Ben Moore

Associate Professor Ben Moore is an ecologist specializing in plant-animal interactions, chemical ecology, and the nutritional strategies of Australian marsupials, particularly koalas. He holds a position at the Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment (HIE), Western Sydney University, within the Plants, Animals and Interactions school. His research focuses on Eucalyptus-herbivore dynamics, climate impacts on ecosystems, and koala conservation.

Education:

• BSc (Hons) Zoology, University of Melbourne
• Ph.D., Australian National University

Research Interests:

• Chemical defenses in Eucalyptus and their effects on herbivores
• Koala diet and microbiome adaptations
• Climate change impacts on plant-animal interactions
• Ecological roles of plant secondary metabolites

His work combines field studies, remote sensing, and lab analyses to address conservation and agricultural challenges.

Articles Trends: Recent publications emphasize koala habitat suitability, drought effects on folivores, and nitrogen dynamics in pasture systems. Techniques like remote sensing and microbiome analysis are frequently employed.

Grants & Projects:

• NSW Koala Strategy grants (2022–2025)
• Eucalyptus dieback studies (NSW Department of Planning, 2023–2024)
• Legume nitrogen fixation research (MLA Donor Company, 2022–2025)

Labs & Teams: Active in HIE's Plants, Animals, and Interactions theme, collaborating with researchers like Rachael Nolan and Markus Riegler on koala ecology and ecosystem resilience.