Mark Adrian Elgar is an Australian behavioural and evolutionary ecologist, based at the University of Melbourne since 1991. He established his reputation with research on bird foraging strategies[3] and sexual cannibalism in spiders,[4][5][6][7] but now explores a variety of evolutionary questions around sexual selection, social behaviour and chemical communication.[1]
Professor Mark Adrian Elgar | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Australian |
| Alma mater | Griffith University |
| Known for | Research on sexual selection, social behaviour and chemical communication |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Evolutionary biology |
| Institutions | University of Melbourne |
| Thesis | Flocking and foraging strategies in house sparrows Passer domesticus L (1985[2]) |
| Doctoral advisor | Nick Davies[1] |
| Website | http://markaelgar.com/ |
Research career
editIn January 1980, Elgar completed his Bachelor of Science with Honours at Griffith University.[8] From 1982 to 1985, he undertook his PhD research at Cambridge University under Nick Davies, studying the flocking and foraging strategies of house sparrows.[2] According to Elgar, Davies taught him "the value of asking questions that can be resolved by simple experiments, and of treating colleagues respectfully."[1] Elgar was also influenced by evolutionary biologist John Maynard Smith, who attended one of Elgar's seminars at Sussex University and was enthusiastic about his research.[1]
Following the completion of his PhD, Elgar served as a Science and Engineering Research Fellow at University of Oxford (1985-1987).[8] He then returned to Australia, working as a University Research Fellow (1987-1989) and Queen Elizabeth II Research Fellow (1989-1990) at University of New South Wales.[8] He joined the University of Melbourne in 1991,[9][10] where he became a professor in 2005.[9] There he has served in several roles including Elected Member, University Council (2004-2007); Associate Dean (Graduate Programs), Faculty of Science (2006-2009); and Domain Leader (Ecology & Evolution), School of BioSciences (2018-2019). From 2013 to 2016 he was Member, College of Experts, Australian Research Council.[11]
Elgar has served as President of the Australasian Evolution Society and Councillor for the International Society for Behavioral Ecology.[10] He was editor-in-chief of the journal Behavioral Ecology (2006-2011),[12][11] and has also been editor-of-chief for the Australian Journal of Zoology.[8] As of 2016, he is Field Chief Editor for Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution.[10]
In 2021 Elgar opined that an increase in wasp numbers in residential areas may be due to bushfires destroying their nests in natural environments.[13]
References
edit- ^ a b c d Interview with Professor Mark Elgar[permanent dead link] Australasian Evolution Society. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
- ^ a b Mark Elgar (1985) Flocking and foraging strategies in house sparrows Passer domesticus L PhD thesis, University of Cambridge.
- ^ Leung, Chee Chee (11 April 2007). "Birdlife gets a bit ugly, ducking off for adultery". The Age. Melbourne, Vic. p. 3.
- ^ Mark Elgar (1992) Cannibalism: Ecology and Evolution Among Diverse Taxa Oxford University Press. ISBN 0198546505.
- ^ Mark A. Elgar, David R. Nash (1988) "Sexual cannibalism in the garden spider Araneus diadematus" Animal Behaviour, 36(5): 1511-1517 (September–October 1988). ISSN 0003-3472, doi:10.1016/S0003-3472(88)80221-5.
- ^ Mark A. Elgar, Jutta M. Schneider, Marie E. Herberstein (2000) "Female control of paternity in the sexually cannibalistic spider Argiope keyserlingi Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B, 267: 2439-2443 (7 December 2000). doi:10.1098/rspb.2000.1303.
- ^ Yoon, Carol Kaesuk (3 October 1992). "THEY ARE WHAT THEY EAT; Cannibalism among animals is a common survival strategy, a new book says. Some, like sharks, even gobble each other in the womb". The Gazette. Montreal, Que. p. K10.
- ^ a b c d Mark Elgar profile The Conversation. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
- ^ a b Mark Elgar investigator Official website: Principal Investigator Retrieved 10 April 2016.
- ^ a b c Mark A. Elgar profile Loop. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
- ^ a b "Prof Mark Elgar". findanexpert.unimelb.edu.au. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
- ^ "Editor-in-Chiefs' Reports, Behavioral Ecology" Archived 20 April 2016 at the Wayback Machine International Society for Behavioral Ecology newsletter, 18(2), November 2006. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
- ^ Preiss, Benjamin (8 March 2021). "'They're everywhere': Fire-ravaged Mallacoota now plagued by wasps". Brisbane Times. Retrieved 11 March 2021.