General MSc opportunities
While only select, immediate opportunities are listed here, we are happy to consider any ideas for projects as long as they broadly align with our research interests. Note that prospective Masters students would need to be admitted into the MRes (with coursework) or MPhil (without coursework) program of Western Sydney University to conduct these projects.
IMPROVING CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT OUTCOMES FOR FLYING-FOXES (Pteropus spp.)
Flying-foxes are charismatic bats found across the Old World and Australia. They are among the most mobile mammals on earth by most measures, and their extreme mobility makes them key long-distance pollen and seed dispersers in Australia’s fragmented forest ecosystems. However, their extreme mobility also has important implications for the zoonotic dynamics of flying-fox populations and for current management practices in flying-fox conservation and human-wildlife conflict mitigation.
Sound conservation management of flying-foxes is predicated on a better understanding of flying-fox movements, population status, and threats. To this end, the Lab of Animal Ecology at the Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment has funding, equipment and logistical support available for five distinct projects aimed at improving conservation management outcomes for these ecologically important species:
The work will supervised by members and affiliates of the Lab of Animal Ecology at the Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment in collaboration with the Taronga Conservation Society. Primary supervisor Welbergen, with co-supervisors, has a history of successful MRes student completions with all students having managed to generate published outcomes from their theses.
Flying-foxes are charismatic bats found across the Old World and Australia. They are among the most mobile mammals on earth by most measures, and their extreme mobility makes them key long-distance pollen and seed dispersers in Australia’s fragmented forest ecosystems. However, their extreme mobility also has important implications for the zoonotic dynamics of flying-fox populations and for current management practices in flying-fox conservation and human-wildlife conflict mitigation.
Sound conservation management of flying-foxes is predicated on a better understanding of flying-fox movements, population status, and threats. To this end, the Lab of Animal Ecology at the Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment has funding, equipment and logistical support available for five distinct projects aimed at improving conservation management outcomes for these ecologically important species:
- Heat stress: Determine of the vulnerability of flying-foxes to extreme heat events, and provide a much-needed evidence base for management and conservation. (Welbergen, Meade, Turbill, Martin)
- Population monitoring: Capitalise on new methodologies (radar and drones) developed by the research team to monitor flying-foxes at nationally important camps. (Welbergen, Meade, Boer, Martin)
- Foraging resource mapping: Develop remotely sensed landscape-scale nectar availability maps to highlight spatially explicit targets for flying-fox habitat conservation and restoration. (Welbergen, Meade, Boer, Martin)
- Urbanisation: determine what supports flying-foxes in human-modified landscapes, to help managers make informed decisions regarding the conservation management of flying-foxes in urban environments (Welbergen, Martin, Meade)
- Rehabilitation: Assess the survival of flying-foxes following rehabilitation, to help inform current rehabilitation practices (Welbergen, Martin, Meade)
The work will supervised by members and affiliates of the Lab of Animal Ecology at the Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment in collaboration with the Taronga Conservation Society. Primary supervisor Welbergen, with co-supervisors, has a history of successful MRes student completions with all students having managed to generate published outcomes from their theses.
Supervisors: Prof Justin Welbergen, Dr Jessica Meade, A/Prof Chris Turbill, Prof Matthias Boer, and/or Dr John Martin
Research Locations: Australia-wide
Time-frame: ongoing
Research Locations: Australia-wide
Time-frame: ongoing
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If you'd like to know more, please email Prof Justin Welbergen with a short paragraph outlining your skills, experience, and research interests.
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For background, e.g., see:
- YABSLEY, S. H., MEADE, J., MARTIN, J. M., & WELBERGEN, J. A. (2021). Human-modified landscapes provide key foraging areas for a threatened flying mammal: The grey-headed flying-fox. Plos one, 16(11), e0259395.
- MEADE, J., MARTIN, J. M., & WELBERGEN, J. A. (2021). Fast food in the city? Nomadic flying-foxes commute less and hang around for longer in urban areas. Behavioral Ecology.
- MCCARTHY, E. D., MARTIN, J. M., BOER, M. M. & WELBERGEN (2021). Drone-based thermal remote sensing provides an effective new tool for monitoring the abundance of roosting fruit bats. Remote Sensing in Ecology and Conservation.
