Ecology and evolutionary biology

We research life’s dynamics and how living things interact with their surrounding environments.

Research Topics

Applied Ecology

Our research investigates the management of the natural environment, methods of detection and protection from invasive threats and ecosystem restoration for conservation outcomes. We work across a wide range of biosecurity and conservation topics. Our work contributes to the rapidly growing fields of biosecurity and conservation.

Behaviour

Behaviour is the study of the actions and mannerisms of animals. Our research focuses on the ways animals interact with other organisms and their physical environment. We measure responses to entrainment, animate or inanimate stimuli under experimental and natural conditions.

Entomology

Entomology is the study of insects and explores their relationship to humans, the environment, and other organisms. Our research also includes non-insect arthropods. We cover areas such as arthropod biodiversity, biological control, beneficial and pest invertebrates and insect ecology, along with many others.

Environmental and Applied Microbiology

Our research investigates the ecology and physiology of micro-organisms in natural and engineered environments. Our topics include areas in microbial ecology, aquatic microbiology and geomicrobiology. We study the interactions of microbes, animals and plants. Our research also covers areas such as genomic microbiology, biotechnology, bioremediation and the microbiology of food and beverages.

Evolution

We study mechanisms and processes of heritable change within and among populations of organisms over multiple generations. We also explore evolutionary ecology. By intersecting the evolutionary histories of species and their interactions with their environments and ecosystems, we aim to enhance understanding of the diversification of life, and the potential of species to adapt in a rapidly changing world.

Global Change Ecology

Global change processes include land use change, pollution, habitat fragmentation and climate change. Many of our researchers are engaged in projects across marine, terrestrial and freshwater systems that include aspects of global change ecology including invasive species management, quantification of climate change impacts and modelling of global change for future projections under a changing climate.

Marine ecology

Our research in marine ecology studies the factors that determine the distribution and abundance of marine organisms. We study the habitat, populations and interactions of organisms in the marine environment. We look at the physical and chemical factors that affect an organism's ability to survive and reproduce.

Plant and animal ecophysiology

We investigate how the environment, both physical and biological, interacts with the physiology of an organism. Our research includes the effects of climate and nutrients on physiological processes in both plants and animals and has a particular focus on how physiological processes scale with organism size.

Systematics and biodiversity

Our research focuses on measures of variation in living organisms, from genetic diversity within species to species variety across ecosystems. Our research measures areas such as the number of species, functional variety of species, evenness of species distribution, or genetic diversity. We also investigate levels of biodiversity, its functional effects, and how and why it changes over time.

Terrestrial ecology

We explore the active processes and interactions in terrestrial environments with the aim of conserving and restoring them. Our research in terrestrial ecology investigates how land-based organisms interact with each other and the environment.