About

Our lab undertakes research on adaptation of organisms (particularly invertebrates) to environmental stresses including climate change and chemical pollutants, using field sites in the Victorian mountains, in tropical rainforests and in wetlands around Melbourne. We also develop integrated pest control options, investigate how landscape changes can be harnessed to provide pest control services, contribute to novel approaches for suppressing dengue mosquito vectors, and examine new ways to predict species distribution shifts under climate change.

Research

We focus on three main areas of research:

1. Climatic Stress – to find traits that enable adaptation to climatic stress, and to understand the genetic basis of these traits;
2. Applied – to develop better ways of sustainably controlling pest species important from an agricultural perspective.
3. Applied – to explore new ways of reducing the transmission of human diseases by insect vectors based on endosymbionts.

In understanding the main issues and mechanisms involved with adaptation of organisms to stress, we are able to make informed management decisions to assist the community and industry.

Techniques

Molecular population markers, ecological assessments, pesticide assays, quantitative genetic analyses, molecular species markers and entomological sampling.