Associate Professor Paul Dennis
Associate Professor

Paul Dennis

Email: 
Phone: 
+61 7 344 32575

Background

Paul Dennis leads an exciting research group that applies cutting-edge technologies to understand the roles of microorganisms and their responses to environmental change.

He is also a passionate educator and public speaker who advocates for the importance of biological diversity and evidence-based environmental awareness. He has talked about his research on ABC Radio and a range of other media outlets.

His teaching covers aspects of ecology, microbiology, plant and soil science, and climatology. He considers these topics to be of fundamental importance for the development of more sustainable societies and takes pride in helping others to obtain the knowledge and skills they need to build a better future.

Paul's research has taken him to Antarctica, the Amazon Rainforest, high mountains and oceans. The approaches used in his lab draw on a wide range of expertise in molecular biology, ecology, statistics, computer science, advanced imaging and soil science. He applies these skills to a wide-range of topics and systems including plant-microbe interactions, Antarctic marine and terrestrial ecology, biogeography, pollution and human health.

Availability

Associate Professor Paul Dennis is:
Available for supervision

Fields of research

Agricultural, Veterinary and Food Sciences Agriculture, land and farm management Bacteriology Bioavailability and ecotoxicology Biodiscovery Biogeography and phylogeography Bioinformatics and computational biology Biological Sciences Biological control Biomedical and Clinical Sciences Bioremediation Biosecurity science and invasive species ecology Carbon sequestration science Climate change impacts and adaptation Climate change impacts and adaptation not elsewhere classified Community ecology (excl. invasive species ecology) Conservation and biodiversity Ecological applications Ecological impacts of climate change and ecological adaptation Ecology Ecosystem function Ecosystem services (incl. pollination) Engineering Environmental Sciences Environmental assessment and monitoring Environmental biogeochemistry Environmental biotechnology Environmental education and extension Environmental engineering Environmental management Environmental management Environmental nanotechnology and nanometrology Environmental rehabilitation and restoration Genetics Genomics Global change biology Human impacts of climate change and human adaptation Immunology Industrial biotechnology Land capability and soil productivity Medical biochemistry and metabolomics Medical biotechnology Medical microbiology Microbial ecology Microbial genetics Microbiology Mycology Nanotoxicology, health and safety Natural resource management Other biological sciences Other environmental sciences Plant biology Pollution and contamination Soil biology Soil chemistry and soil carbon sequestration (excl. carbon sequestration science) Soil sciences

Qualifications

  • Bachelor (Honours) of Science (Advanced), University of Wales
  • Doctor of Philosophy, University College London

Search Professor Paul Dennis’s works on UQ eSpace

128 works between 2003 and 2024
All (128) Journal Article (105) Book Chapter (8) Conference Publication (14) Other Outputs (1)

21 - 40 of 128 works

2022

Journal Article

Nitrogen fertilizer rate but not form affects the severity of Fusarium wilt in banana

Orr, Ryan, Dennis, Paul G., Wong, Yide, Browne, Daniel J., Cooper, Martha, Birt, Henry W. G., Lapis-Gaza, Hazel R., Pattison, Anthony B. and Nelson, Paul N. (2022). Nitrogen fertilizer rate but not form affects the severity of Fusarium wilt in banana. Frontiers in Plant Science, 13 907819, 907819. doi: 10.3389/fpls.2022.907819

Nitrogen fertilizer rate but not form affects the severity of Fusarium wilt in banana

2022

Journal Article

Cropping system diversification influences soil microbial diversity in subtropical dryland farming systems

Williams, Alwyn, Birt, Henry W. G., Raghavendra, Anil and Dennis, Paul G. (2022). Cropping system diversification influences soil microbial diversity in subtropical dryland farming systems. Microbial Ecology, 85 (4), 1-12. doi: 10.1007/s00248-022-02074-w

Cropping system diversification influences soil microbial diversity in subtropical dryland farming systems

2021

Journal Article

Manipulating exudate composition from root apices shapes the microbiome throughout the root system

Kawasaki, Akitomo, Dennis, Paul G., Forstner, Christian, Raghavendra, Anil K.H., Mathesius, Ulrike, Richardson, Alan E., Delhaize, Emmanuel, Gilliham, Matthew, Watt, Michelle and Ryan, Peter R. (2021). Manipulating exudate composition from root apices shapes the microbiome throughout the root system. Plant Physiology, 187 (4), 2279-2295. doi: 10.1093/plphys/kiab337

