CSIRO Publishing

Throwback to last week's trip to Beijing International Book Fair: an exhilarating experience at one of the largest publishing events in the world!

Our team, Gin Lee (Business Development), Claire Nance (Rights) and our Director Arend Küster attended this key international forum to be part of the exchange of ideas and contribute to discussions about the latest trends in publishing.

This was the first year we had a stand at this exhibition, and it was a fantastic opportunity to get our publications in front of readers from all around the world.

Aussie citizen science data is helping us keep tabs on invasive species.

Early surveillance and the detection of incursions of species of biosecurity concern are a crucial component of an effective biosecurity system. Citizen science represents an opportunity to engage communities in biosecurity, and to provide mechanisms for citizen scientists to contribute.

A new article published in Wildlife Research explores how citizen science and other data on invasive species are provided to management authorities to better protect Australian landscapes from biosecurity threats through Atlas of Living Australia's Biosecurity Alerts Service.

A case study discussed in the article identifies an incident involving Opuntia puberula, a type of cactus that is illegally kept and traded as an ornamental plant in Queensland. A biosecurity alert email notified officials about a sighting of the cactus recorded on the platform iNaturalist by a member of the public.

Read the Open Access article in Wildlife Research: https://www.publish.csiro.au/WR/WR24046

We're excited to announce that CSIRO Publishing is now a signatory to the SDG Publishers Compact, joining publishers from around the world who have committed to the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Read the full statement on our blog: https://blog.publish.csiro.au/sdg-publishers-compact

CSIRO Publishing now a signatory to the SDG Publishers Compact - CSIRO PUBLISHING

An almost 2-decade experiment in New South Wales has revealed the vital role of agricultural topsoil in carbon storage, with the result published in our journal Crop and Pasture Science.

https://cosmosmagazine.com/earth/agriculture/soils-carbon-power-relies-on-topsoil-retention-and-maybe-a-little-bacterial-boost/

Soil’s carbon power relies on topsoil retention (and maybe a little bacterial boost) An almost 2-decade experiment in New South Wales has revealed the vital role of agricultural topsoil in carbon storage.

Congratulations Rebecca Firth (Murdoch University) recipient of the 2023 Journal of Southern Hemisphere Earth Systems (JSHESS) Science Best Student Paper Award!

Rebecca's Open Access research article examined the bias and skill of a seasonal forecast system (ACCESS-S1) in simulating growing season precipitation for south-west Western Australia, a region with a Mediterranean-type climate and significant cereal crop production.

JSHESS is an Open Access journal published on behalf of the Bureau of Meteorology in association with the Australian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society.

This award celebrates the important contribution made by students worldwide to fundamental and applied aspects of oceanic and atmospheric sciences in the Southern Hemisphere.

Could you be the next Best Student Paper Award recipient? Find out more about this prize on our website: https://www.publish.csiro.au/es/forauthors/AwardsandPrizes

“We often talk about plants as producers, animals as consumers, but the fungi are the great recyclers. They’re the third part of the equation.”

From recognisable fungi to the more obscure, Alison Pouliot, author of The Allure of Fungi and Wild Mushrooming, is a master of capturing the beauty of this quiet kingdom, as evidenced in these gorgeous photos.

Alison recently talked all things fungi and the "fungal awakening" that she says is inspiring curiosity and innovation. Listen to the full interview with Kathryn Ryan from RNZ: https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/audio/2018942998/alison-pouliot-the-hidden-kingdom-of-fungi

📷 Alison Pouliot

Great news for lovers of Australian science journalism: we're welcoming Cosmos magazine to our publishing family!

Cosmos is an information and news service offering science news online, an e-newsletter and a quarterly print magazine. Cosmos also offers curriculum mapped lessons for Years 7 to 10 to guide teachers and inspire the next generation of Australian scientists.

We're thrilled to have the team on board and look forward to working together towards a sustainable future for this publication.

Find out more about this news: https://cosmosmagazine.com/news/new-owner-for-cosmos/

Cosmos - the Science of Everything | Cosmos - STEM Education

New owner for Cosmos Cosmos, including the quarterly Cosmos Magazine, digital science news service, and the education unit of the Royal Institution of Australia (RiAus) and

Glide in to the weekend with some spectacular slimy reading from our blog! 🐌

Dr John Stanisic ('The Snail Whisperer') shares his insights on Australia's native land snails – often overlooked but environmentally important invertebrates.
https://blog.publish.csiro.au/john-stanisic-snail-whisperer/

Exciting awards news! We're thrilled to share that three of our books have been shortlisted in The Wilderness Society's Karajia and Environment Awards for Children's Literature! 🥳

The Environment Awards for Children's Literature celebrate books that promote a love of nature, and we're delighted to have our books shortlisted in the 30th year of these wonderful awards.

Huge congratulations to the talented authors and illustrators of Wollemi, The Forgotten Song, and Life in a Hollow – Samantha Tidy, Rachel Gyan, Coral Vass, Jess Racklyeft, David Gullan and Suzanne Houghton.

And congratulations as well as to the creators and publishers of the other shortlisted books! May our books continue to inspire children to love the world around them. 🌏💚


The Wilderness Society | Rachel Gyan Illustration | Coral Vass, author | Jesses Mess - Illustrations | Suzanne Houghton - Illustration

Big on birds?
Passionate about plankton?
Intensely interested in invasive species management?
Mega-keen on megatrends?

