Andrew Davinack

Dr. David is interested in understanding the dispersal and range expansion of aquatic invasive species. Anthropogenic disturbances such as introductory events and climate change are expected to significantly alter species ranges on a global scale and developing methods to predict these changes are crucial for the conservation of aquatic biodiversity. His research involves designing culture methods for rearing non-model organisms (specifically obligate symbiotic polychaetes) and investigating the effects of changing temperature and salinity regimes on their development. Furthermore, his research uses population genetics to quantify larval connectivity and gene-flow among spatially separated populations. This method is often used to detect evolutionary significant units, which are the targets of many conservation programs. His most recent research involves developing an integrated approach that combines genetic studies with high resolution particle tracking models to predict the spread of invasive species. This method is a much more powerful measure of estimating connectivity as it can distinguish human-mediated movement from ‘natural’ movement and therefore acts as a control for anthropogenic influences. This study is an ongoing collaborative effort with researchers from both South Africa and the United Kingdom.