Zoology & Ecology

Saul Chemonges

Saul Chemonges

Daniel Montesinos Torres

Daniel Montesinos Torres

Claire Gely

Claire Gely

Ben Hirsch

Ben Hirsch

Stephen Williams

Stephen Williams

Myles Menz

Myles Menz

Martijn van de Pol

Martijn van de Pol

Slade Allen-Ankins

Slade Allen-Ankins

Noel Preece

Noel Preece

Conrad Hoskin

Conrad Hoskin

Using pheromones to understand Australia's diverse lizard fauna (Old ID 22866)
Megan Higgie
09 Jul 2016 - 08 Jul 2017
This project will investigate the mating pheromones of a cryptic species complex of geckos (Heteronotia binoei) to determine how pheromones vary between populations and genetic lineages within and between species. There are 13 genetic lineages in total within these four species. I expect that pheromones will differ significantly between divergent lineages within each species. I will then perform behavioural experiments to confirm that phermone divergence can result in reproductive isolation. If so, pheromones will be an informative taxonomic character for these morphologically conservative groups, and will contribute to our understanding of vertebrate diversity in the Australian tropics.
Exploring the nexus between environment, emotion and spatial cognition: a test using Melomys cervinipes (Old ID 22683)
Tasmin Rymer
01 May 2016 - 30 Nov 2016
The loss of environmental complexity in tropical rainforests due to anthropogenic deforestation is a major threat to mammals. How an animal copes with these changes may be dependent on integrated physiological, behavioural and cognitive responses to environmental stimuli. The aim of this study is to investigate whether environmental complexity influences these responses of Malomys cervinipes. I predict that animals from complex habitats will demonstrate lowered anxiety and stress and will show enhanced learning and performance in a cognitive behavioural task. This study is the first to investigate the links between environmental complexity, physiology, behaviour and cognition in an Australian mammal.
Asian House Gecko Research (Old ID 22520)
Megan Higgie
04 Mar 2016 - 31 Jan 2017
Research o the calling behaviour and movements of Asian House Geckos. This project will use experiments and field data to assess the determinants of calling behaviour in the Asian House Geckos. The results will be used to refine methods for detecting this invasive species. The research will also include a mark-recapture field study to understand the scalel of movements of Asian House Geckos in urban and bushland areas.
Can parental care behaviour and breeding microhabitat protect Critically Endangered nursery frogs from rising temperatures on Wet Tropics mountaintops? (Old ID 27875)
Conrad Hoskin
02 Feb 2023 - 02 Feb 2024
Nursery frogs are terrestrial breeders with ‘direct development’ and the male stays with the eggs until hatching. While climate change is their biggest threat and their breeding biology of is very poorly known. I will study parental care across Nursery frog species, under varied environmental conditions in the field (low elevation, upland areas, heatwaves, drought) to uncover the details of nest choice and parental care. I will use non-invasive cameras and data loggers in natural nesting sites to determine how variation in parental behaviour impacts larval survival and differs between species and microhabitats under different climatic conditions.
Using novel eDNA technology to identify pollinators in tropical cocoa (Old ID 22911)
Megan Higgie
01 Sep 2016 - 31 Dec 2017
I am developing a career focused on identifying roles insects have in ecosystems, and methods to improve the services provided by insects to improve food production. To this end, I have paired in the proposed research two aims with different risk reward ratios focussed on insect pollination generally and pollination of cacao specifically. The first aim, to use molecular techniques to identify pollinators in Australian cocoa, includes very little risk and will serve to improve global relevance of my research and provide a basis for increased funding of cocoa research in Far North Queensland. This is because we have demonstrated tremendous potential to increase yields by providing pollinator habitat, but without identification of the pollinator species it is difficult to apply our research to other growing regions around the world. Demonstrating applicability of research conducted in Australian cocoa for other growing regions will allow me to apply for international aid grants and funding from international companies for research that uses JCU Cairns facilities for mechanistic studies paired with international fieldwork. I have already developed a relationship with Mars Chocolate, which benefit from this demonstration, and will expand my funding through ACIAR and ARC Linkage grants. The second aim of the study, to develop eDNA methods has a higher risk associated with it than Aim 1, given that we may not be able to identify pollinator presence from traces left behind on flowers. However, if we are successful, it will completely change the way pollination biology is researched, putting myself at the forefront of this new technology. One of the key questions remaining in ecology is what species provide pollination of crops and wild plants, and where in the landscape those services are provided. This technique will allow anyone, anywhere to identify which pollinators have visited which flowers in any type of flowering plant. Pioneering this broadly applicable methodology will put me in an ideal and unique position for funding and collaboration opportunities.
