The best place to study tropical ecology is in the tropics. It is only by being here that you can explore and examine the habitats and study the fauna through all the seasons of the year and under all environmental conditions.
Why should scientists wish to study tropical ecology? Simply because tropical habitats with their enormous biodiversity provide the true homes of most species of animals and plants that live on this planet. Life is in the tropics.
The researchers in the Department of Zoology & Tropical Ecology concentrate on terrestrial biology in rainforest, woodland and savannah habitats. We investigate general biological questions in tropical fauna and ecosystems. We also investigate processes critical to management and conservation of biological resources in tropical Australia. Our studies involve tropical ecosystems (including biodiversity, plant-herbivore interactions and seed dispersal), autecology of tropical animals (vertebrate and invertebrate), effects of the tropical environment (including the impacts of climatic processes and pest dynamics under tropical conditions), all with a very strong evolutionary perspective (i.e. from the BIG question side).
Our large school of graduate students are heavily involved in field research in tropical ecology.
Our undergraduate teaching program has a strong emphasis on the ecology of tropical organisms and systems with a good exposure to fauna, flora, and ecosystems on course field trips and camps. Reflecting the research interests of our staff we involve undergraduate students in research projects and fieldwork.
To complement our work in terrestrial systems we also do a lot of research in fresh water habitats and even dabble our toes in the ocean, but the majority of work in marine habitats (including of course the Great Barrier Reef) is conducted in the School of Marine Biology and Aquaculture , another element in the Biological Sciences Group.
You can take a walk in the rainforest or see our campus birds or butterflies (lots of 20k .jpg files).
Go to the Department of Zoology & Tropical Ecology home page