Research Chapters | Ecological Society of Australia

Research Chapters were established in response to a need to further engage ESA membership in ways that meet their evolving interests.

Join a Research Chapter

You can join a Research Chapter by sending an email to chapter convener listed via the links below.

The current RC’s are:

Agricultural Landscapes

Informing our understanding of society and ecology in landscapes dominated by agricultural productivity through scientific research and community collaboration.

Arid Ecology

Welcome to the Arid Ecology Research Chapter of ESA. We hope that you will be interested enough in what we have to offer to become a part of the group and participate in our activities.

Fire Ecology & Management

Welcome to ESA's Fire Ecology & Management Research Chapter!

Insect Ecology

Our research chapter will bring together researchers who focus on the ecology of terrestrial insects, but we also welcome other terrestrial arthropods. We also welcome those who integrate ecology, physiology, behaviour, nutrition, genetics and other techniques to understand how insects interact with their environment.

Invasive Species

The Invasive Species Research Chapter (ISRC) is a dynamic collective of professional research ecologists, policy makers and managers who are driven to understand the processes and consequences of alien species invasion across Australia's unique landscapes.

Plant-soil ecology

The idea for the ESA’s Plant-Soil Ecology Research Chapter (PSERC) was conceived at ESA16 conference in Fremantle as a response to ever growing community of ecologists in Australia who are interested in and working on plant-soil interactions in natural and agricultural ecosystems.

Quantitative Ecology Research Chapter

We’re the ESA’s Quantitative Ecology Research Chapter (QERC). QERC seeks to bring together ecologists who take a mainly quantitative approach to their ecological research.

Science Communication

Science communication is an important component of our work as ecologists. The application of ecology to real‐world problems requires effective communication of ecological principles and research findings to a broad audience.

Seed Ecology

Theory of Australian Ecosystems

The ESA’s Theory of Australian Ecosystems Research Chapter seeks to connect and support researchers across Australia working towards a first-principles understanding of Australian ecosystems.

Urban Ecology

Research and practice investigating how we can better understand and shape the interplay between people, nature and the environment in cities and towns.

What is the Ecological Society of Australia’s Research Chapter initiative?

The Research Chapter (RC) initiative provides opportunities for an interest-based aggregation of members of the Ecological Society of Australia (ESA), as well as non-members. These RCs include individuals who are involved in ecological studies or projects, or who are interested in the ecological sciences.

Research Chapter activities are generally supported by ESA, and examples of potential activities and how they are supported by the Research Chapter Working Groups and ESA Board are shown in table 1.

For example, RCs are encouraged to develop and facilitate annual/biannual symposia at ESA Annual Conferences, in collaboration with the Local Organising Committee (LOC). Research Chapters also provide opportunities for members to hold events outside of ESA, and can help to facilitate collaborative projects between RC participants.

The RC initiative started in November 2011 at the ESA conference in Tasmania. Since then ten RCs have been developed, and these groups are active to varying degrees within the society.

What are the general principles and responsibilities of a Research Chapter?

Tips and Tricks for a successful Research Chapter?
What is the Research Chapter Working Group and what does it do?
FAQs and links