Michael Walsh
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epidoctor.bsky.social
Michael Walsh
@epidoctor.bsky.social
740 followers 300 following 55 posts
Landscape epidemiology; disease ecology; wetlands; forests; wildlife; biodiversity; One Health; ಒಂದು ಆರೋಗ್ಯ 🦘🐘🦢🦜🦟 in the Sydney School of Public Health @sydney.edu.au & @Sydney_ID & @MAHE_Manipal & @thePHFI
+ Canyoneer 🧗‍♂️ & Jiujiteiro
He/him Epibiolab.org
Posts Replies Media Videos
Reposted by Michael Walsh
euanritchie.bsky.social
Our rapid assessment of the #EPBC Act reform package that's set to pass the senate theconversation.com/long-sought-... - Led by Justine Bell-James, with @drphilmccormack.bsky.social @yungenchee.bsky.social and me. #ESA2025 @aunz.theconversation.com @biodivcouncil.bsky.social @ecolsocaus.bsky.social
Long-sought environmental law reform is finally here. But will the compromise deal actually protect nature?
After years of failed attempts, Australia’s environmental laws are finally getting an overhaul. But will they stop the damage done to nature?
theconversation.com
November 27, 2025 at 5:19 AM
Reposted by Michael Walsh
yungenchee.bsky.social
We have no answers from our institutions as to why Go8 universities endorsed BCA's regressive EPBC recommendations

But 90 of us have signed an 'Independent statement on the Group of Eight’s position on EPBC Act reforms'

🙏 Prof Justine Bell-James for writing & coordinating the independent statement
Independent statement on the Group of Eight’s position on EPBC Act reforms The federal Parliament is currently considering amendments to the flagship federal environmental legislation, the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (‘EPBC Act’). This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to strengthen environmental protections to reverse Australia’s current trajectory of extinctions and biodiversity loss. We are academics at the institutions in the Group of Eight (Go8), with expertise in biodiversity conservation science, climate science, policy, economics and law. We support amendments to the EPBC Act to strengthen protections for biodiversity and remove ministerial discretion and legal loopholes, in order to create a level playing field for businesses, and make environmental protection and recovery central to all decision-making processes under the Act. We note that the Go8 has signed a statement by the Business Council of Australia endorsing amendments that will weaken the Act’s protection for the environment. This statement does not reflect the world leading conservation research being carried out at our institutions. It also does not reflect the extensive evidence-based advice provided by experts based at Go8 institutions during the review and consultation processes over the past five years. We disagree with this statement, and the Go8’s endorsement of it. Signatories (in alphabetical order of family name) Professor Justine Bell-James The University of Queensland Emeritus Professor S Don Bradshaw The University of Western Australia Associate Professor Josephine Brown The University of Melbourne Honorary Associate Professor Peter Burnett Australian National University Professor Danielle Celermajer The University of Sydney Professor Iadine Chades Monash University Dr Yung En Chee The University of Melbourne Dr Shawan Chowdhury Monash University Dr Paul Close The University of Western Australia Associate Professor Carly Cook Monash University Professor Graeme Cumming The University of Western Australia Professor Saul Cunningham Australian National University Dr Christopher Cvitanovic UNSW Canberra Dr Nicholas Deal Monash University Associate Professor Angela Dean The University of Queensland Professor Emeritus Christopher Dickman The University of Sydney Professor Kingsley Dixon The University of Western Australia Associate Professor Daniel Dunn The University of Queensland Dr Megan Evans UNSW Canberra Signatories (in alphabetical order of family name) Dr José R. Ferrer-Paris UNSW Sydney Associate Professor Anita Foerster Monash University Adjunct Professor Rob Fowler The University of Adelaide Emeritus Professor Alex Gardner The University of Western Australia Professor Christophe Gaudin The University of Western Australia Professor Andrea Gaynor The University of Western Australia Associate Professor Hedley Grantham University of New South Wales Professor Pauline Grierson The University of Western Australia Dr Liz Hicks The University of Melbourne Professor Dieter Hochuli The University of Sydney Professor Andy Hogg The Australian National University Dr Matthew Holden The University of Queensland Professor Stephen D. Hopper AC The University of Western Australia Dr Brad Jessup The University of Melbourne Laureate Professor David Keith UNSW Professor Richard Kingsford UNSW Sydney A/Professor Carissa Klein The University of Queensland Associate Professor Joanna Kyriakakis Monash University Emeritus Professor Hans Lambers The University of Western Australia Associate Professor Nina Lansbury The University of Queensland Dr Natasha LeBas The University of Western Australia Professor Sarah Legge The Australian National University Distinguished Professor David Lindenmayer The Australian National University Professor Catherine Lovelock The University of Queensland Professor Kristen Lyons The University of Queensland Professor Rosemary Lyster The University of Sydney Professor Andrew Macintosh Australian National University Dr Ray Maher The University of Queensland Professor Martine Maron The University of Queensland Professor Sharon Mascher The University of Western Australia Dr Helen Mayfield The University of Queensland Professor Michael McCarthy The University of Melbourne Associate Professor Phillipa McCormack The University of Adelaide Professor Matt McDonald The University of Queensland Signatories (in alphabetical order of family name) Professor Karen McNamara The University of Queensland Professor Jessica Meeuwig The University of Western Australia Professor Malte Meinshausen The University of Melbourne Professor Nicki Mitchell The University of Western Australia Dr Rachel Morgain University of Melbourne Professor Craig Moritz Australian National University Professor Emily Nicholson The University of Melbourne Professor David Pannell The University of Western Australia Dr Tina Parkhurst The University of Melbourne Professor Kirsten Parris The University of Melbourne Associate Professor Natasha Pauli The University of Western Australia Dr Alexandra Pavlova Monash University Professor Jacqueline Peel The University of Melbourne Professor Jamie Pittock Australian National University Dr Pieter Poot The University of Western Australia Professor Hugh Possingham The University of Queensland Professor John Quiggin The University of Queensland Dr Cristina Ramalho The University of Western Australia Professor Amanda Ridley The University of Western Australia Professor Cynthia Riginos The University of Queensland Professor David Schlosberg The University of Sydney Associate Professor Robyn Schofield The University of Melbourne Professor Leigh Simmons The University of Western Australia Professor Paul Sunnucks Monash University Professor Stephen Swearer The University of Western Australia Professor Erika Techera The University of Western Australia Associate Professor Joseph Tomkins The University of Western Australia Professor Erik Veneklaas The University of Western Australia Professor Peter Vesk The University of Melbourne Dr Ella Vines Monash University Dr Jessica Walsh Monash University Professor Glenda Wardle The University of Sydney Professor James Watson The University of Queensland Associate Professor Alexandra Wawryk The University of Adelaide Professor Brendan Wintle The University of Melbourne Dr Nerida Wilson The University of Western Australia
November 25, 2025 at 9:32 PM
Reposted by Michael Walsh
shandiya.bsky.social
@daxkellie.bsky.social on why writing good code as scientists can be difficult - many of us are not formally trained to do it. However, there are a few easy steps we can take to improve our code! The ALA also has resources to help:

