Conservation Genetics and Wildlife Monitoring

Many species face a range of threats and increasing pressures that can lead to declines in population fitness and viability. A major focus of our research is the application of genetic tools and ecological experiments for gaining a greater appreciation of patterns of connectivity, demographic histories and evolutionary trajectories, mating systems, and factors influencing the fitness and environmental resilience of species populations. We work on a range of animal and plant systems including rare and threatened, commercially important, keystone, and pest species. These programs involve working with a wide range of academic institutions, industry partners and government agencies to develop management strategies for the conservation, restoration and monitoring of vulnerable species.

Photo provided by : NSW Governments shark management strategy project

Key Publications

Miller AD, Coleman MA, Clarke J, Cook R, Naga Z, Doblin M, Hoffmann AA, Sherman CDH, Bellgrove A (2020) Local thermal adaptation and limited gene flow constrain future climate responses of a marine ecosystem engineer. Evolutionary Applications. DOI: 10.1111/eva.12909

Adam D. Miller, Craig Nitschke, Andrew Weeks, William Weatherly, et al. (2020) Genetic data and climate niche suitability models highlight the vulnerability of a functionally important tree species from south-eastern Australia. Evolutionary Applications (accepted).

Smith TM, York PH, Broitman BR, Thiel M, Hays GC, van Sebille E, Putman NF, Macreadie PI, Sherman CDH (2018) Rare long distance dispersal event leads to the world’s largest marine clone. Global Ecology and Biogeography. 27: 487-496. DOI: 10.1111/geb.1271

Connolly RM, Smith TM, Maxwell PS, Olds AD, Macreadie PI, Sherman CDH (2018) Highly disturbed habitats show increased resistance but lower genotypic diversity in a foundation marine macrophyte. Frontiers in Plant Science. 9: 894–903. doi: 10.3389/fpls.2018.00894