JCU > Research Portfolio > Prof Lin Schwarzkopf

About

My research examines broad ecological and evolutionary questions, including applied problems. I take an integrative approach, using a combination of controlled experiments and observational studies to test hypotheses. Much of my research has used reptiles and amphibians as model systems, but I am broadly interested in a variety of groups.

I am interested in the relationship between vertebrates and habitat structure, and study habitat use and shelter site selection, predator avoidance and thermoregulation, as they relate to habitat. These interests have lead me to study the influence of various anthropogenic effects, such as logging, grazing, and weeds and their control, on vertebrate populations.

The amphibian disease, chytridiomycosis, is strongly influenced by the environment selected by host amphibians. Thus, behaviour and habitat selection by amphibians have important effects on disease dynamics in this system, and these relationships have drawn me to study this system in collaboration with colleagues at JCU and elsewhere.

Invasive species, as predators, prey and competitors can have negative effects on native species. With an industry partner I have developed a trap that exploits the signalling system of invasive amphibians to selectively remove mature reproductive individuals from populations, as a means of local control for these pests.

Adaptation to environmental pressures has lead to many amazing animal charactersitics. Lizard skin shows adaptations ranging from high to low adhesivness and from superhydrophobicity to rapid water transport, depending on species and their environments. I have been examining these traits with collaborators in chemistry and physics at JCU, and from the University of Idaho.

For more information see my Vertebrate Ecology Lab website.

Teaching

AG1007: Introduction to Plants and Animals for Veterinary Science (Level 1; TSV)
BS1001: Introduction to Biological Processes (Level 1; TSV)
BS1007: Introduction to Biodiversity (Level 1; TSV)
BS2460: Fundamentals of Ecology (Level 2; TSV)
BS5460: Fundamentals of Ecology (Level 5; TSV)
BZ2490: Toolkit for the Field Biologist (Level 2; TSV)
BZ2880: Ecology: Distribution, Abundance and Diversity (Level 2; CNS)
BZ3215: Conservation Biology (Level 3; CNS & TSV)
BZ3230: Ecological Research Methods (Level 3; TSV)
BZ5215: Conservation Biology (Level 5; CNS & TSV)
BZ5230: Ecological Research Methods (Level 5; TSV)
BZ5880: Ecology: Distribution, Abundance and Diversity (Level 5; CNS)
BZ5990: Toolkit for the Field Biologist (Level 5; TSV)
SC3008: Professional Placement (Level 3; CNS & TSV)
SC5900: Special Topic (Level 5; TSV)
SC5901: Special Topic 1 (Level 5; TSV)
SC5902: Special Topic 2 (Level 5; TSV)
SC5903: Literature Review (Level 5; TSV)
SC5909: Minor Project and Seminar (Level 5; TSV)
SC5912: Minor Project, Seminar and Literature Review (1 of 2) (Level 5; TSV)
SC5913: Minor Project, Seminar and Literature Review (2 of 2) (Level 5; TSV)

Interests

Research

Relationship between vertebrates and habitat structure
Behaviour and habitat selection
Signalling system of cane toads

Research Disciplines

Socio-Economic Objectives

Honours

Awards

2007 - Dean’s Award for Best Research Group JCU
1986 - Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada Postgraduate Fellowship
1984 - Queensland Federation of University Women - Audrey Jorss, Freda Freeman Fellowship

Fellowships

1995 to 1997 - JCU Postdoctoral Fellowship
1993 to 1995 - Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada Postdoctoral Fellowship
1991 to 1993 - CSIRO Postdoctoral Research Fellowship

Publications

These are the most recent publications associated with this author. To see a detailed profile of all publications stored at JCU, visit ResearchOnline@JCU. Hover over Altmetrics badges to see social impact.

