Biography/ Background
Qualifications
Teaching Interests
Publications
Professional Interests
Media Expertise

Associate Professor Michael Keller

Telephone	+61 8 8303 7222
Position	Associate Dean (International)
Email	mike.keller@adelaide.edu.au
Fax	+61 8 8303 7109
Building	Waite Main Building
Floor/Room	GN 05
Campus	Waite
Org Unit	Agriculture Food and Wine, School of

To link to this page, please use the following URL:
http://www.adelaide.edu.au/directory/mike.keller

Biography/ Background

Mike Keller is an entomologist who joined the University of Adelaide in 1987. His research largely focuses on insect natural enemies and their role in biological control of insect pests. Research on predators and parasitic wasps aims to provide ecological strategies for the enhancement of biological control in agricultural systems through a combination of experimental and theoretical advances. His research is funded by the Australian Research Council and Horticulture Australia Ltd. In addition, he contributes to research on the domestication of blue-banded bees for pollination of tomatoes in greenhouses.

Mike's lab group currently includes:

* Dr. Katja Hogendoorn (ARC Postdoc) - Behaviour, ecology and management of blue-banded bees

* Gabriela Lankin Vega (PhD student) - Interactions between predators and parasitoids

* Craig Feutril (PhD student, CRC for National Plant Biosecurity) - Invasion biology of currant-lettuce aphid

* Chris McIntyre (PhD student supported by Horticulture Australia Ltd.) - Evaluation of key predators in vegetable brassica crops

* Fuad Nurdiansyah (Master of Plant Health and Biosecurity) - Forecasting the development and geographic distribution of biological control agents: a case study using Micromus tasmaniae

Mike is a member of the Editorial Board of the journal Biological Control

Qualifications

BA (Biology) and BSc (Entomology), The University of Delaware 1978

MSc (Entomology), The University of Florida 1980

PhD (Entomology), North Carolina State University 1985

Teaching Interests

Biology (Evolution), Pest Management, Biosecurity, Viticulture, Teaching Methology and Curriculum Development

Publications

Harvey, D., T.-F. Lu, and M. A. Keller. 2008. Comparing insect-inspired chemical plume tracking algorithms using a mobile robot. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Transactions on Robotics, in press [accepted 9 Jan 2008]

*Hosseini, R., O. Schmidt and M. A. Keller. 2008. Factors affecting detectability of prey DNA in the gut contents of invertebrate predators: a polymerase chain reaction-based method. Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata 126(3): 194-202.

Hosseini, R., M. A. Keller, O. Schmidt, and V. W. Framenau. 2007. Molecular identification of wolf spiders (Araneae : Lycosidae) by multiplex polymerase chain reaction. Biological Control 40 (1): 128-135.

Hogendoorn, K., S. Coventry S, and M. A. Keller. 2007. Foraging behaviour of a blue banded bee, Amegilla chlorocyanea in greenhouses: implications for use as tomato pollinators Apidologie 38 (1): 86-92.

Carne-Cavagnaro, V. L., M. A. Keller, and G. H. Baker. 2006. Soil moisture and soil type influence the breeding behavior of the pest snail Cernuella virgata (da Costa). Applied Soil Ecology 33 (3): 235-242.

Hogendoorn, K., C. L. Gross, M. Sedgley and M. A. Keller. 2006. Increased tomato yield through pollination by native Australian Amegilla chlorocyanea (Hymenoptera : Anthophoridae). Journal of Economic Entomology 99 (3): 828-833.

Roberts, H. L., M. Keller and O. Schmidt. 2006. An empirical model of the sympatric coexistence of two strains of the endoparasitoid wasp Venturia canescens. Archives of Insect Biochemistry and Physiology 61(3): 184-194.

Tenhumberg, B., G. Siekmann and M. A. Keller. 2006. Optimal time allocation in parasitic wasps searching for hosts and food. Oikos 113 (1): 121-131.

Gurr, G. M., S. D. Wratten, J. Tylianakis, J. Kean and M. Keller. 2005. Providing plant foods for insect natural enemies in farming systems: balancing practicalities and theory. Pp. 326-347 In F. L. Wackers, P.C.J. van Rijn and J. Bruin (eds.), Plant-Provided Food for Carnivorous Insects: a protective mutualism and its applications. Cambridge University Press.

Ma, J., D. Li, M. Keller, O Schmidt and X. Feng. 2005. A DNA marker to identify predation of Plutella xylostella (Lep., Plutellidae) by Nabis kinbergii (Hem., Nabidae) and Lycosa sp. (Aranaea, Lycosidae). Journal of Applied Entomology 129(6): 330-335.

Wang, X.G. and Keller, M.A. 2005. Patch time allocation by the parasitoid Diadegma semiclausum (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae). II. Effects of host density and distribution. Journal of Insect Behavior 18 (2): 171-186.

Wang, X.G., and M. A. Keller. 2004. Patch time allocation by the parasitoid Diadegma semiclausum (Hymenoptera : Ichneumonidae). III. Effects of kairomone sources and previous parasitism. Journal of Insect Behavior 17(6): 761-776.

Wang, X. G., J. Duff, M. A. Keller, M. P. Zalucki, S. S. Liu and P. Bailey. 2004. Role of Diadegma semiclausum (Hymenoptera : Ichneumonidae) in controlling Plutella xylostella (Lepidoptera : Plutellidae): Cage exclusion experiments and direct observation. Biocontrol Science and Technology 14 (6): 571-586.

Siekmann, G, M. A. Keller and B. Tenhumberg. 2004. The sweet tooth of adult parasitoid Cotesia rubecula: Ignoring hosts for nectar? Journal of Insect Behavior 17 (4): 459-476.

Keller, M. A. 1999. Understanding host selection behaviour: the key to more effective host specificity testing. pp. 105-116 In T. M. Withers, L. Barton Browne and J. Stanley (eds.), Host specificity testing in Australasia: towards improved assays for biological control. CRC for Tropical Pest Management, Brisbane.

Keller, M. A., and B. Tenhumberg. 1999. New insights into the foraging behaviour of parasitic wasps. pp. 247-257 In A. D. Austin and M. Dowton (eds.), Hymenoptera: Evolution, Biodiversity and Biological Control. CSIRO Publishing, Collingwood Victoria, Australia.

Keller, M. A. 1990. Responses of the parasitoid Cotesia rubecula to its host Pieris rapae in a flight tunnel. Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata 57: 243-249.

Professional Interests

The behaviour and ecology of parasitic wasps and predatory arthropods that serve as agents of biological control.

Biological control of insect pests and weeds.

Pollination biology.

Mike also contributes to the Cooperative Research Centre for National Plant Biosecurity

Expertise for Media Contact

Categories	Agriculture and farming, Environment
Expertise	Plant protection (insects and weeds); biological control; integrated pest management; insect behaviour; pest control; weeds; pollination
Notes	Board Memberships: Eyre Penninsula Agricultural Research Foundation

Entry last updated: Sunday, 22 Nov 2009

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