Dr Adam Frew

Fields of Research (FoR)

• Ecology ( 060200 )
  

• Microbial Ecology ( 060504 )
  

• Plant Biology ( 060700 )
  

• Ecological Impacts of Climate Change ( 050101 )
  

• Soil Biology ( 050303 )
  

Research interests
Ecology of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi; plant-herbivore interactions; plant defence against insect herbivores; community ecology; sustainable plant production

Professional memberships
-Ecological Society of Australia
-British Ecological Society

-Editor, Austral Ecology
-Associate Editor, Pedobiologia (Journal of Soil Ecology)

-Chair of the Equity and Diversity working group for the Ecological Society of Australia

USQ Research affiliations

• Centre for Crop Health (CCH)
  

• Centre for Sustainable Agricultural Systems (CSAS)
  

Currently teaching courses/programs
REN1201 Environmental Studies (ONC & ONL)
REN2200 Ecology for Sustainability (ONC & ONL)
REN8101 Environment, Society & Sustainability (ONL)
REN8202 Conservation for Sustainable Futures (ONL)
REN3302 Sustainable Resource Use (ONC & ONL)
REN8302 Sustainability Science (ONL)

Research most recent
Frew, A., Powell J.R., Johnson, S.N. (2019), Aboveground resource allocation in response to root herbivory as affected by the arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis, Plant and Soil, doi:10.1007/s11104-019-04399-x

Frew, A. (2019) Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal diversity increases growth and phosphorus in C3 and C4 crop plants, Soil Biology and Biochemistry, Vol. 135, 248-250

Frew, A., Price, J.N. (2019) Mycorrhizal-mediated plant-herbivore interactions in a high CO2 world, Functional Ecology, Vol. 33, 1376-1385

Frew, A., Weston, L.A., Gurr, G.M. (2019) Silicon reduces herbivore performance via different mechanisms, depending on host-plant species, Austral Ecology, Vol. 44, 1092-1097

Frew, A., Powell, J.R., Glauser, G., Bennett, A.E., Johnson, S.N. (2018) Mycorrhizal fungi enhance nutrient uptake but disarm defences in plant roots, promoting plant-parasitic nematode populations, Soil Biology and Biochemistry, Vol. 126, 123-132

Johnson, S.N., Ryalls, J.M.W., Gherlenda, A.G., Frew, A., Hartley, S.E. (2018) Benefits from below: Silicon supplementation maintains legume productivity under predicted climate change scenarios, Frontiers in Plant Science,9,202

Johnson, S.N., Lopaticki, G., Aslam, T.J., Barnett, K., Frew, A., Hartley, S.E., Hiltopld, I., Nielsen, U.N., Ryalls, J.M.W. (2018) Dryland management regimes alter forest habitats and understory arthropod communities, Annals of Applied Biology, Vol. 172, 282-294

Frew, A., Weston, L.A., Reynolds, O.L., Gurr, G.M. (2018) The role of silicon in plant biology: A paradigm shift in research approach, Annals of Botany, Vol. 121, 1265-1273

Frew, A., Powell, J.R., Allsopp, P.G., Sallam, N., Johnson, S.N. (2017) Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi promote silicon accumulation in plant roots, reducing the impacts of root herbivory, Plant and Soil, Vol. 419, 423-433

Frew, A., Powell, J.R., Hiltpold, I., Allsopp, P.G., Sallam, N., Johnson, S.N. (2017) Host plant colonisation by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi stimulates immune function whereas high root silicon concentrations diminish growth in a soil-dwelling herbivore, Soil Biology and Biochemistry, Vol. 112, 117-126

Johnson, S.N., Hartley, S.E., Ryalls, J.M.W., Frew, A., DeGabriel J.L., Duncan, M., Gherlenda, A.N. (2017) Silicon-induced root nodulation and synthesis of essential amino acids in a legume is associated with higher herbivore abundance, Functional Ecology, Vol.31, 1903-1909

Frew, A., Allsopp, P.G., Gherlenda, A.G., Johnson, S.N. (2017) Increased root herbivory under elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations is reversed by silicon-based plant defences, Journal of Applied Ecology, Vol.54, 1310-1319

Johnson, S.N., Benefer, C.M., Frew, A., Griffiths, B.S., Hartley, S.E., Karley, A.J., Rasmann, S., Schumann, M., Sonnemann. I, Robert, C.A.M. (2016) New frontiers in belowground ecology for plant protection from root-feeding insects, Applied Soil Ecology, Vol.108, 96-107

Frew, A., Powell, J.R., Sallam, N., Allsopp, P.G., Johnson, S.N. (2016) Trade-offs between silicon and phenolic defenses may explain enhanced performance of root herbivores on phenolic-rich plants, Journal of Chemical Ecology, Vol. 42, 768-771

Frew, A., Barnett, K., Riegler, M., Nielsen, U.N., Johnson, S.N. (2016) Belowground ecology of scarabs feeding on grass roots: current knowledge and future directions for management in Australasia, Frontiers in Plant Science, Vol.7, 321

Johnson, S.N., Gherlenda, A.N., Frew, A., Ryalls, J.M.W. (2016) 'The importance of testing multiple environmental factors in legume-insect research: Replication, reviewers and rebuttal, Frontiers in Plant Science, Vol. 7, P89

Frew, A., Nielsen, U.N., Riegler, M., Johnson, S.N. (2013) Do eucalypt plantation management practices create understory reserviors of scarab beetle pests in the soil?, Forest Ecology and Management, Vol.306, 275-280

Publications in ePrints

Frew, Adam and Powell, Jeff R. and Johnson, Scott N. (2019) Aboveground resource allocation in response to root herbivory as affected by the arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis. Plant and Soil. ISSN 0032-079X

Frew, Adam (2019) Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal diversity increases growth and phosphorus uptake in C3 and C4 crop plants. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 135. pp. 248-250. ISSN 0038-0717

Frew, Adam (2019) Book Review: Fire Effects on Soil Properties. Austral Ecology. p. 1. ISSN 1442-9985

Frew, Adam and Price, Jodi N. (2019) Mycorrhizal‐mediated plant–herbivore interactions in a high CO2 world. Functional Ecology, 33 (8). pp. 1376-1385. ISSN 0269-8463

Frew, Adam and Weston, Leslie A. and Gurr, Geoff M. (2019) Silicon reduces herbivore performance via different mechanisms, depending on host–plant species. Austral Ecology, 44 (6). pp. 1092-1097. ISSN 1442-9985

View full listing in ePrints

Approved research supervisor in the area of:

• Microbial Ecology ( 060504 )
  

• Ecological Impacts of Climate Change ( 050101 )
  

• Soil Biology ( 050303 )
  

Dr Adam Frew is an ecologist interested in plant interactions with fungi and herbivores. In particular, the main focus of his research is on the ecology of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, understanding how the mycorrhizal symbiosis can affect plant-herbivore interactions. A goal of his research is to understand how mycorrhizal fungal communities respond to environmental change and/or land management. Adam forms part of the ecology team within the School of Sciences and teaches into a variety of undergraduate and postgraduate courses on ecology, environmental science and sustainability. Prior to his appointment at the University of Southern Queensland, Adam completed his PhD at the Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment at Western Sydney University before taking on a Charles Sturt University Postdoctoral Research Fellowship based in Wagga Wagga, NSW.