Adam Devenish

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Position: PhD Student

Project: Assessing current and future impacts of invasive ants on ecosystem services

Research Interests: Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) are some of the most ecologically important organisms on the planet, forming up to 15-20% of the terrestrial animal biomass. They provide a large number of ecosystem services, including tunnelling (e.g. soil aeration/water filtration), pest control services and seed-dispersal, and are commonly used as biological indicators of ecosystem condition. Out of their native regions, however, ants can pose a significant global threat, with at least seven ant species listed among top 100 invasive species on the Global Invasive Species Database.

My main interests revolve around the topic of plant-animal interactions, in particular seed-dispersal. I am currently looking at how invasive ants can disrupt keystone ecosystems services such as myrmecochory (ant seed-dispersal) and how this can impact plant composition. For my PhD project, I will be looking at the impacts of some of the worlds most invasive ant species, such as the Argentine ant (Linepithema humile) and Invasive Fire ant (Solenopsis geminata) on Spanish and South African biomes.

For more information see my blog and follow me on twitter.

Biography:

2013-Present: PhD Student, University of Bristol (Bristol)

2012-2013: Research Assistant, Institute of Zoology (London)

2010-2012: External Consultant, Millennium Seed Bank Partnership (Sussex)

2009-2010: MSc (Hons.) Conservation, University College London (London)

2007-2009: BSc (Hons.) Biological Sciences, Roehampton University (London)

Contact: ajm.devenish@bristol.ac.uk / a.devenish@kew.org

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Fieldwork in Jonkershoek Nature Reserve, South Africa