Ecology Matters

Australia is known for its spectacular and diverse natural environment, from sweeping landscapes to unique flora and fauna. It is a place that invokes wonder and demands protection in equal measure. Its ecology matters, as do the people who have dedicated their careers to understanding it – ecologists.

But what do ecologists do? How do they end up studying strange and obscure species? What is it like to work in remote and unusual environments? What happens when disaster strikes? And what are their hopes and concerns for the future?

In Ecology Matters, Australia’s preeminent ecologists explain why nature truly matters across 30 enlightening essays. Learn about crayfish and climate change, seed banks and seagrass restoration, floods and fire ecology, ants and Antarctic mosses, whales, waterways and wallabies, and frogs, feral cats and fungi. Featuring interviews with students, Indigenous rangers, restoration ecologists and leaders in the field, this collection of conversations spans the breadth and diversity of Australian ecology.

Accompanied by spectacular images from around Australia, many captured by ecologists in the course of their work, Ecology Matters showcases a unique perspective of Australian nature.

About the Author

The Ecological Society of Australia is the peak body for ecologists in Australia. For over 60 years it has supported ecologists, promoted the scientific study of organisms in relation to their environment, and encouraged the application of ecological principles in the development, use and conservation of Australia’s natural resources.

Grace Heathcote is an Australian writer and science communicator. From 2020 to 2025, she was the Communications Coordinator for the Ecological Society of Australia.