Joanne Kearns 

The oriental weatherloach has been classified as being a noxious fish species in three Australian states and has established self-sustaining wild populations throughout the inland waters of Australia. Unfortunately, little research has been conducted in Australiaon the biology of the weatherloach and the ecological impacts of this exotic species and their interactions with native invertebrates and native fish species are poorly understood.

This will be the first comprehensive study on the ecology of the oriental weatherloach, which aims to identify which species currently inhabit Australian waterways and clarify their distribution and abundance. Molecular techniques will be used to rapidly differentiate weatherloach species across south-eastern Australiaand to study genetic variation and migration between populations. Results will help predict ecological impact of the weatherloach on native aquatic ecosystems in terms of adaptive potential and management units. The behaviour, activity level, dietary preferences and feeding rates will also be investigated to gain an insight into the behaviour of weatherloach in natural populations and recognize potential ecological pressures on native aquatic ecosystems.