Safeguarding ecosystems from impending invasions. Biological invasions are a leading cause of extinctions and a multi-trillion-dollar socioeconomic problem globally. Focusing on ants, among the planet

Description

Safeguarding ecosystems from impending invasions. Biological invasions are a leading cause of extinctions and a multi-trillion-dollar socioeconomic problem globally. Focusing on ants, among the planet's most harmful invasive organisms, this project aims to build a general and predictive understanding of the causes and consequences of biological invasion, by investigating how alien species’ traits and ecological strategies influence their capacities to spread globally and invade local communities. Moreover, through extensive fieldwork and experiments, this project will uncover the susceptibility of Australia’s ecosystems to ant invasions, and identify solutions for safeguarding ecosystems that are grounded in a deep understanding of the fundamental mechanisms structuring biodiversity.. Scheme: Discovery Early Career Researcher Award. Field: 4102 - Ecological Applications. Lead: Dr Mark Wong