RIEL Seminar Series
Entomophagy, cultural entomology, and insect biodiversity loss in Africa
| Presenter | Dr Caswell Munyai | |
|---|---|---|
| Date/Time |
to
|
|
| Contact person |
Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods
|
|
| Location | Yellow 1, Level 2, Room 48 at CDU Casuarina Campus, and online via Zoom (see below for Zoom link). All times are ACST. | |
| Open to | All International audience, CDU staff and students, Public | |
Dr Caswell Munyai is a Senior Lecturer in invertebrate biology at the School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal.
In the seminar ‘Entomophagy, cultural entomology, and insect biodiversity loss in Africa’, Caswell will briefly discuss the history of entomophagy and summarise the global distribution of edible insect species. He will then explore entomophagy and entomotherapy in Africa, highlighting indigenous and traditional knowledge with examples from his research group, especially in South Africa. Finally, he will address challenges and opportunities for entomophagy and entomotherapy in Africa and present studies from his group on land-use change and its effects on insect biodiversity.
Caswell leads an entomology research group working on diverse topics and contributes to nature documentaries that raise public awareness about biodiversity. His research interests include myrmecology and entomophagy in Africa.
Related Events
Applying a Gene Knockout Approach to Cane Toad Management and Research
Alex Funk, a PhD candidate at Macquarie University, is developing a CRISPR-based gene knockout method to control invasive cane toads in Australia by exploiting their cannibalistic tadpole behavior. His research combines herpetology, invasion biology, and conservation, building on his previous work studying feral pig impacts on salamanders.
Read more about Applying a Gene Knockout Approach to Cane Toad Management and Research
Trophic dynamics of free-flowing tropical rivers
Colton Perna's PhD research explores how river flows and flooding shape freshwater fish communities in tropical rivers, using fatty acids to track how hydrology influences food webs and nutritional pathways. His findings highlight the critical importance of river flow and floodplain connectivity in sustaining productive aquatic ecosystems.
Read more about Trophic dynamics of free-flowing tropical rivers
STATE OF THE DIS-UNION: Media Literacy in the age of AI
The CDU Library is hosting a free panel discussion featuring Northern Territory journalists who will discuss media literacy, truth, and storytelling in the AI era. Attendees can learn how AI is transforming media, ask questions, and improve their understanding of navigating information in today's landscape.
Read more about STATE OF THE DIS-UNION: Media Literacy in the age of AI