Faculty/School

Faculty of Science

School of Biology and Environmental Science

Topic status

We're looking for students to study this topic.

Research centre

Primary Supervisor

Dr Elektra Grant
Position
Research Fellow
Division / Faculty
Faculty of Science

Other QUT supervisors

Professor Helen Wallace
Position
Head of School, Biology and Environmental Science
Division / Faculty
Faculty of Science

Overview

Tropical rainforests are among the most diverse places on Earth, yet our understanding of how disturbance affects small creatures like insects remains limited. The Solomon Islands is home to incredibly biodiverse rainforests, but logging is putting these ecosystems under pressure. This project investigates how logging affects insect communities by comparing specimens collected from the forest canopy across sites with different levels of disturbance.

We collected insects from the canopy, the upper layers of the rainforest, and brought them back to QUT. Put one under a microscope and you will feel like you are looking at something from another planet. We are looking for a student who would love to help us understand the impact of logging on tropical insect communities. This project offers a lot of possibilities depending on your interest (See below). No scholarship is available, but this is a real opportunity to contribute to meaningful conservation science.

Research engagement

This project is Lab-based

Research activities

The work will include, but is not limited to, creating a reference collection and sorting insects.

Depending on the student’s skill set and interests. There is work in DNA-related work, an opportunity to develop educational materials for local communities in the Solomon Islands, or to help with feeding/pollination networks.

The dominant taxa collected are Moths, Beetles and Stingless Bees.

Research skills

The student will gain knowledge of insect taxonomy and diversity, as well as hands on experience in pinning insects and working in a laboratory environment. Depending on the student’s skills and interests, they may also be involved in DNA extractions, PCRs, and DNA metabarcoding, and/or assist in creating educational materials such as posters for local schools in the Solomon Islands.

Outcomes

The aim of this work is to improve our understanding of insect diversity in the Solomon Islands and how insect communities respond to disturbance, such as selective logging. This student project will contribute to the development of a reference collection. In addition, the work may support educational outreach through the creation of teaching materials for local schools in the Solomon Islands.

Skills and experience

We are looking for a student who has an interest in tropical ecology, rainforest, insects, DNA and laboratory work.

Start date

2 November, 2026

End date

19 February, 2027

Location

The work will be done at QuT gardens point

Additional information

https://www.aciar.gov.au/project/fst-2020-135

Keywords

Contact

  • Bastiaan van Gemert

0450386772

bastiaan.gemert@hdr.qut.edu.au