Dr Bruce Webber

Biography

Bruce is a plant ecophysiologist specialising in plant-resource allocation and plant-ecosystem interactions. With interests in invasion science and conservation biology, he applies an ecophysiological approach to address questions relating to (i) the effect of rapid environmental change on invasive plants, (ii) the implications of landscape connectivity and fragmentation on both invasive and threatened plant populations, and (iii) the effect of climate change on yield and nutritional value in tropical crops. The common theme underpinning his current research is how plant fitness is variously influenced by abiotic, biotic and dispersal drivers, and how this fitness, in turn, impacts on population dynamics and species ranges. He runs projects across a range or ecosystems, with a particular focus on the tropical ecosystems of northern Australia and SE Asia, and complements this field-based research with controlled-condition laboratory experiments and mechanistic modelling.Bruce leads the CSIRO Ecosystem Change Ecology Team based in Perth, Western Australia. This multidisciplinary team generates knowledge on the mechanistic links and synergistic interactions between landscape change, species invasions and native species decline in terrestrial ecosystems. Working in both agricultural and natural ecosystems, we undertake research and develop theory to underpin more effective policy and management actions for conservation, invasion and production challenges in the face of rapid global change. The team delivers primarily to Land & Water and Health & Biosecurity in CSIRO, and has strong links with the University of Western Australia, where Bruce is an Adjunct Associate Professor, via collaborative research and student supervision. The team undertakes research with a network of collaborators and on behalf of clients both in Australia and overseas.

Research Interest

Plant ecophysiology