WORKSHOP: Dissecting Australian Biodiversity: Surprising Patterns? or Not?

Dissecting Australian Biodiversity: Surprising Patterns? or Not? or could we change it to...The Biodiversity, Socioeconomics, and Culture of Australia - Exceptional? or a Mirror for the Rest of the World?

As the Flattest, driest continent, with a bizarre assortment of plants and animals, Australia would seem to have little in common with the rest of the planet.We will discuss the patterns of Australian terrestrial and marine ecology and how they relate to the human condition, in terms of health, cultural diversity, wealth, and poverty. Are the patterns we see in Australia similar to or different from the patterns found across the rest of the planet? What can we learn about ourselves from looking at our lives in a global context, or an Australian context?