Dr Ros Gloag is a biologist working to better understand the processes that generate and maintain earth’s biodiversity. She addresses questions such as: how are new species formed? How do organisms adapt when environments change? And, how can small populations persist without going extinct? Answering these questions can help us better manage and conserve the natural world around us, particularly in the face of threats such as climate change and invasive species.
Dr Gloag’s research approach is to study these evolutionary processes in wild populations of bees. In doing so, her work also advances the conservation of these important insects and their sustainable use as pollinators of crops. Around 80% of the world’s flowering plants rely on bees and other flower visitors for pollination, including 60% of fruit and vegetable crops. Bees are therefore essential for healthy ecosystems and for the security of our own food supply.
Dr Gloag has previously worked to reveal how species can rapidly adapt to new environments despite low genetic diversity, via the study of invasive honey bees in tropical Queensland. She is currently working on an ARC DECRA project investigating how coevolution within genomes can drive the evolution of new species, via the study of Australian native stingless bees. This work is also advancing our understanding of the biology and population ecology of these bees and supports the use of native stingless bees as managed pollinators in Australian horticulture.