Journal Articles

Pillai R, Nordberg E, Riedel J and Schwarzkopf L (in press) Nonlinear variation in clinging performance with surface roughness in geckos. Ecology and Evolution, , DOI:10.1002/ece3.6090.
Villacorta Rath C, Adekunle A, Edmunds R, Strugnell J, Schwarzkopf L and Burrows D (in press) Can environmental DNA be used to detect first arrivals of the cane toad, Rhinella marina, into novel locations? Environmental DNA, , DOI:10.1002/edn3.114.
Bower D, Lips K, Amepou Y, Richards S, Dahl C, Nagombi E, Supuma M, Dabek L, Alford R, Schwarzkopf L, Ziembicki M, Noro J, Hamidy A, Gillespie G, Berger L, Eisemberg C, Li Y, Liu X, Jennings C, Tjaturadi B, Peters A, Krockenberger A, Nason D, Kusrini M, Webb R, Skerratt L, Banks C, Mack A, Georges A and Clulow S (2019) Island of opportunity: can New Guinea protect amphibians from a globally emerging pathogen? Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, 17 (6), pp. 348-354, DOI:10.1002/fee.2057.
Brown G, Schwarzkopf L, Alford R, Bower D and Shine R (2019) Spinal arthritis in invasive cane toads is linked to rate of dispersal as well as to latitude. Scientific Reports, 9, Article: 13965, DOI:10.1038/s41598-019-50314-w.
Cisterne A, Schwarzkopf L and Pike D (2019) Australian house geckos are more aggressive than a globally successful invasive Asian house gecko. Behavioral Ecology, 30 (1), pp. 107-113, DOI:10.1093/beheco/ary156.
Cornelis J, Nordberg E and Schwarzkopf L (2019) Antipredator behaviour of invasive geckos in response to chemical cues from snakes. Ethology, 125 (1), pp. 57-63, DOI:10.1111/eth.12826.
McKnight D, Huerlimann R, Bower D, Schwarzkopf L, Alford R and Zenger K (2019) microDecon: a highly accurate read‐subtraction tool for the post‐sequencing removal of contamination in metabarcoding studies. Environmental DNA, 1 (1), pp. 14-25, DOI:10.1002/edn3.11.
McKnight D, Lal M, Bower D, Schwarzkopf L, Alford R and Zenger K (2019) The return of the frogs: the importance of habitat refugia in maintaining diversity during a disease outbreak. Molecular Ecology, 28 (11), pp. 2731-2745, DOI:10.1111/mec.15108.
McKnight D, Huerlimann R, Bower D, Schwarzkopf L, Alford R and Zenger K (2019) Methods for normalizing microbiome data: an ecological perspective. Methods in Ecology and Evolution, 10 (3), pp. 389-400, DOI:10.1111/2041-210X.13115.
Mula Laguna J, Reside A, Kutt A, Grice A, Buosi P, Vanderduys E, Taylor M and Schwarzkopf L (2019) Conserving the endangered Black-throated Finch southern subspecies: what do we need to know? Emu - Austral Ornithology, 119 (4), pp. 331-345, DOI:10.1080/01584197.2019.1605830.
Neilly H and Schwarzkopf L (2019) The impact of cattle grazing regimes on tropical savanna bird assemblages. Austral Ecology, 44 (2), pp. 187-198, DOI:10.1111/aec.12663.
Nordberg E and Schwarzkopf L (2019) Predation risk is a function of alternative prey availability rather than predator abundance in a tropical savanna woodland ecosystem. Scientific Reports, 9, Article: 7718, DOI:10.1038/s41598-019-44159-6.

More: ResearchOnline@JCU stores 155+ research outputs authored by Prof Lin Schwarzkopf from 1983 onwards.

Current Funding

Current and recent Research Funding to JCU is shown by funding source and project.

Australian Research Council - Linkage - Projects

Understanding population growth time lags in invasive species: Chital deer as a model system

Indicative Funding: $394,015 over 6 years, in partnership with QLD Department of Agriculture and Fisheries ($80,000 over 5 yrs)
Summary: Lags in population growth of introduced species are common, but poorly understood. Chital deer (Axis axis) are an invasive species introduced to Australia over 130 years ago, but their numbers have only increased dramatically in the past 30-40 years. We will use data collected from wild animals, landholder surveys, and computer simulation models to clarify causes of sudden population expansion in more detail. Understanding lags will allow us to understand their causes, and better control populations of invasive species. By predicting drivers of rapid population growth, we can better mitigate the associated economic and environmental costs of invasive species.
Investigators: Ben Hirsch, Lin Schwarzkopf and Jan Strugnell in collaboration with Tony Pople (College of Science & Engineering, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries and Forestry)
Keywords: chital (Axis axis); Invasive Species; landscape geneticfs; beef production demography; deer

WV Scott Charitable Trust - Research Grant

Tackling Frog Disease

Indicative Funding: $155,000
Summary: Chytridiomycois is one of the most dramatic and important emerging infectious diseases in wildlife. It is caused by a fungal pathogen (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis or Bd), which parasitizes the skin of amphibians. This highly contagious pathogen has been responsible for making frogs the most endangered vertebrates on earth. Remarkably, some populations that experienced drastic declines have recovered, and now appear to coexist with the fungus, but the nature of their recovery remains a mystery. There are a a range of possible complex and interacting reasons why frog populations may coexist with this disease, which could be evolutionary, behavioural, environmental, or ecological. We are examining possible reasons for coexistence, to find approaches to aid populations that persist but are not recovering.
Investigators: Lin Schwarzkopf and Deborah Bower (College of Science & Engineering)
Keywords: Frog; Disease; Recovery; infection dynamics

WV Scott Charitable Trust - Research Grant

Greater glider (Petauroides Volans) mechanisms for adaptation in extreme environments

Indicative Funding: $44,500 over 3 years
Summary: Greater gliders north of the Tropic of Capricorn are half the size of those occurring in southern Australia and may constitute a subspecies. The mechanism behind these size differences in endotherms is highly controversial. The prevailing theory is heat conservation, due to a decreased surface area to mass ratio in larger animals; however alternative mechanisms have been suggested. This study will be the first to examine divergence in their phylogeny, physiology and differences in thermal tolerance between populations ranging from tropical to temperate forests. Underlying mechanisms will be investigated including water/nutrient availability, seasonality, thermal responses, microhabitat, insulation, and predator/competitor pressure.
Investigators: Denise McGregor, Andrew Krockenberger, Lin Schwarzkopf and Sarah Kerr (College of Science & Engineering and Research Infrastructure)
Keywords: Bergmann?s rule; Thermoregulation; Greater glider; Petauroides Volans- Pseudocheiridae; Body Size; Genetic divergence