- MO, M., ROACHE, M., DAVIES, J., HOPPER, J., PITTY, H., FOSTER, N., ... & WELBERGEN, J. A. (2021). Estimating flying-fox mortality associated with abandonments of pups and extreme heat events during the austral summer of 2019–20. Pacific Conservation Biology.
- WELBERGEN, J. A., MEADE, J., FIELD, H., EDSON, D., McMICHAEL, L., SHOO, L. P., PRASZCZALEK, J., SMITH, C., MARTIN, J. (2020) Extreme mobility of the world's largest flying mammals creates key challenges for management and conservation. BMC Biology, 18:101
- RATNAYAKE, H. U., KEARNEY, M, R., GOVEKAR, P., KAROLY, D. & WELBERGEN, J. A. (2019) Forecasting wildlife die-offs from extreme heat events. Animal Conservation, 22(4): 386-395. DOI: 10.1111/acv.12476
- MEADE, J., VAN DER REE, R., STEPANIAN, P. M., WESTCOTT, D. A. & WELBERGEN, J. A., 2019. Using weather radar to monitor the number, timing and directions of flying-foxes emerging from their roosts. Scientific Reports, 9(1):10222.
- WELBERGEN, J. A., KLOSE, S. M., MARKUS, N. & EBY, P. (2008) Climate change and the effects of temperature extremes on Australian flying-foxes. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, Series B, 275, 419-425
Photograph © Allan Richardson
THE ACOUSTIC ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION OF THE ENDANGERED RUFOUS SCRUB-BIRD
The rufous scrub-bird (Atrichornis rufescens) is a cryptic near-flightless passerine with a powerful song. It is one of only two extant species of the Atrichornithidae - the sister family to the lyrebirds (Menuridae). The rufous scrub-bird is classified as Endangered under the Commonwealth EPBC Act, and is restricted to five isolated sub-populations in high altitude habitat “islands” in NSW and Queensland, including an area south-east of Gloucester (the Gloucester Tops). Monitoring this listed species is a key to their conservation but the habitat in which the birds are found is challenging and remote.
This study will involve development and application of acoustic monitoring techniques and other appropriate means of remote monitoring, aimed at increasing knowledge about the biology and behaviour of this intriguing but little-known species.
The project has sufficient in-house funding and equipment to cover all field requirements.
The rufous scrub-bird (Atrichornis rufescens) is a cryptic near-flightless passerine with a powerful song. It is one of only two extant species of the Atrichornithidae - the sister family to the lyrebirds (Menuridae). The rufous scrub-bird is classified as Endangered under the Commonwealth EPBC Act, and is restricted to five isolated sub-populations in high altitude habitat “islands” in NSW and Queensland, including an area south-east of Gloucester (the Gloucester Tops). Monitoring this listed species is a key to their conservation but the habitat in which the birds are found is challenging and remote.
This study will involve development and application of acoustic monitoring techniques and other appropriate means of remote monitoring, aimed at increasing knowledge about the biology and behaviour of this intriguing but little-known species.
The project has sufficient in-house funding and equipment to cover all field requirements.
Supervisors: Prof Justin Welbergen, Dr Anastasia Dalziell & Dr Alan Stuart
Research Locations: Gloucester Tops NP (NSW)
Time-frame: ongoing
Research Locations: Gloucester Tops NP (NSW)
Time-frame: ongoing
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If you'd like to know more, please email Prof Justin Welbergen with a short paragraph outlining your skills, experience, and research interests.
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For background see:
- NEWMAN, M., STUART, A. & HILL, F. (2014) Rufous Scrub-bird Atrichornis rufescens monitoring at the extremities of the species’ range in New South Wales (2010–2012). Australian Field Ornithology 31, 77-98
SOCIAL CONSTRAINTS ON FEMALE MATE CHOICE IN COOPERATIVE BREEDERS
In recent years, information on genetic parentage form organisms as different as snails, spiders, fish, frogs, lizards, mammals and birds, has shown that extra-pair paternity (EPP) is widespread and affects even that veritable icon of fidelity – the swan. However, the frequency of EPP varies, both within and between species, and reasons for that are poorly understood. Traditionally, explanations focus on the costs and benefits of EPP to the female that seeks them out; however, to fully understand variation in the frequency of EPP we also need to consider variation in social constraints on female mate choice. For example, because female extra-pair mating is costly for cuckolded social mates, there is selection for behavioural strategies that maximise paternity such as ‘mate guarding’ by close following of females by their social mate. However, it has never been considered that existing offspring of a female also stand to lose if their mother mates with unrelated males. In many cooperatively breeding species offspring delay their dispersal and help to raise their non-descendant kin in their parents’ subsequent broods. Under these conditions there is the potential for the evolution of ‘mother guarding’. Through mother guarding, offspring would effectively ‘help’ their father to secure his paternity against the best interest of their mother and consequently they would raise their genetic representation in the next generation.