Manipulating exudate composition from root apices shapes the microbiome throughout the root system

2021

Journal Article

Simple solution to preserve plant samples for microbiome analyses

Carvalhais, Lilia C., Dennis, Paul G., Poudel, Amrit, Birt, Henry W. G., Bhuiyan, Shamsul A., Card, Stuart D. and Joyce, Priya A. (2021). Simple solution to preserve plant samples for microbiome analyses. Molecular Ecology Resources, 22 (3), 1055-1064. doi: 10.1111/1755-0998.13538

Simple solution to preserve plant samples for microbiome analyses

2021

Journal Article

Plant-produced bacteriocins inhibit plant pathogens and confer disease resistance in tomato

Mirzaee, Hooman, Neira Peralta, Noelia L., Carvalhais, Lilia C., Dennis, Paul G. and Schenk, Peer M. (2021). Plant-produced bacteriocins inhibit plant pathogens and confer disease resistance in tomato. New Biotechnology, 63, 54-61. doi: 10.1016/j.nbt.2021.03.003

Plant-produced bacteriocins inhibit plant pathogens and confer disease resistance in tomato

2021

Journal Article

Soil organic carbon is significantly associated with the pore geometry, microbial diversity and enzyme activity of the macro-aggregates under different land uses

Bhattacharyya, Ranjan, Rabbi, Sheikh M.F., Zhang, Yaqi, Young, Iain M., Jones, Andrew R., Dennis, Paul G., Menzies, Neal W., Kopittke, Peter M. and Dalal, Ram C. (2021). Soil organic carbon is significantly associated with the pore geometry, microbial diversity and enzyme activity of the macro-aggregates under different land uses. Science of the Total Environment, 778 146286, 1-10. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.146286

Soil organic carbon is significantly associated with the pore geometry, microbial diversity and enzyme activity of the macro-aggregates under different land uses

2021

Journal Article

Long-term changes in land use influence phosphorus concentrations, speciation, and cycling within subtropical soils

Zhang, Yaqi, Finn, Damien, Bhattacharyya, Ranjan, Dennis, Paul G., Doolette, Ashlea L., Smernik, Ronald J., Dalal, Ram C., Meyer, Gregor, Lombi, Enzo, Klysubun, Wantana, Jones, Andrew R., Wang, Peng, Menzies, Neal W. and Kopittke, Peter M. (2021). Long-term changes in land use influence phosphorus concentrations, speciation, and cycling within subtropical soils. Geoderma, 393 115010, 1-13. doi: 10.1016/j.geoderma.2021.115010

Long-term changes in land use influence phosphorus concentrations, speciation, and cycling within subtropical soils

2021

Journal Article

The microbiomes on the roots of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and rice (Oryza sativa L.) exhibit significant differences in structure between root types and along root axes

Kawasaki, Akitomo, Dennis, Paul G., Forstner, Christian, Raghavendra, Anil K. H., Richardson, Alan E., Watt, Michelle, Mathesius, Ulrike, Gilliham, Matthew and Ryan, Peter R. (2021). The microbiomes on the roots of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and rice (Oryza sativa L.) exhibit significant differences in structure between root types and along root axes. Functional Plant Biology, 48 (9), 871-888. doi: 10.1071/FP20351

The microbiomes on the roots of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and rice (Oryza sativa L.) exhibit significant differences in structure between root types and along root axes

2021

Journal Article

Drivers of bacterial diversity along a natural transect from freshwater to saline subtropical wetlands

Chuvochina, Maria, Adame, Maria Fernanda, Guyot, Adrien, Lovelock, Catherine, Lockington, David, Gamboa-Cutz, Julieta N. and Dennis, Paul G. (2021). Drivers of bacterial diversity along a natural transect from freshwater to saline subtropical wetlands. Science of the Total Environment, 759 143455, 1-8. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.143455

Drivers of bacterial diversity along a natural transect from freshwater to saline subtropical wetlands

2021

Journal Article

Regional diversity of maritime Antarctic soil fungi and predicted responses of guilds and growth forms to climate change

Newsham, Kevin K., Davey, Marie L., Hopkins, David W. and Dennis, Paul G. (2021). Regional diversity of maritime Antarctic soil fungi and predicted responses of guilds and growth forms to climate change. Frontiers in Microbiology, 11 615659. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.615659

