Dr Michelle Leishman

Associate Professor

Telephone: +61 (02) 9850 9180
Facsimile: +61 (02) 9850 8245

Email. michelle.leishman[at]mq.edu.au

Building E8A 170

Department of Biological Sciences

Faculty of Science

Macquarie University

North Ryde, NSW, Australia, 2109

Research

My main areas of research are plant functional traits and ecological strategies of plants. My current research focuses on understanding the success of invasive plants, predicting the success of invasive plants with climate change and developing sustainable vegetation restoration methods. There are a number of active research programs in the lab, including:

1. - Comparison of traits of exotic invasive species in their original and novel ranges
2. - Responses of invasive plants to elevated CO₂
3. - Modelling exotic species distribution with climate change
4. - The role of soil biota in plant invasions
5. - Development of restoration guidelines for woodland and riparian vegetation
6. - Relating plant volatile organic compound emissions to functional traits

Research collaborators on some of these projects include Professor Dave Richardson, Dr Paul Downey, Professor Andy Lowe, Associate Professor Angela Moles, Professor Lesley Hughes, Dr Ian Wright and Dr Brad Murray.

I am also on the editorial board of Journal of Ecology,  am the Chair of the NSW Scientific Committee and am a member of the ARC College of Experts (Biological Sciences and Biotechnology).

Students

I am currently supervising a number of Honours/Masters and PhD students.  Follow the links from the homepage to learn more.

Teaching

I am responsible for teaching BIOL349 Biodiversity and Conservation and contribute to BIOL210 Plant Structure & Function. 

Publications

Click here for a list of my publications.

Google Scholar citations page is here