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research opportunities
Our research group can provide excellent facilities for postgraduate or postdoctoral level research. Researchers at The University of Queensland can take advantage of the outstanding facilities available on campus, as well as the convenient access to research stations on Heron Island (Great Barrier Reef), Stradbroke Island (Moreton Bay) and Idalia National Park (central Queensland). Southeast Queensland also provides numerous natural areas suitable for behavioural research, all within easy reach of the University.
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We are currently searching for postgraduate students for the following projects:
Honours and PhD projects are available as part of a long-term study of mating systems and social networks in eastern grey kangaroos. The study population is located in Sundown National Park in southeastern Queensland. Students must be prepared to camp during field work periods. Please contact Anne Goldizen if interested.
The rediscovery of species that had been categorised as extinct is surprisingly common. Preliminary data show that there are at least 70 species of birds worldwide that have been declared extinct then rediscovered; about a third of bird species ever suspected to be extinct. There has been no scientific analysis of species rediscovery, but two types of variables seem likely to influence the chance that a species has been wrongly assigned extinct: 1) Traits that decrease the probability that the species is truly extinct. These might include the time since last sighting and prior sighting rate, having a large area of remaining habitat and the ability to use alternative habitats (ecological generalism). 2) Traits that increase the chance of detection if the species is actually extant. These include location, body size, being diurnal and ground-dwelling (these have been found to be correlated with species description dates in published studies), the skill and effort of searchers (wildlife ecologists and museum researchers might be more effective than non-experts), whether the species has changed habitat type or retreated to marginal habitat, and the country's population density and wealth, which might increase the resources devoted to searching, and number of people able to distinguish between species. This honours project aims to:
a) quantify the rate and number of bird species that have been rediscovered worldwide and the consequences for endangered species lists and the reported rate of bird extinction in different regions,
b) identify variables that increase the chance of rediscovery, and therefore decrease the detectability of extinction in birds,
c) estimate the probability that each species currently considered extinct is not extinct, and
d) determine the relationship between the time that a bird is wrongly presumed extinct and its traits (e.g. body size, generation time), in order to estimate appropriate time scales for surveys.
Please contact Diana Fisher if interested.
The most important causes of modern fauna extinctions are habitat loss, introduced predators and human persecution. Community ecology modelling suggests that a time lag of several generations (decades or hundreds of years) can occur between extinction and habitat loss or fragmentation (an 'extinction debt'). There are examples of extinction following much more rapidly when introduced predators first encounter naive prey. For example, regional extinction of bettongs occurred 5-10 years after the fox invasion front in NSW (Short 98) (5 years is also peak fox density, and bird extinctions lagged behind the invasion of brown tree snakes on the Pacific island of Guam by only 2-9 years. Does this suggest that rapid extinction is an indicator of predation? How common are cases of introduced predators driving species extinct slowly? The Falkland Islands wolf and Steller's sea cow were large mammals endemic to exposed, small islands. Their respective extinctions occurred 37 years and 27 years after intense persecution began. Is human persecution less efficient than introduced predators, or is there a longer lag because of these species' long generation time? This project will compile data on animal species with known agents of extinction (habitat loss, persecution or introduced predators) that have eliminated native species, where the year the threat was introduced and the year the species went extinct are known. Data collection will concentrate on endemic species in clearly-delineated habitats with small ranges, such as lakes, rivers and islands. This honours project aims to determine the relationship between species geographic range, agent of extinction, species generation time and the speed of extinction.
Please contact Diana Fisher if interested.
This potential honours project has two aims:
a) to map the density distribution of buffel grass in the area where most bridled nailtail wallabies live, and determine how it is correlated with current habitat use and diet of bridled nailtail wallabies and blackstripes. These can be mapped using scat and hair analysis, identifying scats to species by analysing hair structure of groomed hairs inside scats, and by using hair traps. Spotlighting is also possible to observe feeding and collect scats from wallabies of known age and sex.
b) to find the extent of buffel grass incursion into the brigalow regrowth, and if this is associated with the distribution of manipulated strips.
Please contact Diana Fisher if interested.
Bridled nailtail wallabies at Taunton, and at the two reintroduction sites (Idalia and Avocet) seem to be restricted to modified vegetation. Plans for continued habitat modification by managers present an opportunity for large-scale experimental tests of the effects and mechanisms, such as:
a) effect of clearing and burning manipulations on buffel grass biomass, food biomass for nailtails, preferred shelter vegetation, distribution and current demography of bridled nailtail wallabies and blackstriped wallabies.
b) experimental burns to test short-term effects of fire (in collaboration with the ranger and managers).
c) experimental tests of how to deal with buffel grass incursions at Taunton, determining the best method of replacing buffel grass with native forbs in clearings (fire, ploughing, shading, poisoning and cutting and baling have been suggested).
d) how can we encourage bridled nailtail wallabies to expand into more of Taunton National Park (Scientific)?
Please contact Diana Fisher if interested in this potential PhD project.
For more information on post-graduate studies at UQ (eg. PhD program, services and research scholarships), please go to the UQ Graduate School page.
From time to time, we have positions available for volunteers who are willing to spend four to six weeks helping with field work on a particular project. If you're interested, please email Anne Goldizen or a researcher from the relevant project.
comings and goings
Dominique Sigg has moved to Victoria, British Columbia, where she is Species-at-Risk Biologist with the British Columbia provincial government.
Stephanie Hazlitt has moved on to a postdoctoral position at the Centre for Applied Conservation Research at the University of British Columbia.
David Pavlacky has moved back to the US where he has a postdoctoral position at the Rocky Mountains Bird Observatory in Fort Collins, Colorado.
Alecia Carter is about to begin a PhD with Dr. Rob Heinsohn at the Australian National University, hopefully working on personality questions in Namibian baboons.
Vicki Thomson has begun a PhD at the University of Adelaide, working with Alan Cooper on ancient DNA in rodents.
Dave Putland is taking a break from his PhD to take up a position as a Research Assistant on the IBISCA Queensland project within the Centre for Innovative Conservation Strategies at Griffith University.
James Nicholls has left the lab to take up a postdoctoral research position at the Institute of Evolutionary Biology, University of Edinburgh, Scotland. James completed his PhD on call and genetic variation in satin bowerbirds in late 2004, and has since enhanced his status as a lab guru with molecular work on logrunners, moorhens, rats and kangaroos.
Heinz Richner returned to the University of Bern after visiting the lab in early 2006. His diverse research interests include a) the co-evolution and immuno-ecology of host and parasites, b) parent-offspring interactions, c) life-history evolution, d) the evolution of virulence in a blood-sucking ectoparasite, and e) the effect of parasites on song, harmonic structure and communication in birds.
thanks to our supporters
Our research would not be possible without the financial assistance and other support provided by the following people and organisations.
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