Talia Stelling-Wood

research associate

Habitat-forming organisms support abundant and diverse communities, however, the characteristics that mediate their value to associated organisms are not always clear. Trait-based approaches measure traits at the level of the individual and therefore have the potential to move beyond taxonomic or phylogenetic affiliation and can capture both inter- and intraspecific variation. Thus, they potentially offer a novel way to link the characteristics of habitat-formers to ecosystem functioning.  Macroalgae are the dominant habitat-formers on subtidal temperate reefs and display highly variable morphology in response to environmental conditions.  My research uses trait-based approaches to explore the relationship between macroalgae and their associated communities in south-eastern Australia, a region of rapidly changing ocean conditions.  

Career highlights:

2018 Evolution & Ecology Research Centre start up grant, UNSW Sydney ($1K AUD)

2018 Ernest Hodgkin Estuary Research Award (Oral), Australian Marine Science Association conference award

Recent publications:

Stelling‐Wood, Talia, Poore, Alistair & Gribben, Paul. (2021). Shifts in biomass and structure of habitat‐formers across a latitudinal gradient. Ecology and Evolution. 11. 10.1002/ece3.7714.

Stelling-Wood, T. P., Gribben, P.E., & Poore, A.G.B. (2020). Habitat variability in an underwater forest: Using a trait-based approach to predict associated communities. Functional Ecology, 34(4), 888-898. doi:10.1111/1365-2435.13523

Stelling-Wood, T. P., Clark, G.F. & Poore, A.G. (2016). Responses of ghost crabs to habitat modification of urban sandy beaches. Marine environmental research, 116, 32-40.

Twitter | @tstellingwood

Email | tste5627@gmail.com