Find books on all kinds of subjects in our stocktake sale!
https://www.publish.csiro.au/catalogues/Stocktake24

Black-grass is one of the most problematic agricultural w**ds of Western Europe, causing significant yield losses in winter wheat and other crops through competition for space and resources.

It often thrives on heavy, waterlogged land, and a recent study by researchers at Rothamsted in the UK, published in Functional Plant Biology, has revealed how the problematic w**d uses specific adaptations in root structure to flourish in saturated soils.

Scientists uncover secret of blackgrass's waterlogging tolerance - Farmers Weekly Blackgrass often thrives on heavy, waterlogged land, and new research has revealed how the problematic w**d uses specific adaptations in root structure to

Is your fish and chips meal a bit... fishy?

Researchers sampling shark meat from 28 retailers across Australia found that 70% was mislabelled – with some sampled shark meat even coming from threatened species.

Threatened species and chips? Other fish frequently sold as flake, Australian study finds Scalloped hammerhead and greeneye spurdog among at-risk shark discovered in genetic testing of fillets

Stocktake Sale Alert 📚 🚨

Up to 70% off books, from weekend reads to professional reference books!

Use code STOCKTAKE24 at check out, offer ends 30 June.

Browse the catalogue:
https://www.publish.csiro.au/catalogues/stocktake24

Djerait woman Melissa Tipo helps young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women build passion for STEM through CSIRO's Young Indigenous Women’s STEM Academy. Her advice to Indigenous students:

“Embrace your Indigenous heritage, overcome imposter syndrome and believe in yourself! Remember, you are the legacy of Australia's first scientists. Seek supportive networks, explore STEM fields and never be afraid to reach out for help."

Melissa shared her story in an article published in the next issue of Double Helix magazine. Read it now on the CSIRO blog:
https://www.csiro.au/en/news/All/Articles/2024/May/Indigenous-STEM-Academy

Shhh... something big is coming! 🤫

Sign up to our Special Offers email newsletter to get a sneak peek 👀 www.publish.csiro.au/earlyalert

This National Reconciliation Week we are proud to share this Indigenous STEM Education project from our colleagues at CSIRO Education.

New app brings Mamutjitji Story to life Mamutjitji Story is the first-ever app in the Ngalia language, and it takes a unique approach by using Dreamtime stories to teach science principles.

The research published in one of our journals just got even more discoverable 😎

Invertebrate Systematics is now indexed in MEDLINE, the premier bibliographic database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM), and is now accessible via PubMed.

Articles published in the journal will now be discoverable in this key resource for those seeking biomedical and life sciences literature from around the world.

Read information for authors and find out how to submit: https://www.publish.csiro.au/is/forauthors

On this we're sharing a ribbiting blog piece from Nick Clemann and Michael Swan, herpetologists and authors of Frogs of Victoria.

Nick and Michael share their insights into what makes frogs so critical to our environment, and how books like theirs can inspire us to protect them. They also introduce us to three of Victoria's most interesting, and most imperilled, frogs.

https://blog.publish.csiro.au/victorian-frogs-need-our-help-the-first-step-is-understanding-them/

Photo: Mike Swan

Everyone is bugging out about Metamorphosis! 🦋

"[Metamorphosis] takes the reader on a fascinating journey examining some common, yet amazing insects, along with the scientists who have studied them." Kathy Ebert, News Bulletin of the Entomological Society of Queensland

"The authors are entertaining storytellers and have written a fascinating and often amusing account of how the study of insects has shaped history and continues to lead to remarkable discoveries." Maren Ostergard, Booklist

"McAlister and Washbourne have produced a wonderful book, one that’ll certainly appeal to insect enthusiasts, but also one that deserves to be read more widely." Gary Harris, Society for Insect Studies Circular

"Each chapter includes lots of truly fascinating material on the history of the discoveries and some remarkable people (not all men) who made them, and others who could see the potential there for imaginative adaptations of these marvels." Ian Fraser, Natural History Reviews

Get your copy of Metamorphosis from your local bookstore or head to our website: https://www.publish.csiro.au/book/8185/

Dr Erica McAlister Natural History Museum, London

Give us your best animal puns! Take your time. Owl wait.

Researchers have shed light on the concerning threat posed by per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) to the reproductive health of humans and animals, livestock, and wildlife.

In a new Open Access article published in Reproduction, Fertility and Development, they highlight the persistence of these 'forever chemicals' in our environment and the various pathways through which humans and animals are exposed to them.

While current research offers insights into the potential health impacts, there's still much we don't know. Although efforts are underway to limit new sources of PFAS exposure, further research is needed to understand their effects and minimize harm.

The perils of poly- and perfluorinated chemicals on the reproductive health of humans, livestock, and wildlife Poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a prominent class of persistent synthetic compound. The widespread use of these substances in various industrial applications has resulted in their pervasive contamination on a global scale. It is therefore concerning that PFAS have a propensity to accu...

Today is World Bee Day – a bee-autiful opportunity to celebrate and reflect on these amazing pollinators! 🐝

Discover more about Australia's native bees on our blog: https://blog.publish.csiro.au/world-bee-day/

As we head into conference season, sci-comm is on our minds.

On our blog, Dr Bruce Kirchoff, university professor and author of Presenting Science Concisely, explains two common misconceptions of poster design and gives his top tips on producing a strong scientific poster.

https://blog.publish.csiro.au/scientific-posters-bruce-kirchoff/