Terrestrial ecology research

We have some research focus on understanding how biodiversity affects ecological function, while other research targets conserving native biodiversity, restoring ecosystems or understanding behavioural interactions. We consider urban and island ecosystems, but encompass a diverse range of taxa, from fungi and yeasts to plants, insects, birds and bats.

Additionally, using palaeoecological methods (pollen, macrofossils, ancient DNA, radiocarbon dating) we investigate the impacts of initial human settlement on New Zealand ecosystems, the anthropogenic transformation of vegetation by fire, and the timing and impact of faunal extinctions. We also focus on reconstructing the ecology and ecosystem services of extinct and introduced fauna through analysis of coprolites to help inform conservation, establish prehuman vegetation baselines to help inform restoration planning and provide conservation-relevant data to improve understanding of remaining biota.