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The Atlas of Living Australia

The Atlas of Living Australia is Australia’s national biodiversity database. It provides free, online access to information about Australia's amazing biodiversity.

Plant and animal biodiversity

Kokoda's biodiversity

Find out how the Australian National Herbarium is helping understand and protect the amazingly biodiverse Kokoda region in Papua New Guinea.

Protecting Australia's endangered plants

A recent report assessed 41 endangered or significant plants that occur in Australia's six Commonwealth National Parks, to identify ways to help these plants recover.

World of cryptogams

Our research is leading to a better understanding of the world of cryptogams, tiny and ancient organisms like lichens and bryophytes.

Banks specimens

19 June 2020 is the 200th anniversary of the death of English botanist Joseph Banks. 2020 is also the International Year of Plant Health.

Tiwi Tropical fire ants

CSIRO has been working with Tiwi Islanders to eradicate Tropical fire ants on the Tiwi Islands, north of Darwin in the Northern Territory.

Global food demands and biodiversity blog

The need to feed a hungry world continues to put pressure on our terrestrial (land-based) plants and animals, and the habitats where they live. As natural habitats are converted for agriculture and forestry we’re losing precious biodiversity.

National Research Collections Australia

The National Research Collections Australia is home to 15 million natural history specimens that are used by researchers, government and industry to describe, manage and benefit from Australia’s rich biodiversity.

Marine biodiversity

Marine biodiversity

We are supporting the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity from the shore to the deep sea, including coastal, shelf and offshore environments.

Shark research

We're investigating the ecology, bio-geography and taxonomy of sharks and rays, and their population dynamics, to support fisheries, conservation and biodiversity management in Australia and neighbouring nations.

The Great Barrier Reef

Effective conservation and management of the Great Barrier Reef depends on quality science and integrated decision-making.

Social and economic monitoring

A social and economic long-term monitoring program for the Great Barrier Reef is providing vital information to reef managers, businesses and the government to help them make decisions that reflect the needs of the people who interact with the Reef.

Coral recruitment

We're working to better understand the capacity of coral reefs to recover from natural and human impacts and how science can help reef systems regenerate.

Deep seafloor life

We have developed the first baseline picture of seafloor marine life deep in the Great Australian Bight, transforming the region from having Australia’s least known to best-known deep-sea marine communities.

Environomics is finding new resources in nature

Our Environomics Future Science Platform

Hidden within Australia's biodiversity are genetic resources to enhance crops, new materials for manufacturing and insights into biological processes that can give industries an edge. Our Environomics Future Science Platform is providing the technology to both benefit from and care for biodiversity.

Environmental monitoring

Using environmental DNA to study fishes

The complex mixture of DNA found in seawater and other environmental samples can provide information about which animals are present in an area. This "environmental" DNA has the potential to revolutionise how we study marine biodiversity.

Opportunities in eDNA

Environmental DNA (eDNA) is shed by plants, animals and microbes into the environment. It’s used to detect species, especially in marine environments, without needing to see or disturb them.

Environmental monitoring

A complete DNA barcode library to manage Australia’s environment

eDNA is poised to revolutionise the way we monitor Australia’s natural environment but it relies on a complete reference library of DNA barcodes.

Learn more about the DNA barcode library
Provides the latest scientific knowledge on Australia’s biodiversity

CSIRO's Biodiversity Book

Biodiversity: Science and Solutions for Australia provides the latest scientific knowledge on Australia’s biodiversity. The book describes the unique features of Australia’s species and focuses on solutions for the future. Available for free download in multiple formats.

Read more

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