considerable amount of lively debate on past, present and future applications of classical and modern biological techniques in yeast taxonomy.
To sum up, this conference was a most valuable experience and I believe my contribution was successfully presented and received. I would like to sincerely thank the Australian Biological Resources Study for awarding me this travel bursary and consequently providing me with this opportunity.