A5022190339- Amphibian and Reptile Biology
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
- Species Distribution and Climate Change
- Wildlife-Road Interactions and Conservation
- Fish Ecology and Management Studies
- Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies
- Turtle Biology and Conservation
- Land Use and Ecosystem Services
- Bat Biology and Ecology Studies
- Fire effects on ecosystems
- Genetic Mapping and Diversity in Plants and Animals
- Animal Vocal Communication and Behavior
- Genetic and phenotypic traits in livestock
- Coastal wetland ecosystem dynamics
- Forest Ecology and Biodiversity Studies
- Water Quality and Pollution Assessment
- Genetic diversity and population structure
- Aquatic Ecosystems and Phytoplankton Dynamics
- Plant Ecology and Soil Science
- Urban Agriculture and Sustainability
- Animal Ecology and Behavior Studies
- Maritime and Coastal Archaeology
- Rangeland and Wildlife Management
- Urban Planning and Landscape Design
- Groundwater and Watershed Analysis
Centre for Ecological Research
2021-2025
University of Newcastle Australia
2002-2024
Balaton Limnological Institute
2021-2023
Hungarian Research Network
2021-2023
Royal Botanic Garden Sydney
2008-2021
The University of Melbourne
2009-2021
Cities can host significant biological diversity. Yet, urbanisation leads to the loss of habitats, species, and functional groups. Understanding how multiple taxa respond globally is essential promote conserve biodiversity in cities. Using a dataset encompassing six terrestrial faunal (amphibians, bats, bees, birds, carabid beetles reptiles) across 379 cities on 6 continents, we show that produces taxon-specific changes trait composition, with traits related reproductive strategy showing...
With large wildfires becoming more frequent1,2, we must rapidly learn how megafires impact biodiversity to prioritize mitigation and improve policy. A key challenge is discover interactions among fire-regime components, drought land tenure shape wildfire impacts. The globally unprecedented3,4 2019–2020 Australian burnt than 10 million hectares5, prompting major investment in monitoring. Collated data include responses of 2,000 taxa, providing an unparalleled opportunity quantify affect...
Urbanization is currently responsible for widespread declines of amphibian populations globally through the loss, isolation, and degradation habitat. However, it not clear how urbanization affects communities at both local (pond) landscape scales. We assessed breeding distribution frogs in ponds along an urban-rural gradient Greater Melbourne, Australia, examined community relationships with habitat quality context. sampled frog larvae 65 on four separate occasions collected data pond...
Abstract Urbanization involves the conversion of natural habitats into human‐modified ecosystems and is known to reduce diversity abundance indigenous plant animal communities. may lead extinction species or facilitate establishment non‐indigenous communities in cities towns. We analysed sighting records held wildlife databases infer probability persistence reptiles amphibians (‘herpetofauna’) within Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Throughout greater 81% (13) 16 frog recorded had ≥95% being...
Abstract Aim Changes to the extent and severity of wildfires driven by anthropogenic climate change are predicted have compounding negative consequences for ecological communities. While there is evidence that severe weather events like drought impact amphibian communities, effects wildfire on such communities not well understood. The species likely vary, owing diversity their life‐history traits. However, no previous research has identified commonalities among amphibians at most risk from...
Abstract Urbanisation results in the loss and alteration of natural wetlands ponds. However, garden ponds cities towns can potentially act as rich reservoirs aquatic biodiversity stepping stones for dispersal. Homeowners with a range different motivations, including values, install Here, our main aim was to study whether design management choices pond owners depended on location (capital city vs. countryside), when were installed (pond age), or fish introduced. We surveyed 834 across Hungary...
Urban ponds serve as important objects both for ecological research - spanning biodiversity conservation, landscape connectivity, ecosystem properties and studies on ecoevolutionary dynamics due to anthropogenic stressors driving rapid adaptation in these ecosystems. They also hold several connections human society interdisciplinary can be tackled within the services-disservices framework. Garden have mostly been overlooked elements of urban landscapes, even though they might fulfil some...
Abstract The degradation of freshwater ecosystems due to land use changes is one the major driver global biodiversity loss and amphibian declines with these impacts varying across different spatial scales. Our study aimed assess how natural human-modified affects smooth newt ( Lissotriton vulgaris ) abundance in surrounding waterbodies Lake Balaton, a highly urbanized area. We conducted aquatic trap surveys at 32 wetland sites during breeding season quantified cover within 250, 500, 1000-m...
Roads threaten animal species through habitat loss, fragmentation and degradation, direct mortality. It is crucial to understand how respond linear infrastructure for effective conservation of communities in fragmented landscapes. We assessed relationships between amphibian abundance roads/ railways fragmentation. examined whether the combined effects loss roads or (accessible habitat) was a better predictor than (1) total amount surrounding ponds, (2) distance highway railway, (3) road...
Declining species of vertebrates, including amphibians, have a life history that is characterised by low fecundity, long time to maturity, limited capacity disperse and habitat specialisation. However, studying aspects the an endangered amphibian in south-eastern Australia we show paradox may exist for some declining amphibians. We used standard mark–recapture methods over two breeding seasons (2000–01) study population green golden bell frog (Litoria aurea) on Kooragang Island, New South...
Context Species vary broadly in their ability to adapt urbanisation. Freshwater turtles are vulnerable the loss and degradation of terrestrial aquatic habitat urban environments. There have been few publications investigating impacts urbanisation on freshwater Australia. Aims We investigated effects distribution abundance eastern long-necked turtle (Chelodina longicollis) greater Melbourne. Methods examined occurrence relative C. longicollis at 55 wetlands across an urban–rural gradient...
Conservation of pond-breeding frogs requires information on movement patterns within populations. The Green and Golden Bell Frog (Litoria aurea) is endangered in New South Wales, Australia; yet little known about its biology. To inform conservation planning habitat restoration, we conducted a mark-recapture study to describe the adult L. aurea among permanent ephemeral waterbodies, Kooragang Island, Australia. Twenty-nine percent 18% 551 males 228 females marked, respectively, were...
Abstract Roads are detrimental to wildlife populations that require contiguous networks of terrestrial and aquatic habitats. Many species freshwater turtles sensitive habitat fragmentation caused by roads, susceptible road mortality during overland migrations. The common long‐necked turtle ( C helodina longicollis ) is an A ustralian frequently moves between wetlands, so may incur negative impacts from effects. Here, we assessed the relationship . density landscape variables within...