Robert McDougall

Research Scientist

BSc Hons (ecology), PhD (ecology of small-scale farming)

Robert’s work at Cesar focuses on researching the impact that pesticides have on beneficial arthropods in cropping systems, with a focus on those that provide biological pest control services. The goal of this research is to understand the interaction between chemical and biological pest control, ultimately allowing farmers to make more informed and sustainable choices about the chemicals they apply to their crops.

He has previously worked investigating the ecology of small organic vegetable farms in Sydney, and in managing invasive pests in fruit orchards in the USA though biological control and precision spray timing.

Robert is passionate about helping to transform areas of farmland into multifunctional ecosystems, providing an essential resource for humans while also producing benefits for the environment, through services such as preservation of biodiversity and carbon sequestration.

Robert McDougall, Anna DiPaola, Brett Blaauw, and Anne L. Nielsen. “Managing orchard groundcover to reduce pollinator foraging post‐bloom.” Pest management science (2021).

Robert McDougall, Emily C. Ogburn, James F. Walgenbach, and Anne L. Nielsen. “Diapause Termination in Invasive Populations of the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) in Response to Photoperiod.” Environmental entomology 50, no. 6 (2021): 1400-1406.

Robert McDougall, Romina Rader, and Paul Kristiansen. “Urban agriculture could provide 15% of food supply to Sydney, Australia, under expanded land use scenarios.” Land Use Policy 94 (2020): 104554.

Robert McDougall, Paul Kristiansen, and Romina Rader. “Small-scale urban agriculture results in high yields but requires judicious management of inputs to achieve sustainability.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 116.1 (2019): 129-134.