David Martin

Coastie, Ecologist & MSc graduate from @UniMelb where I studied overabundant koala populations 🐨🐨🐨

[BioSciences UniMelb @BioSci_UniMelb]

“Be passionate about what you do, it's your greatest strength”
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David Martin (@eco_davey) is a @unimelb 2018 master’s degree alum who, although having researched #koalas, is now finding a passion for #botany

Read on ⬇️& ➡️https://t.co/S9dNqYUVMT
#HumansOfBioSciences
1/6

[David Martin @eco_davey]

@leomccomb Was really good! Lots of great talks, surprised u weren’t there yourself @leomccomb

[David Martin @eco_davey]

Keen for a day full of interesting talks on the latest ecological science here at the 2019 Ecological Consultants Association NSW Conference - Nestbox workshop!!
#science #ECA2019 #ecology #scicomm #nestboxes #conservation

[David Martin @eco_davey]

Highly productive habitats may have more birds foraging during day, but also more predators! Mason Crane from @scienceANU suggests placing nestboxes in less productive sites nearby to provide safer nesting spots for threatened birds!🦜🐀
#science #ECA2019 #ecology #scicomm

[David Martin @eco_davey]

NSW Road and Maritime Service recommends that nest boxes should be installed in clusters (& 3 per individual) to allow for den switching for parasite reduction! 🌳
#science #ECA2019 #ecology #scicomm #nestboxes

[David Martin @eco_davey]

Why clean the house when you can just move!? 🏡 Ross Goldingay explains how gliders and other mammals switch homes regularly to reduce parasite loads that can build up when they live in one place long enough!
#science #ECA2019 #ecology #scicomm #nestboxes

[David Martin @eco_davey]

Bat boxes are not always an effective substitute for hollow-bearing trees around Melbs🦇 Unless you’re a Gould’s Wattled Bat!
Rarer species seem to miss out 🦇
#science #ECA2019 #ecology #scicomm #nestboxes #bats

[David Martin @eco_davey]

Steven Griffiths from @latrobe introducing the amazing work being undertaken by the Melbourne Bat Project. 126 bat boxes across melbs, >5,000 bats banded, all sites dominated by Gould’s Wattled Bat (90% of bats)!! 🦇
#science #ECA2019 #ecology #scicomm #nestboxes #bats

[David Martin @eco_davey]

Beating the heat with better home design, not aircon ☀️🌡🏠
Susan Rhind showed that by painting a nest box white you reduce max temp by 3degrees. While white, double walled boxes with 90mm open cavity reduce temp by 10degrees!!
#science #ECA2019 #ecology #scicomm #nestboxes #hot

[David Martin @eco_davey]

Opening up the inner potential of eucs. Murray Ellis from @OEHmedia has found drilling holes into live trees is opening up hollowed out trees to birds, possums, gliders, and geckos!
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#science #ECA2019 #ecology #scicomm #nestboxes #hollows #conservation

[David Martin @eco_davey]

@FancyScientist Brushtail possums, ringtail possums, flying foxes and the odd bandicoot

[David Martin @eco_davey]

@Farmer_Dave999 @FionaLakeAus @AusMammals @Sydney_Science Definitely will be interesting to see all the applications for the tech in the future!
And if there were a drone that picked me up a good coffee whilst i did fieldwork I’d be set (use IR to check if too hot obviously!) ☕️

[David Martin @eco_davey]

Robots taking my job! Apparently they’re quite good too 😕
Chad Beranek using drones with infrared cameras to survey for koalas! 🐨🐨🐨🐨
#AMSCon2019 @AusMammals @Sydney_Science #wildoz #scicomm #KoalaSymposium

[David Martin @eco_davey]

@Farmer_Dave999 @AusMammals @Sydney_Science The challenge is easily determining that your heat blob is in fact a koala and not another species e.g. large bird, possum, glider etc. Also, u can’t tell sex or condition or other factors of koala from just IR.
But I’m sure tech will overcome in future! 🐨

[David Martin @eco_davey]

That feeling of brain satisfaction after a full day of top Koalaty talks at the @AusMammals Society #KoalaSymposium 🐨😌
Thanks to all the amazing speakers, @Sydney_Science & @OEHmedia for a great event!
Follow through #AMSCon2019 tweets for all the #science 🤓
#wildoz #scicomm

[David Martin @eco_davey]

Gunnedah to lose title of KOALA CAPITAL?? 🐨🐨🐨🐨📉
Matthew Crowther from @Sydney_Science shows it isn’t because more koala deaths, but because of drop in babies born! Rise in chlamydia is likely the cause, but are the cows to blame?? 🐄
#AMSCon2019 #Koalas #scicomm

[David Martin @eco_davey]

How much stress can a koala bear!? With high stress leading to increased susceptibility to disease, increased mortality and decreased recovery capacity Edward Narayan is using koala poop and fur to find out.
#AMSCon2019 @AusMammals @Sydney_Science #wildoz #scicomm #koala #stress

[David Martin @eco_davey]

For those conducting surveys on koalas check out the amazing resources found at The Koala Health Hub run by @Sydney_Science
link-> https://t.co/JHRLyFOHAZ 🐨🐨 📝
#AMSCon2019 @AusMammals @Sydney_Science #wildoz #scicomm #KoalaSymposium #koala #fieldwork

[David Martin @eco_davey]

Why do we have high roadkill rates on particular stretches of road?? Amanda found pathways of least-cost for koala dispersal all converge at these road crossing points! 🐨🚗 Roads are just in the way!
#AMSCon2019 @AusMammals @Sydney_Science #wildoz #scicomm #KoalaSymposium #koala

[David Martin @eco_davey]

How does your local area rate in race no one wants to win - Koala roadkill rates!! 440 a year reported! With Morton Bay scoring an astounding 120 koalas 🐨🐨🐨🐨 🚗.
#AMSCon2019 @AusMammals @Sydney_Science #wildoz #scicomm #KoalaSymposium #koala

[David Martin @eco_davey]

Climate Change driving;
- more HOT days 🥵
- more local bushfires!! (1 every 3 years!)
- koala extinction in the Pilliga and Warrumbungles! 🐨🐨
#AMSCon2019 @AusMammals @Sydney_Science #wildoz #scicomm #KoalaSymposium