Dr Peter Macreadie
University of Technology, Sydney
Marine Ecology
Australian seagrass ecosystems are among the most powerful carbon (C) sinks in the world, which means that they can capture and store C from the atmosphere in the seabed at a rate 35x faster than tropical rainforests. However, seagrass beds are declining at an alarming rate, primarily due to pollution; thereby accelerating global warming, and potentially causing the release of thousands of years of ancient stored C into the atmosphere. Dr Macreadie’s research seeks to identify strategies to minimise C leakage and maximise C capture and storage, so that seagrasses can continue to offsetAustralia’s greenhouse gas emissions.
Peter has used a variety of forums to communicate his work from student and public seminars such as the Ultimo Science Festical and the Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales. His work has also featured in the media through ABC’s Catalyst program, The Sydney Morning Herald, The Conversation, Cosmos Magazine and many others. He has also been blogging about his work on www.petermacreadie.com since 2012 and producing educational videos for YouTube about the importance of conserving our marine environment