Dr Jill Lancaster

Lecturer

PhD University of London, UK
MSc University of British Columbia, Canada
BSc(Hons) University of British Columbia, Canada

Telephone: +61-3-990-20910
E-mail: Jill.Lancaster@sci.monash.edu.au

I am freshwater invertebrate ecologist with broad research interests in basic population and community ecology. An over-arching theme in my research lies in understanding how interactions between the physical environment and biological processes influence ecological systems. I am interested in questions about how the persistence and coexistence of stream-dwelling insect species are influenced by the fluvial landscape of stream channels (i.e., the sedimentary landscape created by geomorphological and hydraulic processes) and the temporal variations in water flow (disturbance through floods and droughts). At small-scales, this involves work on bio-physical coupling and defining how bed topography and near-bed flow patterns influence movement, dispersal and trophic interactions.  At larger spatial and temporal scales, my work addresses questions about how the provision and spatial distribution of resources drives populations.  Because aquatic insects have complex life cycles, we must integrate these events across life stages to construct life histories and understand population-level phenomena. Compared with larvae, however, the egg, pupal and adult stages of aquatic insects are relatively neglected and current work focuses on developing a better understanding of their autecology.

Honours students 

If you are interested in pursuing a postgraduate degree, please contact me by email with an outline your research interests and qualifications.  See also the School of Biological Science web page and Information for Future Postgraduate Students.

• 2010 - Oldmeadow, D.F., Lancaster, J. & Rice, S.P. Drift and settlement of stream insects in a complex hydraulic environment.  Freshwater Biology (in press)
• 2010 - Downes, B.J. & Lancaster, J. Does dispersal control population densities in advection-dominated systems? A fresh look at critical assumptions and a direct test.  Journal of Animal Ecology (in press)
• 2010 - Rice, S., Lancaster, J. & Kemp, P. Experimentation at the interface of fluvial geomorphology, stream ecology and hydraulic engineering and the development of an effective, interdisciplinary river science. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms (in press) Early view doi: 10.1002/esp.1838
• 2009 - Lancaster, J. & Downes, B.J. Linking the hydraulic world of individual organisms to ecological processes: Putting ecology into ecohydraulics. River Research and Applications (in press). Early view doi: 10.1002/rra.1274
• 2009 - Lancaster, J., Downes, B.J. & Glaister, A. Interacting environmental gradients, trade-offs and reversals in the abundance–environment relationships of stream insects: when flow is unimportant. Marine and Freshwater Research 60: 259-270. doi: 10.1071/MF08226
• 2008 - Lancaster, J. & Briers, R.A. (Eds) Aquatic Insects: Challenges to Populations. CAB International, Wallingford, UK.
• 2008 - Lancaster, J. Movement and dispersion of insects in stream channels: The role of flow. pp 139-157 In: Lancaster, J. & Briers, R.A. (Eds) Aquatic Insects: Challenges to Populations. CAB International, Wallingford, UK.
• 2008 - Lancaster, J., Dobson, M., Magana, A.M., Arnold, A. & Mathooko, J.M. An unusual terrestrial subsidy and potentially fragile species dominance in a tropical stream.  Ecology 89: 2325-2334. doi: 10.1890/07-0553.1
• 2008 - Rice, S., Buffin-Bélanger, T., Lancaster, J. & Reid, I. Movements of a macroinvertebrate (Potamophylax latipennis) across a gravel-bed substrate: effects of local hydraulics and micro-topography under increasing discharge.  In: Gravel-bed Rivers: From Process Understanding to River Restoration. (Eds H. Habersack, H. Piegay, M. Rinaldi). Elsevier. pp 637-660. doi: 10.1016/S0928-2025(07)11152-4
• 2007 - Beveridge, O. & Lancaster, J. Sub-lethal effects of disturbance on a predatory net-spinning caddisfly.  Freshwater Biology 52: 491-499. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2427.2006.01716.x
• 2007 - Dobson, M.K., Magana, A.M., Lancaster, J. & Mathooko. J.M. Aseasonality in the abundance and life history of an ecologically dominant freshwater crab in the Rift Valley, Kenya.  Freshwater Biology 52: 215-225. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2427.2006.01648.x
• 2006 - Lancaster, J., Buffin-Bélanger, T., Reid, I., Rice, S. Flow- and substratum-mediated movement by a stream insect.  Freshwater Biology 51: 1053-1069. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2427.2006.01554.x
• 2006 - Lancaster, J. & Belyea, L.R. Limits to local density: alternative views of abundance-environment relationships.  Freshwater Biology  51: 783-796. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2427.2006.01518.x
• 2006 - Lancaster, J. Using neutral landscapes to identify patterns of aggregation across resources points. Ecography 29: 385-395.
• 2006 - Buffin-Bélanger, T., Rice, S., Reid, I. & Lancaster, J. Spatial heterogeneity of near-bed hydraulics above a water-lain gravel bed.  Water Resources Research 42: W04413. doi: 10.1029/2005WR004070
• 2005 - Lancaster, J., Bradley, D., Hogan, A. & Waldron, S.  Intraguild omnivory in predatory stream insects.  Journal of Animal Ecology 74: 619-629. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2656.2005.00957.x
• 2004 - Lancaster, J. & Downes, B.J.  Spatial point pattern analysis of exploited and available resources.  Ecography 27: 94-102.
• 2003 - Lancaster, J., Downes, B.J.  & Reich, P.  Linking landscape patterns of resource distribution with models of aggregation in ovipositing stream insects.  Journal of Animal Ecology 72: 969-978.
• 2003 - Buffin-Bélanger, T., Reid, I., Rice, S., Chandler, J.H. & Lancaster, J.  A casting procedure for reproducing coarse-grained sedimentary surfaces  Earth Surface Processes and Landforms 28: 787-796. doi: 10.1002/esp.490