Hochuli Lab

Current Members of the Lab

Francesca van den Berg

Position: PhD Candidate
Thermal ecology of Flat Rock Spiders Morebilus plagusius
Temperature is one of the fundamental drivers of ectotherm physiology and behaviour. The temperatures that are experienced can therefore affect an ectotherm’s ability to capture prey, escape from prey and assimilate and use energy. I investigate the thermal biology and physiological consequences of seasonal acclimation of flat rock spiders in the laboratory and relate these to field microhabitat observations.

Co-supervised by Professor Michael Thompson.

Ryan Keith

Position: Honours Student
Wrack and Ruin: Impacts of coastal development on trophic interactions at the land-sea interface
Ecologists recognise that macrofaunal assemblages on wave-exposed beaches are primarily structured by beach morphodynamics. As a result, research continues to focus on the relative importance of these factors, treating sandy shores as simple geophysical structures and thus characterising them as non-functional ecosystems. This misrepresentation is persistent where ecological studies of beaches are underrepresented and oversimplified. Biological interactions between sandy beach organisms are likely to be pervasive and important, even in harsh environments.

Co-supervised by A/Professor Ross Coleman.

Ryan Leonard

Position: Honours Student
Blowing in the wind; the influence of wind energy and dust accumulation on leaf traits and consequences for leaf palatability and insect herbivore performance.

Co-supervised by A/Professor Clare McArthur.

Petah Low

Position: PhD Candidate
Tri-trophic interactions in eucalypt systems
I am investigating whether eucalypt essential oils could serve as host/prey location cues for a range of natural enemies and whether increases in volatile essential oils associated with increases in foliar chemical quality result in a trade-off between maximising performance and minimising risk of attack from natural enemies.
I am also interested in whether insect herbivores are able to perceive predation risk, for example via unsuccessful encounters with natural enemies or chemical cues from injured conspecifics, and whether they respond by adjusting their behaviour to minimise risk. A further aspect of my research aims to investigate whether these tri-trophic interactions may be disrupted in systems impacted by urbanization due to predicted changes to host plant quality and the natural enemy community. By investigating how the interactions between three trophic levels are affected, this aspect of my research aims to contribute to a mechanistic understanding of patterns of change in urban ecological systems.

Co-supervised by A/Professor Clare MacArthur.

Elizabeth Lowe

Position: PhD Candidate
The effect of urbanization on the diversity, abundance and condition of spiders
The continual expansion of urban areas is drastically altering ecological processes and interactions making it critical to understand how urbanisation impacts native fauna. Spiders are widespread predators that utilise many different habitats and foraging strategies, making them ideal to study the effect of urbanisation on closely related groups with different niche requirements. I am studying the influence of urbanisation on the diversity and abundance of spider functional groups and investigate the effect of habitat and web traits on spider condition and development. This research will provide insight into the adaption of spiders to novel ecosystems and the underlying mechanisms which drive arthropod diversity in urban landscapes.

Co-supervised by Dr Shawn Wilder.

Claire MacAlpine

Position: Honours Student
The effects of exotic plants on the distribution and prey capture of Australian crab spiders (Thomisidae)

Co-supervised by Dr Shawn Wilder.

David McElroy

Position: PhD candidate
Historical contingencies in marine eco-toxicology
David McElroy is a Ph.D. candidate primarily-supervised by Associate Professor Ross Coleman. He does manipulative ecological experiments using subtidal macro-invertebrates and bio-films as his study system. He is interested in how historical contingencies such as contamination legacy affect succession and settlement. For a hobby he collects dust.

Co-supervised by A/Professor Ross Coleman (Primary).

Rodrigo Roman

Position: PhD candidate
Testing the marine bioregalisation of Australia using micro-gastropods as model fauna
My research consists to determine at different spatial scale if the marine intertidal gastropods really reflects the boundaries established by the Australian government. To do this, I am creating maps of distribution using the Australian museum records, performing intertidal experiments along the NSW coast and using DNA analysis to explore connectivity amongst micro-gastropod populations.

Co-supervised by A/Professor Ross Coleman (Primary) and Dr Melanie Bishop (Macquarie University).

James Schlunke

Position: PhD Candidate
Ant assemblages and their environment
I am studying the interactions between ants and their habitat and what drives assemblages to differ over environmental and spatial gradients, looking at both species-level interactions with habitat structure, and also how habitat can influence intra-specific interactions. I’m looking at how best to predict ant assemblages from the plant species composition of vegetation, structural habitat factors and spatial characteristics of sites. The goal of this line of research is to determine how best to conserve for ant and other invertebrate species, both in terms of protected areas and under biodiversity conservation legislation.

Lucy Taylor

Position: Phd Candidate
How residents value biodiversity and engage with wildlife in a major city

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Dan Watts

Position: Honours student
The effect of artificial night lighting on the ecology of nocturnal insects

'Spider' Mann

Position: Lab manager
I'm in charge of motivating the graduate students. Even when they are completly exhausted they only have to look at me to see someone who's more stuffed than they are.

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Robert Blackburn

Position: Research assistant
Currently working on the Benchmarks project and as the in-house internet filter. Spends time being a Curatorial Assistant in the Macleay Museum.