labs.ala.org.au/posts/
labs.ala.org.au/books/

🧪🌏 #ESA2025 #rstats
Dax Kellie standing in front of a podium with the ESA2025 logo on it, and looking towards his right A slide with a comic on it by Alex Norris, which illustrates the disconnect between an artist's imagination and abiliy to execute their vision. The title of the slide is "Good code doesn't just magically happen" A summary slide that describes some steps scientists can take to improve their coding practices
November 26, 2025 at 5:45 AM
Reposted by Michael Walsh
thomasronge.bsky.social
Half the breeding population of Elephant Seals on South Georgia lost to H5N1 (bird flu). The impact this will have on the species, the local food web, and even ocean fertilization is hard to comprehend.
Two elephant seals lying on a rocky beach on South Georgia. The research vessel Polarstern is seen in the background.
November 25, 2025 at 2:05 PM
Reposted by Michael Walsh
banerjeelab.ca
🌍 Nipah virus (NiV), a zoonotic paramyxovirus from the Henipavirus genus, primarily infects Pteropus bat species across Southeast and South Asia.
Article: www.nature.com/articles/s41...
November 25, 2025 at 12:57 PM
Reposted by Michael Walsh
colincarlson.bsky.social
NEW! 🦠🦧 We revisited a perplexing paradox: do wildlife really pose less of a risk to human health as they become more endangered? Turns out, it's sampling bias all the way down: conservation risks correlate with disease surveillance blindspots. 🔓 esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
Viral diversity and zoonotic risk in endangered species
A growing body of evidence links zoonotic disease risk, including pandemic threats, to biodiversity loss and other upstream anthropogenic impacts on ecosystem health. However, there is little current...
esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
November 25, 2025 at 1:25 PM
Reposted by Michael Walsh
sjryan3.bsky.social
Great to see this one out - one of the original questions on this #NSF BII journey - are wildlife more or less 'zoonotic' as they become more endangered? Read on below...