With this study we propose to investigate mother guarding in the cooperatively breeding noisy miner, Manorina melanocephala to improve our understanding of extra-pair paternity within a family context.
Supervisor: Prof Justin Welbergen
Research Locations: Hawkesbury-Nepean Catchment area, NSW, Australia.
Time-frame: ongoing
In recent years, information on genetic parentage form organisms as different as snails, spiders, fish, frogs, lizards, mammals and birds, has shown that extra-pair paternity (EPP) is widespread and affects even that veritable icon of fidelity – the swan. However, the frequency of EPP varies, both within and between species, and reasons for that are poorly understood. Traditionally, explanations focus on the costs and benefits of EPP to the female that seeks them out; however, to fully understand variation in the frequency of EPP we also need to consider variation in social constraints on female mate choice. For example, because female extra-pair mating is costly for cuckolded social mates, there is selection for behavioural strategies that maximise paternity such as ‘mate guarding’ by close following of females by their social mate. However, it has never been considered that existing offspring of a female also stand to lose if their mother mates with unrelated males. In many cooperatively breeding species offspring delay their dispersal and help to raise their non-descendant kin in their parents’ subsequent broods. Under these conditions there is the potential for the evolution of ‘mother guarding’. Through mother guarding, offspring would effectively ‘help’ their father to secure his paternity against the best interest of their mother and consequently they would raise their genetic representation in the next generation.
With this study we propose to investigate mother guarding in the cooperatively breeding noisy miner, Manorina melanocephala to improve our understanding of extra-pair paternity within a family context.
Supervisor: Prof Justin Welbergen
Research Locations: Hawkesbury-Nepean Catchment area, NSW, Australia.
Time-frame: ongoing
The project has sufficient in-house funding and equipment to cover all field requirements. All permits are in place and current.
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If you'd like to know more, please email Prof Justin Welbergen with a short paragraph outlining your skills, experience, and research interests.
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For background see:
- WELBERGEN, J. A. & QUADER, S. (2006) Mother guarding: how offspring may influence the extra-pair behaviour of their parents. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, Series B 273, 2363-2368
ANTI-BROOD PARASITISM DEFENCES IN THE AUSTRALIAN REED WARBLER, ACROCEPHALUS AUSTRALIS
The interactions between avian brood parasites and their hosts have long provided researchers with useful models for understanding coevolutionary processes in nature. By laying eggs in a host’s nest, brood parasites foist onto the host the costs of raising unrelated offspring. In response, hosts can evolve a range of adaptations to deflect parasitism, which in turn select for further counter-adaptations in the parasite, and so on.
The Australian reed warbler (Acrocephalus australis) is endemic to much of Australia—generally residing in reed beds and rushes along watercourses. The species is not currently host to a specific brood parasite, despite the facts that it is sympatric with seven species of brood parasitic cuckoo and its breeding ecology is similar to other parasitised Acrocephalus species. Yet, we have discovered that the Australian reed warbler exhibits a range of anti-brood parasitism defences that are usually seen in parasitised hosts.
Whith this study, we aim to understand better the processes that maintain anti-brood parasite defences in formerly parasitised hosts. The work will be mostly field-based and involve traditional behavioural ecological techniques, such as egg discrimination and enemy-at-the nest experiments, enhanced by the application of recent techological developments, such as 3-D printing, autonomous sound and video recording and playback, and thermal imagery from drones.
