Current conservation research projects
Crazy ant invasion on Christmas Island
The invasion of forest by yellow crazy ants and scale insects is the single largest threat to the biodiversity of Christmas Island. Dr Pete Green and his colleagues have been studying the interactions between red crabs, rainforest, yellow crazy ants and scale insects for many years, and continue to contribute to an on-going, island-wide program of control and suppression of supercolonies.Students in the Lab
- Anna Murphy (PhD student) - studying the pollination biology of Swainsona and Gompholobium.
- Shannon Lebel (PhD student) - modelling responses of alpine plants to climate change.
- Andre Messsina (PhD student) - systematic investigations into Olearia phlogopappa.
Past students
- Bill Wallach (Hons 2008) - Is fire a stress or disturbance in the grassy plains of Western Victoria?
- Nick Shaw (Hons 2008) - Post-fire succession of the Jones Creek rainforest in East Gippsland, Victoria.
- Monica Hersburgh (Hons 2008) - Allelopathy as a novel weapon in biological invasions: impacts on mycorrhizae?
- Flynn Clarke (Hons 2005) - The origins of the germination fire response: adaptation or pre-adaptation?
- Kirsten Roszak (Hons 2006) - Masting in Xanthorrhoea australis (Xanthorrhoeaceae) following the April 2005 fires at Wilsons Promontory National Park, Victoria.
- Geordie Kuzniarski (Hons 2007) - Long-term effects of fire on ant community dynamics in the Mallee region of north western Victoria.
- Megan Good (Hons 2007) - A test of the CSR plant strategy scheme in the Victorian Alps.
- Jess Reifschneider(Hons 2007) - Allelopathic potential of Euphorbia paralias: a mechanism for exotic invasion?