Our research

Current centre research projects

Our research focuses on the conservation and management of pollinators, including pests and diseases that affect them.

Learn more about our current research themes and their associated projects below.

Tackling pest and diseases of pollinators

Pests and diseases are a major threat to pollinators and include:

• parasites
• viruses
• insect pests.

In Australia, the arrival in 2022 of the virus-transmitting parasitic mite of honeybees, Varroa destructor, has created a game change in our national priorities for sustainable and secure food industries.

Other pollinators face pathogenic threats that threaten pollinator ecosystem services. The centre conducts critical research that allows for a better understanding of these threats and how to manage them.

Conservation of pollinators and their management in a changing world

Pollinators, including insects and other animals such as mammals and birds, are vital to the health of ecosystems and agriculture, contributing to the pollination of approximately:

• 75% of flowering plants
• 35% of global food crops.

Pollinators face numerous threats, such as:

• habitat loss
• climate change
• agrochemicals
• diseases.

The centre conducts research aimed at mitigating effects of human impacts on pollinators for a more sustainable planet.

Optimising pollination efficiency via multi-disciplinary approaches

In collaboration with industry partnerships, the centre aims to create practical solutions, such as:

• pest control strategies
• pathogen detection approaches
• pollinator-friendly agricultural and conservation practices that maximise pollination efficiency.

Further, our computing and engineering experts will contribute technological insights for improving pollinator detection, function and monitoring.

Pollination and pollinators in ecological, social, cultural and historical contexts

The centre supports interdisciplinary research projects spanning anthropological and Indigenous context of pollinators in human history and linking with biological knowledge to create novel insights.

Further, engaging with policymakers will help to shape regulations and policies that support:

• pollinator health
• conservation
• sustainable agriculture.