Beetle biodiversity in tropical rainforests

Australian Tropical Forest Institute (ATFI) Seminars, hursday 29 January 2009, 3.30 – 4.30pm

Approximately 25% of all species are thought to be beetles. This talk will answer some beetle biodiversity questions including why there are so many beetle species in tropical rainforests, what they do, and where they live.

Results from a set of studies describing how beetles respond to different types of environmental change including rainforest fragmentation, reforestation, and cyclonic disturbance will be presented.

These results will be synthesised to provide some scenarios as to how these insects may respond to a changing climate in the future.

This talk summarises some of the results from seven years of beetle biodiversity research conducted across the Atherton Tablelands and at the Canopy Crane, Cape Tribulation within the Wet Tropics of Far North Queensland.

Location: Room E2.113A (ATFI Lecture Room), Building E2, JCU Smithfield campus, McGregor Road, Smithfield, CAIRNS