Examining the role of social behaviour in climate resilience: Red-winged Fairywrens Field Study
Lyanne Brouwer
30 Apr 2024 - 30 Jun 2025
Cooperative breeding, characterized by individuals other than the genetic parents assisting in the rearing of offspring, is seen as a resilient strategy for species dealing with environmental variability, including that induced by climate change. Helpers can increase the reproductive success by providing extra food to the young, or the extra help provided may reduce the workload, thereby enhancing future survival or reproduction. I will use a long-term dataset of the red-winged fairy-wren to understand the association between climate and helping behaviour, and determine whether social behaviours are able to buffer against adverse impacts of climatic conditions
Emerging technologies as a tool to monitor for invasive pathogens
Lori Lach
01 Sep 2024 - 01 May 2026
We will evaluate the emerging technologies of environmental DNA (eDNA; air and water) sampling and next generation sequencing for use as rapid, cost-effective and scalable approaches of monitoring for the introduction and circulation of invasive pathogens. These approaches could be adapted to a wide range of high-risk interfaces.
Weed ID workshops for rangers and land managers
Daniel Montesinos Torres
01 Sep 2024 - 30 Jun 2025
Development and delivery of pilot worshops on weed identification to rangers, NRM workers, land managers and other relevant audiences. This grant will help to develop and pilot test the workshops that are intended to continue to be delivered beyond the lifetime of the grant.
Utilising drone-based thermal imagery to accurately estimate abundance of the endangered spectacled flying-fox (Pteropus conspicillatus) and model population trajectories
Susan Laurance
11 Mar 2024 - 11 Sep 2027
This project aims to address knowledge gaps in our understanding of the abundance and population trajectory of the spectacled flying fox, a keystone species in tropical rainforest ecosystems that is currently listed as Endangered. The research will focus on applying novel remote sensing technologies such as drone-based thermal imagery to estimate the current population size of spectacled flying foxes, and develop a standardised monitoring protocol specifically for use by Indigenous rangers. Additionally, the project will seek to test and adapt theoretical models for predicting species population trajectories using spectacled flying foxes as a case study. This work aligns with national conservation priorities and is crucial to understand whether conservation management actions are having the intended impact of mitigating spectacled flying fox population declines. Moreover, the project supports broader efforts to conserve tropical fauna globally by developing widely applicable field- and desktop-based methods for assessing population declines.
Cane toad call recognition for DPI NSW Invasive Species Biosecurity
Lin Schwarzkopf
30 Oct 2024 - 30 Jun 2025
DPI NSW has asked us to process some audio data for them, to search for cane toad calls to allow them to mobilise control in response to the discovery of toads in the audio data.
Title: ARC Future Fellow ($680,000), Global Change: Rainforest responses to experimental drought
Reseracher: Susan Laurance (Professor, Personal Chair)
Start Date: 01 Jan 2014
Title: American Society of Naturalists
Reseracher: Megan Higgie (Associate Professor)
Start Date: 01 Jan 2003
Title: European Research Council Advanced Grant 2018, ($2.5 million Euros). Role: collaborator, Lead Investigator: Dr Lourens Poorter
Reseracher: Susan Laurance (Professor, Personal Chair)
Start Date: 01 Jan 2018
Title: Habilitation (Venia Docendi), University of Bern
Reseracher: Myles Menz (Senior Lecturer, Zoology and Ecology)
Start Date: 01 Jan 2013
End Date: 01 Jan 2018
Title: PhD, The University of Western Australia
Reseracher: Myles Menz (Senior Lecturer, Zoology and Ecology)
Start Date: 01 Jan 2009
End Date: 01 Jan 2013
Title: MSc in Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern
Reseracher: Myles Menz (Senior Lecturer, Zoology and Ecology)
Start Date: 01 Jan 2006
End Date: 01 Jan 2008
Title: Bachelor of Science , The University of Western Australia
Reseracher: Myles Menz (Senior Lecturer, Zoology and Ecology)
Start Date: 01 Jan 2000
End Date: 01 Jan 2003
Title: Doctor of Philosophy, University of the Witwatersrand
Reseracher: Tasmin Rymer (Associate Professor)
Start Date: 01 Jan 2004
End Date: 01 Jan 2009
Title: Minibeast Wildlife, I partnered with Minibeast Wildlife to support an Honour's student's project focusing on subsociality in tarantulas. That work is in the process of being published.
Reseracher: Tasmin Rymer (Associate Professor)
Start Date: 01 Jan 2024
End Date: 01 Jan 2025
Title: Master of Science, University of Pretoria
Reseracher: Tasmin Rymer (Associate Professor)
Start Date: 01 Jan 2003
End Date: 01 Jan 2004