Evolutionary Ecology & Physiology
I have a longstanding interest in sexual selection, sexual conflict, and reproductive biology. Over the past few years, my research has expanded taking a more comprehensive and integrated approach to understand my study systems' "unabridged" evolutionary ecology--to do this one needs to know their study organisms well. Of course, this task cannot be done alone, so students and collaborators are the key to success.
Currently, we are working to understand the eco-evolutionary processes responsible for the geographic variation in sexually selected colouration, body size, and sexual size dimorphism (and possible differences in age and ageing rates) of the wide-ranging Australian painted dragon lizards (Ctenophorus pictus). We are leveraging geographic variation in life history and sexually selected traits along substantial temperature/aridity clines to determine how thermal adaptation might influence selection and mediate physiological tradeoffs between characters and between character states.
We also maintain ongoing collaborations working on red-sided garter snakes (Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis), which also bridges between environmental effects and sexual selection and the costs of reproduction.
Our research uses an integrative approach focusing on behaviour, physiology, genetics and reproductive ecology to address fundamental ecological and evolutionary topics, such as:
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Sexual selection (from intrasexual competition and mate choice to sperm competition and cryptic female choice)
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Tradeoffs between pre- and postcopulatory sexual selection
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Oxidative stress and telomere dynamics
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Energetic costs of behaviour and reproduction
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The evolution of sexually-dimorphic behavior and morphology
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Thermal effects on the expression and the evolution of sexually selected and life history traits
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Intersexual co-evolutionary processes generated by postcopulatory sexual selection/conflict on genital interactions/function (and behaviors).
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I am also interested in "classic" ecology, e.g., the influences of predation, parasitism, inter- and intraspecific competition and niche partitioning on the evolution of my focal species across their range
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PhD Candidate at USYD (2022- Co-supervised with Frank Seebacher) Honours, UOW (2021) Dan's project investigated thermal effects on behaviour, metabolism and telomeres in painted dragons.
Honours, UOW (2020) Sandy's project was on the behavioural ecology of mate choice and male competition in painted dragon lizards.
MS, U. of Gothenburg (2016) Rasmus' project was on morph- and sex-specific metabolic rates C. pictus was co-supervised with Mats Olsson.
Students
Collaborators
Bob Mason, Oregon State University
Brianna Beechler, Oregon State University
Camilla Whittington, University of Sydney
Catherine Grueber, University of Sydney
Dan Noble, Australian National University
Deb Lutterschmidt, University of California, Irvine
Denis O’Meally, Beckman Research Institute
Don Powers, George Fox University
Emily Uhrig, University of Maine
Erik Wapstra, University of Tasmania (BEER group)
Frank Seebacher, University of Sydney
Heather Waye, University of Minnesota at Morris
Joanna Sudyka, University of Warsaw
Mark Wilson, University of Wollongong, IHMRI
Mathieu Giraudeau, CREEC, France
Mats Olsson, University of Gothenburg
Matt Dean, University of Southern California
M. Rockwell Parker, James Madison University
Nathan Clark, University of Utah
Patty Brennan, Mount Holyoke College
Phil Byrne, University of Wollongong (EARL group)
Randy Krohmer, St. Xavier University
Rick Shine, Macquarie University
Simon de Graaf, University of Sydney
Steve Arnold, Oregon State University
Suzanne Estes, Portland State University
N Rollings
