A5072901521- Microbial infections and disease research
- Veterinary Oncology Research
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
- Human-Animal Interaction Studies
- Animal Ecology and Behavior Studies
- Genetic and phenotypic traits in livestock
- Rabies epidemiology and control
- Animal Genetics and Reproduction
- Animal Disease Management and Epidemiology
- Infectious Diseases and Mycology
- Geographies of human-animal interactions
- Sensory Analysis and Statistical Methods
- Species Distribution and Climate Change
- Cancer Genomics and Diagnostics
- Virology and Viral Diseases
- Salmonella and Campylobacter epidemiology
- Bird parasitology and diseases
- Ear and Head Tumors
- Aquaculture disease management and microbiota
Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment
2011-2021
The University of Sydney
2013-2018
1. Monitoring the response of wild mammal populations to threatening processes is fundamental effective conservation management. This especially true for infectious diseases, which may have dynamic and therefore unpredictable interactions with their host. 2. We investigate long-term impact a transmissible cancer, devil facial tumour disease (DFTD), on endemic Tasmanian devil. analyse trends in spot-light counts density across area impacted by disease. demographic parameters might be driving...
Tasmanian devils have spawned two transmissible cancer lineages, named devil facial tumor 1 (DFT1) and 2 (DFT2). We investigated the genetic diversity evolution of these clones by analyzing 78 DFT1 41 DFT2 genomes relative to a newly assembled, chromosome-level reference. Time-resolved phylogenetic trees reveal that first emerged in 1986 (1982 1989) 2011 (2009 2012). Subclone analysis documents transmission heterogeneous cell populations. has faster mutation rates than across all variant...
Most pathogens threatening to cause extinction of a host species are maintained on one or more reservoir hosts, in addition the that is threatened by disease. Further, most conventional host–pathogen theory assumes transmission related density, and therefore pathogen should become extinct before its sole host. Tasmanian devil facial tumor disease recently emerged infectious cancer has led massive population declines grave concerns for future persistence this largest surviving marsupial...
Context Feral cats (Felis catus) threaten biodiversity in many parts of the world, including Australia. Low-level culling is often used to reduce their impact, but open cat populations effectiveness uncertain. This partly because options for assessing this management action have been restricted estimating activity rather than abundance. Aims We measured response, relative abundance, feral a 13-month pulse low-level two sites southern Tasmania. Methods To do we remote cameras and our analysis...
Abstract: Pathogen‐driven declines in animal populations are increasingly regarded as a major conservation issue. The Tasmanian devil ( Sarcophilus harrisii ) is threatened with extinction by facial tumor disease, unique transmissible cancer. disease transmitted through direct transfer of cells, which possible because the genetic diversity devils low, particularly histocompatibility complex genes immune system. far northwest Tasmania now holds last remaining disease‐free wild populations....
Avoidance behaviour can play an important role in structuring ecosystems but be difficult to uncover and quantify. Remote cameras have great as yet unrealized potential patterns arising from predatory, competitive or other interactions that structure animal communities by detecting species are active at the same sites recording their behaviours times of activity. Here, we use multi-season, two-species occupancy models test for evidence between introduced (feral cat Felis catus) native...
Abstract Identifying the genetic architecture of complex phenotypes is a central goal modern biology, particularly for disease‐related traits. Genome‐wide association methods are classical approach identifying genomic basis variation in disease phenotypes, but such analyses challenging natural populations due to sample size difficulties. Extensive mark–recapture data, strong linkage disequilibrium and lethal transmissible cancer make Tasmanian devil ( Sarcophilus harrisii ) an ideal model...
Devil facial tumour 1 (DFT1) is a transmissible cancer clone endangering the Tasmanian devil. The expansion of DFT1 across Tasmania has been documented, but little known its evolutionary history. We analysed genomes 648 tumours collected throughout disease range between 2003 and 2018. diverged early into five clades, three spreading widely two failing to persist. One clade replaced others at several sites, rates coinfection are high. gradually accumulates copy number variants (CNVs),...
Knowledge of the diets carnivores is an essential precursor to understanding their role as predators in ecosystems.To date, understand ing diet Tasmanian Devils, Sarcophilus harrisii, limited and based upon largely qualitative descriptions.We examined Devils at six sites by identifying undigested hair, bone feathers found scats.These range across different habitat types coastal inland Tasmania, encompass devil populations that are known both fr ee Devil Facial Tumour Disease (DFTD) infected...
Effective conservation management requires an understanding of the source and direction many interactions that occur within ecological communities. Without this understanding, interventions such as control or eradication introduced species can have unexpected undesirable outcomes. One challenges for wildlife managers is to garner relevant information their site management. In paper we describe how images mammals captured on remote cameras be used uncover behavioral in turn help identify...
The New Holland mouse (Pseudomys novaehollandiae) was recognised to be at threat of extinction an International, National, and Tasmanian State level in 2008, 2010, 1995, respectively. species inhabits the floristically diverse dry heathlands associated vegetation communities that typically arise from mosaic burns. In this regard could considered a flagship for healthy heathlands. We present 18 years search capture records collected since 1998 Tasmania show there has been contraction over...
Feral individuals of the cat Felis catus are recognized internationally as a threat to biodiversity. Open, non-insular systems support large proportion world's biodiversity, but population-level impacts feral cats in these rarely elucidated. This limits prioritization and assessment effectiveness management interventions. We quantified predatory impact on small mammals open, forest Tasmania, Australia context other factors hypothesized affect mammal densities survival, namely density native...
Abstract Tasmanian devils have spawned two transmissible cancer lineages, named devil facial tumour 1 (DFT1) and 2 (DFT2). We investigated the genetic diversity evolution of these clones by analysing 78 DFT1 41 DFT2 genomes relative to a newly assembled chromosome-level reference. Time-resolved phylogenetic trees reveal that first emerged in 1986 (1982-1989), 2011 (2009-2012). Subclone analysis documents transmission heterogeneous cell populations. has faster mutation rates than across all...
Translocation of Tasmanian devils (Sarcophilus harrisii) is a common strategy for recovery the species as carried out by Save Devil Program. Dasyurids including endangered devil are well known to asymptomatically harbour zoonotic bacteria Salmonella enterica in their intestinal tracts. Testing routine component pretranslocation health testing, so statewide microbiological survey captive and wild was implemented order understand prevalence serotypes, inform decision-making when positive...