Orchid%20and%20wasp%20pollination3.1_0

Behavioural, evolutionary and physiological ecology

Research at the Research School of Biology covers all aspects of the ecology-evolution cycle.

About

Ecologists often begin by asking how interactions between individual and the environment result in differential survival & reproductive output of organisms depending on their size, age, sex & which traits they possess. These can result in predictable changes in population size and composition that, at broader scales, generates variation in gene flow among populations and differences in species ranges. Natural selection operates whenever there is variation in reproductive output because organisms differ in their ‘fit’ with the environment. Evolutionary change feeds back to affect future ecological interactions. Research at the Research School of Biology covers all aspects of the ecology-evolution cycle. Our key research strengths include: ecophysiology of plants and mammals; behavioural ecology of crabs, birds, insects, reptiles & fish; sensory ecology of crabs & insects; functional ecology of fish & plants; evolutionary genetics of microbes, fungi and reptiles; and the epigenetics of bees. We also have a strong international reputation for developing theory in evolution & ecology that transcends specific study taxa.

Projects

We study acoustic communication in birds, particularly communication about danger, vocal mimicry and duetting.

Student intake

Open for PhD students

People

Temperature determines species distributions and affects functions, reproduction, and survival. This project will assess the thermal sensitivity of different life stages and plant tissues to heat stress and will develop models to assess how Australian plant species will respond to a warmer and more extreme climate.

Student intake

Open for Summer scholar, Honours, PhD students

People

The ARMF willsupport research to assess the extent and effects of changing climate, water and fire regimes on ecosystem processes and their feedbacks and provide a structure for integrated research, management and governance of Australia's mountains.

Student intake

Open for Bachelor, Honours, Master, PhD students

People

This project aims to develop theoretical models linking cooperative behaviour, environmental variability, and population dynamics. It will test these models using long-term datasets from various Australian fairy wren species, exploring how cooperation influences species' climate sensitivity and extinction risk.

Climate change is causing rising sea levels, threatening both waterfront property owners and mangrove wildlife. This project investigates how fiddler crabs in Darwin are affected by overcrowding and disrupted life cycles due to shrinking habitats, exploring their ability to adapt to these stressors.

Many wild herbivores show seasonal preferences for different plants or plant parts.

Student intake

Open for Summer scholar, Honours students

People

News

David Duchêne uses phylogenomics to study the diversification of Australian marsupials.

Read the article









A region's climate has a greater impact than landscape on how many languages are spoken there, new research from The Australian National University (ANU) shows.









Read the article








Lead researcher Dr Megan Head says her study shows sexually transmitted diseases can act as a mediator for sexual conflict, which occurs when the evolutionary interests of males and females don't align.









Read the article

Researchers from the Australian National University (ANU) have discovered several new species of butterflies and moths in Northern Australia, identifying a conservation stronghold of national and international significance.

Read the article

Fairy wrens can learn to recognise the alarm calls of other species.

Read the article

Seaweed plays an important role in coral reef biodiversity, with an important role in the lifecycle of several fishes.

Read the article