Research Foci
Below, we outline our broad research interests - our focus is on working at the interface between genetics and ecology to examine rapid evolution.
We are most interested in the diversity of life and it’s underlying evolutionary drivers. Organisms live in environments that vary through time and space, so how do they respond and adapt to their dynamic surroundings?
To address this, we have a range of broad research foci targeting the integrative use of genomic approaches alongside laboratory studies.
invasion success
Invasive pest species have wide-ranging impacts on environments, economies, cultures, and health. What determines whether a species will become invasive, and how widespread it will become in the introduced range?
To answer these questions, we need tractable experimental systems that allow us to tease apart the various drivers of invasion success.
In the Invasomics Lab, we have developed a model system of differentially invasive blowflies. Using field and laboratory experiments, we simulate various aspects of biological invasion and then apply advanced genomic and ecological tools to understand how species perform in new environments.
understanding biodiversity
Terrestrial ecosystems of Aotearoa New Zealand are threatened by escalating rates of biodiversity decline.
To manage and conserve these ecosystems, we need techniques that can effectively determine biodiversity baselines and monitor for ongoing biodiversity change, with the ability to reliably detect even rare species. Environmental DNA (eDNA) is an effectivel tool for surveying specific types of communities or environments based on the DNA that species leave behind as they interact with an environment.
In the Invasomics Lab, we are excited to be developing new methods for eDNA-based biomonitoring and biosurveillance.