Plants, Animals and Interactions

WTCOur Plants, Animals and Interactions theme focuses on how the abiotic environment, and in particular climate change, shapes the ecology and physiology of plants and animals.  We also investigate how biotic interactions between species – plants, animals and microbes – underpin ecosystems and respond to environmental change. Our team has particular expertise in the complementary areas of eco-physiology, evolutionary ecology and species interactions. We pursue laboratory and field-based research, using both our unique experimental facilities and natural environmental gradients. We study systems from the genomic and biochemical levels through to ecosystem-level responses to develop integrated understanding of both patterns and the underlying processes. This helps to predict and manage ecosystem functions and services across different types of landscapes, including natural woodlands, forest plantations and agricultural systems.

Our mission is to advance integrated understanding of how environmental change influences the biology of individual species, key interactions between species, and overall biodiversity and ecosystem functions.

PAI Diagram

 

Key research interests of our staff:

Plants, Animals and Interactions Theme Scientists

Position Name Keywords
Theme Leader Prof James Cook Species interactions, evolution, molecular ecology
Deputy Theme Leader Dr Oula Ghanoum Plant ecophysiology, photosynthesis, climate change
Professor Prof David Tissue Plant ecophysiology, photosynthesis, climate change
Senior Lecturer Dr Brendan Choat Plant ecophysiology, water transport in plants
Senior Lecturer Dr Scott Johnson Multitrophic species interactions, insects and climate
Senior Lecturer Dr Markus Riegler Insect-microbe and insect-plant interactions, molecular ecology
Lecturer Dr Ben Moore Plant-animal interactions, chemical ecology
Lecturer Dr Paul Rymer Population genomics, evolutionary ecology
Lecturer Dr Christopher Turbill Animal physiological ecology, evolutionary ecology
Research Fellow Dr Robert Sharwood Molecular physiology, photosynthesis, chloroplast metabolism

Fire affects on Tree Water Use Heliothrips haemorrhoidalis

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Robert Sharwood

2013 Science and Innovation Awards for Young People in Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.

Robert Sharwood: Recipient of the Cotton Research and Development Corporation Award

In collaboration with the CSIRO, Rob will use state–of–the–art technology to investigate gas exchange and water use efficiency of different cotton cultivars. This will allow him to identify cotton lines that produce more biomass per unit of water.

Read more via the Dept of Agriculture, Fisheries & Forestry (ABARES) (opens in a new window) site

Eucalyptus Leaf