Academic and Professional Background

• Personal Resume:

  Ben has an MSc (Hons) in Ecology and Biodiversity from Victoria University and has worked on conservation and translocation projects in New Zealand as well as avian ecology research projects in the USA.
  
  Ben's PhD project is entitled "Ecosystem Services of Spiders in Viticulture". Recent work in the southern USA has identified spiders consuming nectar from extra-floral nectaries in agro-ecosystems. Consuming nectar has been shown to enhance their survival and increase fecundity when prey is limited.  Ben's work is aimed at identifying the contribution of spiders to pest predation in vineyards and if this contribution can be enhanced through supplementary plantings with floral or extra-floral nectaries.
  
  He is being supervised by Profs Steve Wratten and Travis Glare (Lincoln University).

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

  Ben has a background in conservation ecology and work experience ranging from fauna monitoring at wind energy turbine sites to testing and assisting with automated bird and bat monitoring equipment development. He has also worked on avian ecology research projects in the USA and Panama. 

  He has a BSc in Conservation and Ecology from Lincoln University and an MSc (Hons) in Ecology and Biodiversity from Victoria University of Wellington. His PhD will investigate the ecosystem services provided by spiders in vineyards. The project involves collaboration with CSIRO Adelaide and is co-funded by the Centre and the Lion Nathan Wine Group. His supervisors are Profs Steve Wratten and Travis Glare at Lincoln University.