Scott Johnson
PLANT-INSECT INTERACTIONS
INSECTS AND PLANTS
Our research at the Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment (HIE) is concerned with insect-plant ecology, especially multi-trophic interactions spanning aboveground-belowground systems.
A large component of this work focuses on silicon based defences in plants. Our research determines how these can be enhanced to protect plants from pests and diseases and be made durable in the face of environmental change.
Scott became an Australian Research Council Future Fellow in 2017 to develop Australian research capacity in this field. We embrace partnerships with national and international collaborators to pursue our research goals and deliver meaningful outputs.
TEACHING AND RESEARCH
Unit welcome video Invertebrate Biology (300918)
Scott has just stepped down as Unit Coordinator of Invertebrate Biology (300918) in order to take up the ARC Future Fellowship. He was coordinator for five years and continues to teach on the unit. This popular third year unit is taken by 100 students during the Spring session.
Research areas
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Benefits from below: using plant silicon to resist stress
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Global climate change and invertebrates
Plant productivity is often threatened by biotic and abiotic stresses, ranging from herbivorous pests to environmental extremes such as drought. We investigate how plant silicon may help protect plants in the face of global change.