Regional diversity of maritime Antarctic soil fungi and predicted responses of guilds and growth forms to climate change

2021

Book Chapter

Inference and analysis of spiec-easi microbiome networks

Birt, Henry W. G. and Dennis, Paul G. (2021). Inference and analysis of spiec-easi microbiome networks. The Plant Microbiome: Methods and Protocols. (pp. 155-171) New York, NY United States: Humana Press. doi: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1040-4_14

Inference and analysis of spiec-easi microbiome networks

2021

Book Chapter

Sampling microbiomes associated with different plant compartments

Birt, Henry W. G., Pattison, Anthony B. and Dennis, Paul G. (2021). Sampling microbiomes associated with different plant compartments. The Plant Microbiome: Methods and Protocols. (pp. 23-29) New York, NY United States: Humana Press. doi: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1040-4_2

Sampling microbiomes associated with different plant compartments

2021

Journal Article

Preface

Carvalhais, Lilia C. and Dennis, Paul G. (2021). Preface. Methods in Molecular Biology, 2232, v-vi. doi: 10.4337/9781784714802.00005

Preface

2020

Book Chapter

A bait-trap assay to characterize soil microbes that exhibit chemotaxis to root exudates

Weigh, Katherine V., Batista, Bruna D. and Dennis, Paul G. (2020). A bait-trap assay to characterize soil microbes that exhibit chemotaxis to root exudates. The plant microbiome: methods and protocols. (pp. 283-289) edited by Lilia C. Carvalhais and Paul G. Dennis. New York, NY USA: Humana New York. doi: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1040-4_21

A bait-trap assay to characterize soil microbes that exhibit chemotaxis to root exudates

2020

Journal Article

Wastewater treatment processing of silver nanoparticles strongly influences their effects on soil microbial diversity

Forstner, Christian, Orton, Thomas G., Wang, Peng, Kopittke, Peter M. and Dennis, Paul G. (2020). Wastewater treatment processing of silver nanoparticles strongly influences their effects on soil microbial diversity. Environmental Science and Technology, 54 (21) acs.est.0c01312, 13538-13547. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.0c01312

Wastewater treatment processing of silver nanoparticles strongly influences their effects on soil microbial diversity

2020

Journal Article

Significant effects on soil microbial communities were not detected after strategic tillage following 44 years of conventional or no-tillage management

Rincon-Florez, Vivian A., Carvalhais, Lilia C., Dang, Yash P., Crawford, Mark H., Schenk, Peer M. and Dennis, Paul G. (2020). Significant effects on soil microbial communities were not detected after strategic tillage following 44 years of conventional or no-tillage management. Pedobiologia, 80 150640, 150640. doi: 10.1016/j.pedobi.2020.150640

Significant effects on soil microbial communities were not detected after strategic tillage following 44 years of conventional or no-tillage management

2020

Journal Article

Lean and keen: microbial activity in soils from the Maritime Antarctic

Hopkins, David W., Dennis, Paul G., Rushton, Steven P., Newsham, Kevin K. and O'Donnell, Tony G. (2020). Lean and keen: microbial activity in soils from the Maritime Antarctic. European Journal of Soil Science, 72 (1), 413-431. doi: 10.1111/ejss.12957

Lean and keen: microbial activity in soils from the Maritime Antarctic

2020

Conference Publication

Diet influences COPD pathogenesis by regulating microbial metabolism

Budden, K., Rehman, Firdous S., Shukla, S., Bowerman, K., Donovan, C., Gomez, H., Sahu, P., Alemao, C., Holmes, A., Dennis, P., Hugenholtz, P., Wark, P. and Hansbro, P. (2020). Diet influences COPD pathogenesis by regulating microbial metabolism. TSANZSRS 2020 The Australia & New Zealand Society of Respiratory Science and The Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand (ANZSRS/TSANZ) Annual Scientific Meeting for Leaders in Lung Health & Respiratory Science, Melbourne, VIC Australia, 27–31 March 2020. Richmond, VIC Australia: Wiley-Blackwell.

