The Macroinvertebrate Group at MDFRC includes a senior researcher, early career researcher and several technicians, from a range of knowledge backgrounds and experience, who provide expertise in experimental research, biological monitoring, taxonomy, community education, literature review, data interpretation and trend analyses.
The macroinvertebrate laboratory is NATA accredited. Details of MDFRC method accreditation can be viewed at their website. Accreditation number 17064.
The Macroinvertebrate Group focuses on macroinvertebrate species within the Murray-Darling Basin with special interest in;
- Habitat utilization by individual species and functional groups
- Life histories of individual species
- Invertebrate conservation
- Food-web analysis
- The effect upon macroinvertebrate assemblages of changing environmental conditions e.g. flow, water quality, food quality, habitat diversity
- Educational resources
- Systematics of aquatic moths and dragonflies
The Macroinvertebrate Group undertakes;
- Riverine, lake and wetland community structure assessments
- Mesocosm experiments
- Manipulative field experiments
- Long-term monitoring of community structure - Murray River Macroinvertebrate Monitoring Program (from 1980), Mitta Mitta River Catchment Long-Term Monitoring Project (from 1998)
- Delivery of peer-reviewed scientific manuscripts, comprehensive reviews and technical reports, including recommendations for river management
- Mentoring and supervision of undergraduate and postgraduate students
- Taxonomic training
- Work experience programs for high school students
Key Contacts
John Hawking j.hawking@latrobe.edu.au
Rob Cook r.a.cook@latrobe.edu.au
Adam Richardson a.richardson@latrobe.edu.au
Lyn Smith lyn.smith@latrobe.edu.au
Publications and reports
Hawking, J.H. (1999). An evaluation of the current conservation status of Australian dragonflies (Odonata). In: The Other 99%: The Conservation and Biodiversity of Invertebrates. (Eds.) W. Ponder and D. Lunney. Transactions of the Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales 354-360.
Hawking, J.H. (2001). An introduction to the identification of aquatic caterpillars (Lepidoptera) found in Australian inland waters. CRCFE Identification Guide Series No. 37, MDFRC, Albury.
Hawking, J.H., Smith, L.M., Le Busque, K. (2009) Identification and Ecology of Australian Freshwater Invertebrates. http://www.mdfrc.org.au/bugguide, Version January 2009
Hawking, J.H. and Theischinger, G. (2004). Critical species of Odonata in Australia. International Journal of Odonatology 7(2): 113-132.
Humphries, P., Cook, R.A., Richardson, A.M. and Serafini, L.G. (2006). Creating a disturbance: manipulating slackwaters in a lowland river. River Research and Applications 22(5): 525-542.
Quinn, G.P., Hillman, T.J. and Cook, R. (2000). The response of macroinvertebrates to inundation in floodplain wetlands: A possible effect of river regulation. Regulated Rivers: Research & Management 16(5): 469-477.
Richardson, A.J. and Cook, R.A. (2006). Habitat use by caridean shrimps in lowland rivers. Marine and Freshwater Research 57(7): 695-701.
Richardson, A.J. and Humphries, P. (2010) Reproductive traits of riverine shrimps may explain the impact of altered flow conditions. Freshwater Biology 55(10): 2011-2022
Richardson, A.J., Growns, J.E. and Cook, R.A. (2004). Distribution and life history of caridean shrimps in regulated lowland rivers in southern Australia. Marine and Freshwater Research 55(3): 295-308.
Smith, L.M. and Hawking, J.H. (2007). Regional Resources for Victoria. In Identification and Ecology of Australian Freshwater Invertebrates. Resources developed in conjunction with Tiana Johannis Designs for Waterwatch Victoria http://www.mdfrc.org.au/bugguide/index, Version August 2007
Theischinger, G. and Hawking, J. (2006). The Complete Field Guide to Dragonflies of Australia. CSIRO Publishing, Collingwood, 366pp.
An interim listing of MDFRC Publications List 1986 - June 2010 can be downloaded.
