Dan Bickel
Senior Research Scientist
Qualifications
PhD in Entomology, Cornell University, United States of America
I have always been interested in insects as part of a wider view of natural history. However, Entomology is an enormous area of investigation, and one must specialise.
My research is focussed on the systematics (taxonomy, phylogeny, behaviour and ecology) of the Diptera (flies). Even an order is much too large for any one researcher, so I work primarily on two families, the Dolichopodidae and Empididae, both at the Australasian and world level.
My current research includes:
- Biological control: Water hyacinth is a serious invasive weed in tropical and subtropical waterways of the world. Collaborating with the South American Biological Control Laboratory in Buenos Aires on the identification and description of Thrypticus species (Family Dolichopodidae) that are potential biological control agents of water hyacinth.
- Database development : I have developed and maintained databases supporting research on the Family Dolichopodidae. These were used for the on-line catalog: Bickel, D.J. and Elliott, M. (2001) Diptera: Dolichopodidae. Australian Biological Resources Study ABIF-Fauna.
- Innovations in research : Joint Investigator with David Yeates (CSIRO Entomology) to produce an interactive key to the families of Australian Diptera. It will be developed in Lucid Professional© and published on CD-ROM. This project is supported by ABRS (Australian Biological Resource Study) to develop a product for wide use by ecologists, taxonomists, teachers and students.
- Diptera of Costa Rica Project: Member of the Diptera Taxonomic Working Group, based at INBio, San Jose, Costa Rica, with the aim of producing a manual, 'Diptera of Costa Rica', with keys to all genera. Writing key to Neotropical dolichopodid genera for this manual.
Contact Details
Email Dan Bickel
phone: (+612) 9320 6347
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