Councillor

Dr Kate Umbers

Western Sydney University and Invertebrates Australia

Dr Kate Umbers is a Senior Lecturer at Western Sydney University. Kate's research has three interconnected themes: insect conservation, alpine ecology, and evolutionary biology. My research in the Australian Alps aims to understand how species are distributed across the whole range and identify which species and which places need to be prioritised for conservation activities.

Kate focuses on insects because they provide mind-bogglingly diverse examples of how to survive on planet earth. She believes it is important to learn about species very different from us to be able to tell great stories about nature that connect and inspire. Her work in insect conservation developed in response to seeing biodiversity threatened and insects ignored.

"It is clear that we must maintain biodiversity on earth for a functional biosphere and to do so we must focus on insects because they are the majority of species and they are doing all the hard work in our ecosystems. The future of all living things depends on it," says Kate.

"I joined the Biodiversity Council to communicate clear information about what is happening to Australia's biodiversity and what Australians can do to ensure it is sustained. And I hope we can encourage Australians to appreciate that we must look after the invertebrates because they're the creatures doing all the hard work in our ecosystems." - Dr Kate Umbers

Acknowledgements

The Biodiversity Council acknowledges the First Peoples of the lands and waters of Australia, and pays respect to their Elders, past, present and future and expresses gratitude for long and ongoing custodianship of Country.

The Biodiversity Council is an independent expert group founded by 11 Australian universities to promote evidence-based solutions to Australia’s biodiversity crisis. It is hosted by The University of Melbourne. It receives funding from 11 university partners and The Ian Potter Foundation, The Ross Trust, Trawalla Foundation, The Rendere Trust, Isaacson Davis Foundation, Coniston Charitable Trust and Angela Whitbread.



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