Research
1. Insect pests of grains cropping landscapes in south-east Australia
CSIRO Entomology (Canberra)
Part of the National Invertebrate Pest Initiative
As part of this project we are using a food web approach to quantify the interactions between insect communities in canola and communities in nearby crops (mostly cereals) and non-crop vegetation.
2. Pest suppressive landscapes: linking IPM and natural resource management
Project lead: Nancy Schellhorn & Felix Bianchi CSIRO Entomology (Brisbane)
Funded by GRDC
This project is focused on creating pest suppressive landscape via an understanding of the ecological function of the habitats present in the landscape and how pest and natural enemies move in agricultural landscapes. This is a nationally co-ordinated project that combines field sampling across a range of habitats and modeling approaches to identify the critical features of pest suppressive grain landscapes. In each region (Dalby QLD, Great Southern region WA and Cootamundra NSW), two 10 km diameter landscapes that provide a contrast in crop heterogeneity and native vegetation will be selected to condut the field work. I am involved with the Southern NSW sites.
3. Developing and promoting Integrated Pest Management in Australian Grains
Project lead: Darryl Hardie (UWA)
Funded by GRDC
Invertebrate pests represent a significant challenge to sustainable grain production in many parts of Australia and currently growers rely mainly on broad-spectrum insecticides to control pests. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) coordinates the use of pest biology, environmental information, and available technology to prevent unacceptable levels of pest damage, while minimizing the risk to people and the environment of synthetic pesticide use. This project will benchmark current pest management practices and understanding of IPM principles among Australian grain growers. On-farm trials around Australia will be used to demonstrate the utility of alternative approaches to pest management. The trials will be accompanied by the delivery of workshops, field-days and extension of project findings through oral and written publications. I am involved with the Southern NSW trial site in collaboration with Jo Holloway (DI&I).
Aphid parasitoids in organic and conventional farming systems
J. Memmott (University of Bristol) & M. Traugott (University of Innsbruck, Austria)
Funded by the Lady Emily Smyth Agricultural Research Station (LESARS)
Journal article Macfadyenetal2009AGEEAphids
Parasitoid webs in organic and conventional farming systems: structure, sustainability and exploitation
J. Memmott (University of Bristol) and W.O.C. Symondson (Cardiff University)
Funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC)
Rachel Gibson mapping the landscape elements on the farms
A sunny day in the english countryside
Planting the pyracantha plants
A completed plot
The Use of Naturally Occurring Arthropod Predators for the Control of Helicoverpa spp. in Grain Crops in Southeast Queensland
School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
Supervisor: Professor Myron P. Zalucki
Funded by the Grains Research and Development Corporation
Thesis abstract PhD thesis Abstract
Thesis chapters:
Chapter 1. Introduction and thesis outline Ch1Intro
Chapter 2. Study area, field sites, arthropod collection and identification Ch2Studyarea
Chapter 3. Araneae ballooning for crop colonization and movement Ch3ballooning
Chapter 4. Influence of adjacent crop on arthropod abundance and movement Ch4adjacentcrop
Chapter 5. Lycosidae movement within-fields and seasonal patterns of activity Ch5lycosidae
Chapter 6. Insecticide use in soybean and predator abundance Ch6insecticide
Chapter 7. Estimating predation rate with H. armigera egg cards: Preliminary experiments Ch7eggcard
Chapter 8. Within-field spatial patterns: Predator aggregation in response to pest density Ch8spatial
Chapter 9. H. armigera egg and larval mortality in the field: How much is due to predation? Ch9larvalmort
Chapter 10. Determining the diet of predators in the field Ch10dietDNA
Chapter 11. Major findings and future research Ch11findings
Appendix 1. Growers attitudes towards the use of predators for pest control append1survey
Appendix 2. SADIE within-field spatial pattern analysis Append2spatial
Appendix 3. SADIE spatial association analysis Append3ass
Acknowledgments Acknowledgements
Early season soybean field near Gatton, QLD
Thomisidae spider attacking a bee
The Influence of Isolated Trees in Agro-ecosystems on Invertebrate Biodiversity
Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
Supervisor: Ian Oliver, Key Centre for Biodiversity and Bioresources (now at New South Wales Department of Natural Resources, University of New England, Armidale)
Co-supervisor: Peter Smith, Department of Land and Water Conservation
Journal article AEOliveretal2006
Final Report Isolatedreport
Appendix Append1
Aerial image of field site near Armidale
Sampling an isolated tree