Michael Calver

THIS issue marks the completion of 20 years of publication of Pacific Conservation Biology. Writing in the first issue, Foundation Editor Craig Moritz highlighted the 'profound and urgent problems in conservation and land management' in the Pacific region, as well as 'the inadequate communication among research biologists, conservation managers and administrators.' He saw PCB as promoting this badly needed communication regarding conservation issues in the region, as well as highlighting the 'relevance and management implications of the research.' He invited researchers and managers to 'enjoy it, use it and be part of it!'

"Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted." – William Bruce Cameron Australian universities have been in the media in recent weeks for the dubious treatment of overseas students and the problem of plagiarism. But they are in serious trouble for another reason: their reliance on “bibliometrics” for major decision making. Two international companies, Thomson Reuters and Elsevier, rate the apparent prestige of the journals in which academics' publications appear, and the frequency with which other authors refer to them, i.e. their citations. Two of the key summary results are the Hirsch index (or h-index), which reflects citations, and journal impact factor (JIF), claimed to reflect the importance of journals. Ratings such as these dominate decisions on academic promotions, tenure, grant funding and the status of departments and universities. They have been universally adopted by universities in Australia because of perceived benefits of speed, cost-effectiveness and alleged objectivity. They underpin the government’s Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA). This is of immediate national interest because of the links between these metrics, academic rankings and government funding of science and the universities. Also the potential harm to careers and the very way research is carried out.

Thousands of unowned cats wander Australian streets every night. Some are feral, existing in self-sustaining populations not reliant on people, while others are semi-feral and are either fed by people or scavenge discarded food. Those cats hunt native fauna and harbour disease and parasites that can be passed on to humans, pets and wildlife. Yet depending on where you live in Australia, the rules on desexing and registering your cat can vary wildly. The result? Greater risks to human health, and tens of thousands of kittens and cats needlessly killed in animal shelters every year.