Ant-plant-herbivore interactions across global tropical ecosystems (Old ID 30049)
Role
Chief Investigator
Description
My project aims to investigate the plant-insect interactions in a highly invasive tropical weed to assess the interactions that unfold during the spread of alien invasive species. Sicklepod (Fabaceae; Senna obtusifolia) is native to the neotropics but has become invasive in many tropical ecosystems including Australia’s tropics. My project aims to investigate to what extent the ant-plant interaction increases plant fitness for the invasive sicklepod, and whether sicklepod benefits from enemy release in Australia. I anticipate that the results from this study will form one chapter of my PhD thesis, a manuscript for publication and presentations at an international conference.
Date
03 Jul 2023 - 31 Dec 2023
Project Type
GRANT
Keywords
Ant-plant-herbivore interactions;Alien-invasive species;Mutualism;Invasion biology;Enemy-release hypothesis;Extra-floral nectary
Funding Body
Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation
Amount
1494
Project Team
Daniel Montesinos Torres