Diet influences COPD pathogenesis by regulating microbial metabolism

2019

Journal Article

Successional dynamics of soil fungal diversity along a restoration chronosequence post-coal mining

Ngugi, Michael R., Fechner, Nigel, Neldner, Victor J. and Dennis, Paul G. (2019). Successional dynamics of soil fungal diversity along a restoration chronosequence post-coal mining. Restoration Ecology, 28 (3) rec.13112, 543-552. doi: 10.1111/rec.13112

Successional dynamics of soil fungal diversity along a restoration chronosequence post-coal mining

2019

Journal Article

Full-scale investigation of in-situ iron and alkalinity generation for efficient sulfide control

Pikaar, Ilje, Flugen, Markus, Lin, Hui-Wen, Salehin, Sirajus, Li, Jiuling, Donose, Bogdan C., Dennis, Paul G., Bethke, Lisa, Johnson, Ian, Rabaey, Korneel and Yuan, Zhiguo (2019). Full-scale investigation of in-situ iron and alkalinity generation for efficient sulfide control. Water Research, 167 115032, 115032. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2019.115032

Full-scale investigation of in-situ iron and alkalinity generation for efficient sulfide control

Current funding

  • 2025 - 2028
    Controlling the lifetime of biodegradable polymers in natural environments
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2021 - 2025
    Perinatal microbe-host interactions regulate neonatal dendritic cell development (NHMRC Ideas Grant led by QIMR)
    Queensland Institute of Medical Research
    Open grant
  • 2020 - 2025
    An integrated management response to the spread of fusarium wilt of banana in southeast Asia (ACIAR grant administered by QDAF)
    Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries
    Open grant

Past funding

  • 2024
    Sulphur speciation in rainforest, grassland, sugarcane, and banana soils from the Wet Tropics
    Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation
    Open grant
  • 2024
    Rain Ready Rangelands Research Agreement 1
    Northern Territory of Australia
    Open grant
  • 2024
    Rain Ready Rangelands Research Agreement 2
    Northern Territory Department of Industry, Tourism and Trade
    Open grant
  • 2024
    Rain Ready Rangelands Research Agreement 3
    Northern Territory Department of Industry, Tourism and Trade
    Open grant
  • 2024
    Rain Ready Rangelands Research Agreement 4
    Northern Territory Department of Industry, Tourism and Trade
    Open grant
  • 2022 - 2023
    Filling gaps in our TR4 Biosecurity knowledge
    Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries
    Open grant
  • 2020 - 2023
    Bioplastics in the environment: lifetimes and toxicology
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2019
    Integrated management of Fusarium wilt of bananas in the Philippines and Australia (ACIAR grant administered by the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries)
    Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries
    Open grant
  • 2019 - 2021
    Understanding the influence of maternal diet on the neonatal gut microbiome and susceptibility to respiratory disease in early life (NHMRC Project Grant led by QIMR Berghofer)
    Queensland Institute of Medical Research
    Open grant
  • 2016 - 2020
    BA14014 Fusarium Wilt Tropical Race 4 Research Program
    Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries
    Open grant
  • 2016 - 2017
    BA14013 Fusarium wilt Tropical Race 4 - biosecurity and sustainable solutions
    Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries
    Open grant
  • 2015
    Transformation and stability of environmentally relevant forms of silver nanoparticles in soil over time when applied with biosolids
    Australian Synchrotron Access Program
    Open grant
  • 2014 - 2016
    Scoping herbicide impacts on banana production and soil health
    Queensland Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
    Open grant
  • 2014
    Characterisation of soil microorganisms that minimise agricultural impacts on the Great Barrier Reef
    UQ Early Career Researcher
    Open grant
  • 2011 - 2012
    Characterisation of the Koala gut microbiome for Australian biofuel precursor production
    UQ New Staff Research Start-Up Fund
    Open grant
  • 2011
    Anaerobic workstations for experimental and pure culture research.
    UQ Major Equipment and Infrastructure
    Open grant

Availability

Associate Professor Paul Dennis is:
Available for supervision

Before you email them, read our advice on how to contact a supervisor.

Available projects

  • Microbial diversity along a pH gradient

    Soil microorganisms play critical roles in the functioning of terrestrial ecosystems. In this project, we will characterise the diversity of soil bacteria, archaea, fungi and other microeukarya along a pH gradient from Rothamsted, UK. Soil pH strongly influences microbial diversity. The relationship between diversity and other attributes of community structure, however, are poorly understood. In this project we will investigate the effect of species loss on community structure. This work has ramifications for conservation of terrestrial biodiversity.

  • The language of attraction: How do plants attract microbial symbionts?

    Plants release up to 50% of photosynthetically derived carbon from their roots as a complex mixture of organic compounds known as root exudates. These compounds fuel diverse root-associated microbial communities that consist of plant growth-promoting species as well as those that cause disease or compete with plants for resources. By changing the mixture of exudates released from their roots, plants are thought to exert some level of control over the selection of their microbial symbionts.