Congrats to Kayla and the OG team!
colincarlson.bsky.social Colin Carlson @colincarlson.bsky.social · 2d
NEW! 🦠🦧 We revisited a perplexing paradox: do wildlife really pose less of a risk to human health as they become more endangered? Turns out, it's sampling bias all the way down: conservation risks correlate with disease surveillance blindspots. 🔓 esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
Viral diversity and zoonotic risk in endangered species
A growing body of evidence links zoonotic disease risk, including pandemic threats, to biodiversity loss and other upstream anthropogenic impacts on ecosystem health. However, there is little current...
esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
November 25, 2025 at 2:47 PM
Reposted by Michael Walsh
dudney-joan.bsky.social
Disturbance interactions have profound consequences for forest health, yet remain poorly understood.

Here we use DAGs to differentiate #Synergisms, #CompoundDisturbances & #NetworkEffects and review the impacts of climate change.

Final version out now! 🧪🌐🍁🌱
www.annualreviews.org/content/jour...
November 24, 2025 at 5:22 PM
Reposted by Michael Walsh
phaa-onehealth.bsky.social
H5N1 high pathogenicity avian influenza clade 2.3.4.4b detected in southern elephant seals on Heard Island, Australian sub-Antarctic territory. This strain has caused outbreaks in wild birds, poultry & dairy cattle (US) among others
#birdflu #H5N1
bit.ly/48e8OKO
bit.ly
November 25, 2025 at 7:37 AM
Reposted by Michael Walsh
arsweeny.bsky.social
Interested in how life history may shape the gut microbiome of a wild mammal? Keen on getting to work with an iconic long-term study system in Scotland?

Check out this PhD opportunity with me, Josephine Pemberton and @gfalbery.bsky.social

Reach out to chat more!

www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
November 24, 2025 at 4:40 PM
Reposted by Michael Walsh
cwebbonline.com
Carrie Fisher was the blueprint.
Protect your people. Call out the predators.
#RESIST
November 24, 2025 at 3:59 AM
Reposted by Michael Walsh
daxkellie.bsky.social
@shandiya.bsky.social shows how huge data infrastructures like the ALA also show what we *don’t* know about biodiversity, but how Data Mobilisation programs & our new {galaxias} package can help people provide data to fill the gaps 👇👀

www.ala.org.au/abdmp/
galaxias.ala.org.au

🧪🌏 #ESA2025 #rstats
Shandiya speaking behind a lectern A slide from Shandiya’s talk with a green hex map of Australia on a beige background. The map shows areas with lots of data are near cities, but areas with less data are near deserts A slide from Shandiya’s talk. Shows purple squares with stats of how much data a Data Mobilisation Program project of Click Beetles added to the ALA
November 24, 2025 at 3:55 AM
Reposted by Michael Walsh
daxkellie.bsky.social
We’re at #ESA2025!

Come to the Atlas of Living Australia booth, located conveniently by the coffee cart!

Come grab a hex sticker and say hi to me & @shandiya.bsky.social while you’re there 😀☕️
Shandiya and me holding stickers in front of a poster. We are holding fun hex stickers and generally full of excitement
November 24, 2025 at 4:03 AM
Reposted by Michael Walsh
ipbes.net
Wetlands are rare and exceptional, even small ones.

Intrinsically valuable, they also:
🌱 Offer habitat for plants, insects, amphibians and birds
🌊 Absorb stormwater, buffering against floods
🌍 Filter and reduce pollutants, improving water quality

Learn more with the Convention on Wetlands 👇
Infographic explaining the importance of preserving small wetlands, highlighting cost-effective solutions, threats, and protection strategies with illustrations of wetlands and people.
November 14, 2025 at 10:15 AM
Reposted by Michael Walsh
phaa-onehealth.bsky.social
#OneHealth resources:
✅ Updated #AvianFlu Factsheet by Wildlife Health Australia now reflects key epi developments:
🧬 Covers all strains & subtypes
🐄 Expanded to include mammals
📊 Latest WHO data on human cases/deaths
🧪 Diagnostic guidance via AUSVETPLAN
👉 Access here: bit.ly/47RK7VA
bit.ly
November 21, 2025 at 6:20 AM
Reposted by Michael Walsh
bansallab.bsky.social
The CDC updated its vaccine page to claim "vaccines do not cause autism" is "not evidence-based" and studies were "ignored." This is an outrage. Decades of research have found no link. This isn't science, it's RFK Jr. using the CDC as propaganda. Children will die because of this.
CDC disinformation about the link between autism and vaccines
November 20, 2025 at 12:55 PM
Reposted by Michael Walsh
altcdc.altgov.info
Vaccines don’t cause autism.
No matter what the 🧠🪱 says.
Penn and Teller on Vaccinations
YouTube video by UltraMiraculous
youtu.be
November 20, 2025 at 4:29 AM
Reposted by Michael Walsh
frodsan.bsky.social
Two years ago we got together in a beautiful mountain to learn and develop #rstats packages for ecology

