Staff Profile

Dr Lisa Evans
Scientist, Pollination Ecology
Sustainable Production

More information about our Sustainable Production research

Dr Lisa Evans

Qualifications

BSc, Ecology & Zoology, Massey University, New Zealand
BAppSci, (Hons), Natural Resource Management, Massey University, New Zealand
PhD, Biology, Royal Holloway University of London, UK

Research Interests & Activities

Quantifying the pollination contributions of flower visiting insects in a wide range of horticultural systems and improving and diversifying pollination practices. Key areas include optimising pollination and improving honey bee hive health under covers. Quantifying honey bee dependence of several Australian crops including macadamia, avocado, melons, and blueberries. Looking at how different foraging environments affect the flower visiting behaviour and foraging efficiency of social insects. Social insect cognition.

Key Publications

Wijesinghe SAEC, Evans LJ, Kirkland L, Rader R 2020. A global review of watermelon pollination biology and ecology: the increasing importance of seedless cultivars. Scientia Horticulturae 271, 109493.

Evans LJ, Cutting BT, Jochym M, Janke MA, Felman C, Cross S, Jacob M, Goodwin M 2019. Netted crop covers reduce honeybee foraging activity and colony strength in a mass flowering crop. Ecology and Evolution, 9: 5708–5719. DOI:10.1002/ece3.5154

Evans LJ, Smith KE, Raine NE 2017. Fast learning in free-foraging bumble bees is negatively correlated with lifetime resource collection. Scientific Reports 7(496). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-00389-0.

Howlett BG, Evans LJ, Pattemore DE, WR Nelson 2017. Stigmatic pollen delivery by flies and bees: Methods comparing multiple species within a pollinator community. Basic and Applied Ecology. DOI: 10.1016/j.baae.2016.12.002.

Evans LJ, Raine NE, Leadbeater E 2016. Reproductive environment affects learning performance in bumble bees. Behavioral Ecology & Sociobiology. DOI: 10.1007/s00265-016-2209-9.

Evans LJ, Raine NE 2014. Foraging errors have a role in resource exploration in Bombus terrestris. Journal of Comparative Physiology A: JCPA special issue: colour and polarisation vision in insects. 200(6): 475–483. DOI: 10.1007/s00359-014-0905-3.

Evans LJ, Raine NE 2014. Changes in learning and foraging behaviour within developing bumble bee colonies (Bombus terrestris). PLoS One 9(3): e90556.