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 interaction of species and their environments using integrative genomic approaches alongside laboratory studies.
rapid evolution
Evolution is generally considered to be a very long-term process, but there are many examples demonstrating that evolutionary processes can have quantifiable effects over contemporary timescales.
This is particularly true when there are extreme selective pressures in play, but we understand little about how populations rapidly adapt when their environment changes.
We are especially interested in using the ‘natural’ experiments of biological invasions and temporal population genomics (i.e., museum samples), along with laboratory approaches, to understand how species change through time.
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.