This year I am undertaking my Honours in Animal Behaviour. I have developed a project looking at plant-pollinator networks in Fiji, and their differences in vulnerability to disturbances (i.e., climate change and introduced species) between highland and lowland networks. I will be in Fiji for 3 weeks total, travelling to two highland locations (both quite remote) and two lowland locations.

Previously I have travelled and experienced many different countries and cultures. It will be interesting to see how Fiji compares to these as I have been told that Fiji has a large expat community with many Australian features (ANZ ATMs for example), whilst still maintaining a culture different to ours.

In the future I would like to be able to do research/work that will directly or indirectly contribute to the conservation of a/many species, habitats and/or entire ecosystems. I believe that conserving animals is important, but if there is no habitat for that animal to live in, then what is the point? That is one of the reasons I am doing this project. I want to learn more about ecosystem functioning and the way species interact, and how disturbances can affect species and ecosystems.

Sarah Hayes, a Bachelor of Science (Honours) student, is participating in Biodiversity and Ecosystem Health Across the Pacific in Fiji  in 2016

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