Alex Maisey

Alex Maisey is a postdoctoral researcher in ecology at La Trobe University. He is interested in ecosystem function and the many ways biota interact with their environment. With over 20 years of experience volunteering with environmental groups in the Dandenong Ranges, he has a long commitment to local forest restoration and conservation. Alex’s PhD research topic was the ecosystem engineering role of the iconic Superb Lyrebird in Victoria’s central highlands. This project required extensive field work over two years, leading him to explore the world of microbial ecology, soil chemistry, entomology, as well as the more familiar fields of botany and zoology. In the aftermath of Australia’s Black Summer, Alex undertook a study (funded by BirdLife Australia and WWF-Australia) to understand the impacts of the fires on the lyrebird in south-eastern Australia. He is currently working on a large-scale project to define and measure natural capital on farms (i.e. the natural assets of landscapes providing essential services such as soil, water, animals, plants, fungi etc.) on farms across Tasmania, Victoria and NSW.