Research in climate and climate change

Research groups and labs

• Agricultural Greenhouse Gas

  The Agricultural Greenhouse Gas group measures, models and mitigates direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions from diverse agricultural systems, including dairy, cereals, vegetables, sugarcane and intensive feedlots, as well as ammonia deposition surrounding intensive feedlots.

• Biodiversity Dynamics Research Group (biodynamos)

  Undertaking research on plant evolution and global change, fire management, animal ecology and conservation decision making.

• Centre for Environmental and Economic Research

  A multidisciplinary research group of ecologists, data analysts, economists and animal and plant health specialists that focuses on environmental and economic outcomes.

• Climate Change and Society

  Research in the Climate Change and Society cluster pushes the frontiers of knowledge about the risks of and responses to climate change. Our climate change research is unique in the ways in which it spans the natural sciences, spatial sciences, social sciences, and humanities, and is unified by a commitment to responses that are fair and sustainable.

• Climate Variability and Change

  The Climate Variability and Change research group researches past, present and future climates.

• CAMEL (Climatic and Metabolic Ecology Lab)

  The research focus in the Climatic and Metabolic Ecology Lab is on how physical constraints on heat, water and nutritional balances limit the behaviour, distribution and abundance of species.

• Ecophysiology and Flux

  Ecophysiology and flux focuses on the interactions of plants with their environment and the processes that control the functioning of ecosystems.

• Farm Systems Analysis

  The Farm Systems Analysis group conducts research to improve the production and sustainability of agricultural systems.

• Forest Hydrology

  Answering key questions on the hydrologic and geomorphic response of native and planted forests to growth, and disturbance by fire and climate drivers.

• Green Infrastructure Research Group (GIRG)

  Creating and embedding knowledge and technologies in smart design, construction and maintenance of green spaces, trees, parks, rain gardens, green roofs and facades throughout the urban landscape.

• Human Geography Lab

  As a collective, we support the Human Geography Lab (Room 2.11 of 221 Bouverie Street), a place for thinking, collaborating and training in qualitative, creative, performative and post-qualitative research methodologies.

• Landscape and Forest Dynamics (LaForDy)

  LaForDy focuses on understanding how forest ecosystems and forested landscapes develop and respond to climate and natural and anthropogenic disturbances.

• Melbourne Analytical Geochemistry

  Melbourne Analytical Geochemistry—MAG—builds on over 20 years of field-leading trace element and isotope geochemistry.

• Mesoscale Processes and Convection

  The mesoscale processes and convection group study the atmospheric processes behind phenomena such as clouds, rainfall, thunderstorms, seabreezes, turbulence, wind and solar energy potential, wind gusts, lightning and tropical weather.

• Past Climates and Environments

  Research in the Past Environments cluster investigates the nature, magnitude and timing of past climate and environmental change, and the interactions between climate, environments and past human populations. We study palaeoenvironments using evidence from ‘natural archives’ – Earth materials that preserve information on past temperatures, hydrology and ecosystems.

• Quantitative and Applied Ecology

  QAEco work on a range of topics, species and locations related to ecosystem management. We are committed to research regarding conservation and management decisions and passionate about modelling using a range of methods to understand more about the natural world.

• Rafferty Pollination Ecology Lab

  Focusing on the community ecology of plants and pollinators in a changing climate. We use experiments, long-term and historical data, and observations of natural variation to understand how climate change is affecting plants, pollinators, and their interactions.

• Renewable Energy

  The imperative to reduce greenhouse gas emissions has never been stronger and urgent. This urgency necessitates considering all possible renewable energy sources to decarbonise the economy. Geothermal energy is an emissions-free, sustainable alternative to natural gas combustion for heating.

• Responsible Mining and Energy Transition

  Our group combines expertise in remote sensing, GIS, geosciences, environmental engineering, and human and physical geography to explore the human and environmental impacts and risks of mining and energy transitions.

• Rural Innovation Research Group

  The Rural Innovation Research Group (RIRG) is a social science group that researches and designs innovative pathways for facilitating change and enabling social-ecological resilience.

• Speleothem Research Group

  Investigating past climate and environmental change using speleothems (cave mineral formations, such as stalagmites and stalactites).

• Veterinary Climate Action

  This Veterinary Climate Action group seeks to better understand the complex relationships between veterinary actions and environmental sustainability.