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 defense against insect herbivores; community ecology; sustainable plant production

Professional memberships
Member of Ecological Society of Australia
Member of British Ecological Society
Member of Australasian Mycological Society
Chair of the Equity and Diversity working group for the Ecological Society of Australia

Editor for Austral Ecology
Associate Editor for Pedobiologia (Journal of Soil Ecology)

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)

Teaching experience(Tertiary)
1 Years

Research most recent
Frew, A., Powell J.R., Johnson, S.N. (2020), Aboveground resource allocation in response to root herbivory as affected by the arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis, Plant and Soil, vol. 447, 463-473

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

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 )
  

Research topics

• How do different mycorrhizal fungi affect plant defences against insect herbivores?
  

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.