The scientific interests of our research generally involve the study of insect and plant responses to environmental stressors to address ecologically applied issues, as well as taking an evolutionary biology approach to understanding trends in ecology.  

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We are particularly interested in how human activities affect insect population dynamics, biodiversity, and their functional roles (especially pollinators). We primarily study the effects of agricultural land use and the impacts of climate change. This has involved focusing on how specific factors, such as aspects of habitat loss, chemical applications and temperature changes can influence individual molecular responses, physiology, behaviour(s) and fitness, and how this scales to shape populations and communities.  Complementing these findings with molecular methods, field studies and modelling we attempt to scale up how these factors may be selectively shaping insect populations and altering community composition and interaction networks. 

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Whilst not wedded to a particular study system, social insects have been the focus of our research. Their large and intricate societies exhibit efficient and complex cooperative behaviours making them not only interesting for the study of animal behaviour, but also a dominant insect group in the environment that provide vital ecosystem functions and crucial ecosystem services important for human welfare.

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