After {labeleR} (ecologyr.github.io/labeleR/) and {BlueCarbon} (ecologyr.github.io/BlueCarbon/), {mappestRisk} is now officially out! See thread by lead author @dario-ssm.bsky.social 👇
Collaborative development of R packages for ecology https://ecologyr.github.io/workshop/
November 20, 2025 at 7:17 PM
Reposted by Michael Walsh
jkulcha.bsky.social
222 years ago to the day Haiti gained independence after fighting off the French.

Exactly 222 years on to the day, Haiti won entry into the World Cup.

🇭🇹🇭🇹🇭🇹🇭🇹🇭🇹🇭🇹🇭🇹🇭🇹🇭🇹🇭🇹🇭🇹🇭🇹🇭🇹🇭🇹
November 20, 2025 at 3:57 AM
Reposted by Michael Walsh
areyoukeddingme.bsky.social
Check out this new paper put out by my collaborators and me! Led by Jose Maria Garcia-Carrasco and Javi Illan from WSU Entomology, we created models using tick, host, and environmental data to predict the distribution of different ticks and tick-borne diseases in North America. 🗺️🦌🦠🕷️

Check it out! 👇🏼
November 20, 2025 at 12:09 AM
Reposted by Michael Walsh
zsofiahorvath.bsky.social
In our new review in WIREs WATER, we synthesize knowledge on ecosystem (dis)services, multifunctionality, and trade‐offs in urban ponds and highlight garden ponds as a specific subtype that deserves more attention
🏙️🔵🏡
doi.org/10.1002/wat2...
@epcn.bsky.social
Urban Ponds and the Emerging Role of Garden Ponds: Ecosystem Services and Disservices, Multifunctionality, and Trade‐Offs
Urban ponds and garden ponds—a specific subset of the former, usually located in private gardens—are both typical examples of ponds in the urban landscape. They deliver multiple ecosystem services bu...
doi.org
November 19, 2025 at 11:56 AM
Reposted by Michael Walsh
baldini-francesco.bsky.social
Our new paper is out!

Towards scalable age-grading of Aedes albopictus mosquito using mid-infrared spectroscopy and machine learning

Read it here 👉 rdcu.be/eQy0X

@sbohvm.gla.ac.uk #UniversitaSapienza
Towards scalable age-grading of Aedes albopictus mosquito using mid-infrared spectroscopy and machine learning
Scientific Reports - Towards scalable age-grading of Aedes albopictus mosquito using mid-infrared spectroscopy and machine learning
rdcu.be
November 18, 2025 at 3:43 PM
Reposted by Michael Walsh
anaisabelbento.bsky.social
So happy to have this out! #bordetella #adaptation
November 17, 2025 at 1:28 PM
Reposted by Michael Walsh
noamross.net
The Gaza Support Network, a peer-to-peer aid network supporting Palestinian families, is putting out a call to help with shelter and clothing in the face of winter storms. Donate here: chuffed.org/project/1533...
Winter Appeal – Help Families in need Survive the Winter
🧣 Winter Preparation Appeal – Help 50 Families in Gaza Survive the Winter 🧥
chuffed.org
November 15, 2025 at 6:16 PM
Reposted by Michael Walsh
irisvanrooij.bsky.social
“Researching and reflecting on the harms of AI is not itself harm reduction. It may even contribute to rationalizing, normalizing, and enabling harm. Critical reflection without appropriate action is thus quintessentially critical washing."

-- @marentierra.bsky.social et al, (2025).
Critical AI Literacy: Beyond hegemonic perspectives on sustainability
How can universities resist being coopted and corrupted by the AI industries’ agendas? Originally published here: https://rcsc.substack.com/p/critical-ai-literacy-beyond-hegemonic
zenodo.org
November 14, 2025 at 7:16 AM