    Current evidence indicates that most root-associated microorganisms are chemotactic, i.e. they have the ability to sense substrates released by roots and direct movement towards them. This ability enables them to respond rapidly to resources as they become available and out-compete neighboring populations. At present there is no information regarding the selectivity of different exudate components for specific groups of chemotactic organisms. Here, we will use a novel chemotaxis assay in combination with high-throughput sequencing and flow cytometry to identify and enumerate microorganisms that respond to different root exudate components. This information will identify exudates that are strongly associated with the recruitment of beneficial and/or deleterious organisms and should facilitate the development of crops that select for beneficial root-microbial communities.

  • The influence of nutrient deficiencies on root exudation

    Plants exude a complex mixture of organic compounds from their roots, which alter the availability of plant nutrients and fuel diverse microbial communities that influence plant health and nutrition. Nutrient deficiencies affect large areas of agricultural land. Nutrient deficiencies are known to strongly influence root exudation but these effects are poorly understood. Changes in root exudation could reduce crop yields by negatively affecting plant nutrient uptake and plant-microbe interactions. For this reason, better understanding of the effects of nutrient deficiencies on root exudation is needed to predict future food security. In this project, plants will be grown under differ nutrient deficiencies and root exudates will be collected and analyses using advanced chromatography and mass spectrometry methods.

  • Isolation of plant stress tolerance enhancing microbes

    Nutrient deficiencies and drought are major agricultural constraints. Fertilisers and irrigation help to alleviate these issues, but rely on non-renewable resources and contribute to environmental degradation. By 2050 there will be nine billion people on Earth, which places food security at the top of society’s challenges for the 21st century1. Soils harbour a wide variety of microbial taxa that significantly enhance plant nutrient acquisition and drought tolerance. These organisms could be used to more sustainably maintain, or enhance, global food security. In this project, microbes will be isolated from the roots of stressed plants and then screened for attributes that promote plant fitness under drought and nutrient stress.

  • Microbial diversity along a 750 km drought gradient

    Soil microorganisms play critical roles in the functioning of terrestrial ecosystems. In this project, we will characterise the diversity of soil bacteria, archaea, fungi and other microeukarya along a 750 km moisture gradient in South Australia. The incidence of drought is predicted to increase with climate change so better understanding of how drought influences microbially mediated ecosystems processes is key to our ability to maintain food security in the future.

  • Banana microbiome

    Banana’s are one of Queensland’s main agricultural products. Microorganisms influence the health and nutrition of banana’s but the identities of microbes that live in association with banana’s are largely unknown. In his project we will apply high throughput sequencing technologies to characterise the banana microbiome and its role in plant growth promotion and disease prevention.

Supervision history

Current supervision

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Costs and benefits of plant-microbe symbioses

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Susanne Schmidt, Professor Mark Turner

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Which attributes of microbiomes facilitate engineering of ecosystem goods and services?

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Tim McLaren

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Microbial diversity and function along a pH gradient

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Peter Kopittke, Dr Jiarui Sun

  • Doctor Philosophy

    International core microbiome of Musa spp.

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Jiarui Sun

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Impact of land management on the ecology of soilborne plant diseases

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Jiarui Sun

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Assigning function to the core bacterial microbial of Musa spp.

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Susanne Schmidt, Dr Jiarui Sun

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Biocrust microorganisms and their function in Australian savanna grazing lands

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Susanne Schmidt, Dr Jiarui Sun

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Minimising the impacts of land use on microbially mediated soil ecosystem services

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr John Dwyer, Dr Jiarui Sun, Dr Tim McLaren

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Effects of fire and grazing management on the diversity and potential function of biocrust microbiomes

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Susanne Schmidt, Dr Jiarui Sun

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Biocrust microorganisms and their function in Australian savanna grazing lands

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Susanne Schmidt, Dr Jiarui Sun

  • Doctor Philosophy

    RNA-based control of Phytophthora root rot

    Principal Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Impact of land management on the ecology of soilborne plant diseases

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Jiarui Sun

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Enhancing restoration success in a global biodiversity hotspot by improving site capture

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Elizabeth Aitken, Dr John Dwyer

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Tailoring the infant gut microbiota to enhance neonatal immune development

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Mark Morrison

Completed supervision

Enquiries

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