Geoff Coates

Honours Candidate
Room LG120, Earth Sciences Building, University of New England, Armidale
e: gcoates@myune.edu.au

Research interests

Evolution, taxonomy and systematics
Ecology, including anthropogenically-induced environmental change, biodiversity and species assemblages within given communities, and ecological niches
Palaeontology
Biogeography

As a zoologist my interests are very broad, however generally they are heavily based within the fields of ecology and species interactions. I find that both asking and answering ecologically-based questions is not only very rewarding on an intellectual level but on a practical level as well, especially when considering man-made environmental impacts combined with species extinctions. I am also very interested in evolution and palaeontology, again stemming from my desire to have a better understanding of ecosystem and species interactions, and the formation of these processes.

My short-term research aspirations are try and understand the ecosystems present just prior to the extinction of global megafauna, and to investigate what niches these animals had, what their interaction was with humans if any, why they became extinct, and what we can learn to prevent more extinctions from taking place.