The document discusses the development of digital tools and training programs aimed at enhancing the skills of the next generation of environmental scientists and managers in Australia. It emphasizes the importance of integrating various types of biodiversity and climate data to address ecological challenges, as well as the need for collaboration between academia, industry, and research infrastructures. The EcoEd initiative aims to support training efforts and improve data management capabilities to better inform decision-making in environmental sciences.

1. Digital tools and training
for environmental sciences
Dr Chantal Huijbers
Training & Engagement Manager
Biodiversity and Climate Change Virtual Laboratory / ecoEd

2. Understanding and predicting changes in environmental systems
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cambio-climatico.jpg

3. Future climate data
170+ plausible future climates
• 40+ global climate models
• 4 climate change scenarios
984 monthly time steps to 2100
Mean future climate, bioclimatic
indices, extreme events
510 million x 1 km pixels
Current climate: mean climate,
bioclimatic indices, extreme events
Land cover: natural vegetation,
primary productivity, land use
change
Soil, substrate
Topography, altitude
Hydrology: run-off, streams and
lakes
Climate and
environmental data
Species data
Presence / Absence / Abundance
~1.6 million species catalogued
~310,000 plants
~1 million animals
~80% not yet described
Other facets of biodiversity
• Genetic diversity
• Species traits
• Functional units
Requires a lot of different types of data…

4. …in different formats, and from lots of different sources
Land Use of Australia 2010-11
Major vegetation groups
Annual average rainfall
(current)

5. Atlas of Living Australia (ALA)
spatial.ala.org.a
u
www.ala.org.au

6. Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network (TERN)
www.tern.org.au

7. Biodiversity and Climate Change Virtual Laboratory (BCCVL)
www.bccvl.org.au
Species occurrence data
Precipitation Max temperature
Vegetation GPP
Species Distribution Model
Predicted distribution
under current climate
Climate Change projection
Predicted distribution
under future climate

8. Biodiversity and Climate Change Virtual Laboratory (BCCVL)
current
2075
RCP 8.5
Range
change
current
2075
RCP 8.5
Range
changeLeadbeater’s Possum
Gymnobelideus leadbeateri
Mountain Ash
Eucalyptus regnans

9. Biodiversity and Climate Change Virtual Laboratory (BCCVL)
current 2075Mountain Ash
Leadbeater’s possum
Overlap of distributions
Large reduction in
overlapping
distributions by the
year 2075

10. ecocloud
www.ecocloud.org.au

11. ecocloud www.ecocloud.org.au

12. ecocloud www.ecocloud.org.au

13. ecocloud www.ecocloud.org.au

14. ecocloud www.ecocloud.org.au

15. Data sources Tools and Platforms
Biodiverse

16. Need for training and support across research infrastructures

17. Pathway to integrated EcoScience training
ecoEd

18. Aims
• Educate and upskill the next
generation of environmental scientists
and managers
• Provide a reference point for the
environmental science community
• Develop a network of enthusiastic
professionals
• Increase the reach and impact of
Australia’s eResearch infrastructure

19. ecoEd modules
10 Eco Data
Things
Data Quality
Spatial Data
for Ecology
Multi-criteria
decision
analysis
Biodiversity &
Climate
Change
ecoEd
Environmenta
l
Metagenomic
s

20. ecoEd modules
10 Eco Data
Things
Data Quality
Spatial Data
for Ecology
Multi-criteria
decision
analysis
Biodiversity &
Climate
Change
Data
Management
Data
analysis
Data
collection

21. ecoEd modules www.ecoed.org.au

22. ecoEd Champions
• Enthusiastic communicators
• Deliver training in their institution and
related organisations
• Act as a trusted advisor
• Feedback
• Exchange knowledge and ideas

23. ecoEd Champions training
• 8 Champions from 6 institutions
across Australia and NZ
• 2 full face-to-face training days
• Co-branded teaching material
(presentation, workshop handout,
teacher information)
• Guide Champions in re-delivery
within their own institutions

24. ecoEd
future
vision
• ecoEd modules integrated in curriculum
• Capacity building for next generation decision
makers and research leaders
• Integrated environmental management:
ecology, genetics, human health, urbanisation and
economics
• Lift the number of professionals with post-
graduate qualifications in data-science and
ecoinformatics
e.g. through Graduate/Diploma programs

25. UniversitiesNCRIS
facilities
Government
& Industry
Delivery of
advanced skills
and tools into
curriculum
Innovative
pathways
between industry
and researchers
ecoEd: integration between infrastructure, academia and industry
Consolidated
training and
support for
informed decision-
making

26. www.ecoed.org.au
Follow us on Twitter: @ECOEd_
Contact:
c.huijbers@griffith.edu.au
“Tools like BCCVL and ecocloud open the field to a whole new array of
researchers
who understand the systems they are working on, but do not have the
technical skill-sets or hardware to properly answer their questions.”
– Professor Shawn Laffan, UNSW