The interactions between avian brood parasites and their hosts have long provided researchers with useful models for understanding coevolutionary processes in nature. By laying eggs in a host’s nest, brood parasites foist onto the host the costs of raising unrelated offspring. In response, hosts can evolve a range of adaptations to deflect parasitism, which in turn select for further counter-adaptations in the parasite, and so on.
The Australian reed warbler (Acrocephalus australis) is endemic to much of Australia—generally residing in reed beds and rushes along watercourses. The species is not currently host to a specific brood parasite, despite the facts that it is sympatric with seven species of brood parasitic cuckoo and its breeding ecology is similar to other parasitised Acrocephalus species. Yet, we have discovered that the Australian reed warbler exhibits a range of anti-brood parasitism defences that are usually seen in parasitised hosts.
Whith this study, we aim to understand better the processes that maintain anti-brood parasite defences in formerly parasitised hosts. The work will be mostly field-based and involve traditional behavioural ecological techniques, such as egg discrimination and enemy-at-the nest experiments, enhanced by the application of recent techological developments, such as 3-D printing, autonomous sound and video recording and playback, and thermal imagery from drones.
Supervisor: Prof Justin Welbergen
Research Locations: Hawkesbury-Nepean Catchment area, NSW, Australia.
Time-frame: ongoing
Research Locations: Hawkesbury-Nepean Catchment area, NSW, Australia.
Time-frame: ongoing
The project has sufficient in-house funding and equipment to cover all field requirements.
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If you'd like to know more, please email Prof Justin Welbergen with a short paragraph outlining your skills, experience, and research interests.
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For background see:
CHAUMONT, M. H., LANGMORE, N. E. & WELBERGEN, J. A. (2021). The ghosts of parasitism past: lingering frontline anti-brood parasite defences in a former host. Current Zoology.
CHAUMONT, M. H., LANGMORE, N. E. & WELBERGEN, J. A. (2021). The ghosts of parasitism past: lingering frontline anti-brood parasite defences in a former host. Current Zoology.
FEENEY, W., WELBERGEN, J. A. & LANGMORE, N. E. (2014) Advances in the study of coevolution between avian brood parasites and their hosts. Annual Reviews in Ecology, Evolution and Systematics, 45: 227-246. DOI: 10.1146/annurev-ecolsys-120213-091603
FEENEY, W., WELBERGEN, J. A. & LANGMORE, N. E. (2012). The front-line of avian brood parasite-host coevolution. Animal Behavior 84, 3-12
WELBERGEN, J. A. & DAVIES N. B. (2012) Direct and indirect assessment of parasitism risk by a cuckoo host. Behavioural Ecology, 23, 783-789
WELBERGEN, J. A. & DAVIES N. B. (2011) A parasite in wolf’s clothing: hawk mimicry reduces mobbing of cuckoos by hosts. Behavioral Ecology 22, 574-579
DAVIES N. B. & WELBERGEN J. A. (2009) Social transmission of a host defense against cuckoo parasitism. SCIENCE 324, 1318-1320 (authors contributed equally to this work)
WELBERGEN, J. A. & DAVIES N. B. (2009) Strategic variation in mobbing as a front line of defence against brood parasitism. Current Biology 19, 235-240
DAVIES, N. B. & WELBERGEN, J. A. (2008) Cuckoo–hawk mimicry? An experimental test. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, Series B 275, 1817-1822
WELBERGEN, J. A. & DAVIES, N. B. (2008) Reed warblers discriminate cuckoos from sparrowhawks with graded alarm signals that attract mates and neighbours. Animal Behaviour 76, 811-822
BERG, M. L., BEINTEMA, N. H., WELBERGEN, J. A. & KOMDEUR, J. (2006) The functional significance of multiple nest-building in the Australian Reed Warbler Acrocephalus australis. Ibis 148, 395-404
BERG, M. L., BEINTEMA, N. H., WELBERGEN, J. A. & KOMDEUR, J. (2005) Singing as a handicap: the effects of food availability and weather on song output in the Australian Reed Warbler Acrocephalus australis. Journal of Avian Biology 36, 102-109
WELBERGEN, J. A., KOMDEUR, J., KATS, R. & BERG, M. (2001) Egg discrimination in the Australian Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus australis): rejection responses towards model and conspecific eggs depending on timing and mode of parasitism. Behavioural Ecology 12, 8-15