Senior Lecturer

I work in the areas of conservation biology of invertebrates and systematics of insect groups such as moths and beetles. I have published widely on these topics and have 10 years experience in teaching and consulting.

Research Interests

Conservation biology of rare invertebrates, relationships between insects and plants, biogeography of the southern hemisphere, systematics of Lepidoptera and Coleoptera.

Teaching

I teach 2nd year Bigeography and Climatology, 3rd year Fauna Conservation Management and an Ecosystems unit of the postgraduate program. I supervise a number of Honours, masters and PhD students who share my research interests.

Units

• KGA213 - Natural Environment Field Techniques
  
• KGA332 - Fauna Conservation Management
  

Selected Publications:

• HINGSTON, A., McQUILLAN, P.B. et al., 2002, 'Extent of invasion of Tasmanian native vegetation by the exotic bumblebee Bombus terrestris (Apoidea : Apidae).', Austral Ecology, 27, pgs. 162-172
• YOUNG, C.J. & McQUILLAN, P.B., 2001, 'Redescription of the Australian moth species Palleopa innotata Walker, 1866 (Lepidoptera: Geometridae: Ennominae).', Insect Systematics & Evolution, 32, pgs. 263-278
• STEINBAUER, M.J., McQUILLAN, P.B. & YOUNG, C.J., 2001, 'Life history and behavioural traits of Mnesampela privata that exacerbate population responses to eucalypt plantations: comparisons with Australian and outbreak species of forest geometrid from the northern hemisphere.', Austral Ecology, 26, pgs. 525-534
• McQUILLAN, P.B., YOUNG, C.J. & Richardson, A.M.M. , 2001, 'A revision of the Australian moth genus Paralaea Guest (Lepidoptera: Geometridae: Ennominae).', Invertebrate Taxonomy, 15, pgs. 277-317
• HINGSTON, A.B. & MCQUILLAN, P.B, 2000, 'Are pollination syndromes useful predictors of floral visitors in Tasmania?', Austral Ecology, 25, pgs. 600-609
• HIGHAM, R.K. & McQUILLAN, P.B, 2000, 'Cyathodes divaricata (Epacridaceae) - the first record of a bird-pollinated dioecious plant in the Australian flora.', Australian Journal of Botany, 48, pgs. 93-99

Full Publication List

Current and Supervised Project/s:

• Ants, plants and biodiversity surrogates in Tasmanian eucalypt forests.
• Biogeography of Tasmanian Native Land Snails
• The ecology and conservation biology of Oreixencia butterflies
• The Soil Mites of the TWWHA Buttongrass Moorland (Tasmania) and Their Response to Fire as a Management Tool
• An Investigation into the taxonomy of some Tasmanian Chlorocoma Moths (Geometridae: Geometrinae)
• Identification of factors that influence variation in assemblages of Tasmanian spiders and beetles in different Eucalypt forest types
• Insect body size: the importance of temperature and the potential influence of climate change
• Belinda Yaxley- Biology and conservation ecology of selected saproxylic beetle species [in Tasmania's southern forests]
• Ecological implications of periurban subdivision
• Plant-pollinator relationships and the radiation of pollination systems in Tasmanian heaths (Epacridaceae)
• Canopy Arthropods and Herbivory on the Tasmanian Southern Beeches, Nothofagus cunninghamii and Nothofagus gunnii.