Australian Research Council - Linkage - Infrastructure (L-IEF)

Australian Acoustic Observatory: A Network to Monitor Biodiversity

Indicative Funding: $927,000 over 3 years (administered by QUT)
Summary: Acoustic sensing is transforming environmental science by recording vocal species 24 x 7, providing data of unparalleled spatial and temporal resolution for ecosystem monitoring and research. This is particularly relevant to Australia's fragile and mega-diverse environment and Australia has leading research expertise in this emerging field. The proposed observatory will be the world's largest terrestrial acoustic sensor network comprising 450 listening stations deployed across Australia. Funds will purchase autonomous sound recorders and online storage and processing hardware. Data will be freely available to all online, enabling new science in understanding ecosystems, long-term environmental change, data visualisation and acoustic science.
Investigators: Paul Roe, David Watson, Richard Fuller, Stuart Parsons, Tomasc Bednarz, Margot Brereton, Lin Schwarzkopf, Dale Nimmo, Berndt Janse van Rensburg, Martine Maron, Marcus Sheaves, Paul McDonald and Gary Luck (Queensland University of Technology, Charles Sturt University, The University of Queensland, College of Science & Engineering and The University of New England)
Keywords: Monitoring; Frogs; acoustic; Birds

Australian Research Council - Discovery - Projects

Acoustics for Large Scale Biodiversity Assessment

Indicative Funding: $560,082 over 3 years
Summary: Aims: This project will investigate using automated acoustic recording to efficiently census biodiversity assessment at a continental scale. Significance: To generate new techniques for analysing environmental acoustic data and assessing Australian biodiversity, verified empirical estimates of biodiversity, an understanding of causes of variation in biodiversity. Expected outcomes: methods for large-scale and accurate assessment of biodiversity, enhanced capacity to detect causes of variation in biodiversity, open-source software tools for analysing environmental audio data, biodiversity datasets. Benefits: measuring and understanding biodiversity change, allowing enhanced management, conservation, and use of Australian natural resources.
Investigators: Lin Schwarzkopf, Richard Fuller, Paul Roe, David Watson and Paul McDonald (College of Science & Engineering, The University of Queensland, Queensland University of Technology, Charles Sturt University and The University of New England)
Keywords: ecoacoustics; Birds; sound recording; Frogs

WV Scott Charitable Trust - Research Grant

Investigating the interaction between giant tortoises and farms in Galapagos

Indicative Funding: $50,000
Summary: Endangered giant tortoises migrate to the highlands for access to important resources. The highlands, however have mostly been converted to support agriculture leaving few natural areas for tortoises to use freely. Because of this, tortoises regularly enter farms, causing conflict. Our aim is to better understand how tortoises use farms as part of their migratory movements and how this affects both tortoise ecology and farm outputs. An improved understanding of the needs of both tortoises and farms will be used to mprove management practices for the Galapagos National Park and farmers.
Investigators: Lin Schwarzkopf and Kyana Pike (College of Science & Engineering)
Keywords: giant tortoise (Chelonoidis spp); farm management; human-wildlife conflict; Migration; Galapagos Island; Conservation

QLD Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Energy - Contract Research

Mt Pleasant Station Demonstration Biodiversity Project

Indicative Funding: $65,514 over 2 years (administered by NQ Dry Tropics)
Summary: Within the Landholders Driving Change project, demonstration projects will provide a platform for implementation, investigation and ground truthing of techniques and tools that support the restoration of landscape function, and evaluate, analyse and share this knowledge with grazing communities through a range of learning platforms. The Mt. Pleasant Station demonstration project will offer an additional project dimension by becoming a landholder driven Community Learning Hub. The Learning Hub component of the project will provide the infrastructure and learning resources to allow local and regional landholders, school and tertiary students, scientific and university institutions and other interested organisations to observe, study and learn in a production landscape.
Investigators: Lin Schwarzkopf and Eric Nordberg (College of Science & Engineering)
Keywords: Biodiversity; Wildlife; Ecology; Survey techniques; Use of farmland

Qld Dept of Transport and Main Roads - Contract Research

The Provision of Research into Black Throat Finches

Indicative Funding: $212,000
Summary: We will study the habitat required for BTFs, offset requirements and quality, and the impact of roads on BTFs.
Investigators: Lin Schwarzkopf in collaboration with April Reside and Helene Marsh (College of Science & Engineering)
Keywords: Birds; Ecology; Offsets; Threatened Species

Department of Industry - Innovations Connections

Humane Toxin for Invasive Cane Toad Control

Indicative Funding: $99,288 over 2 years (administered by Animal Control Technologies (Australia) Pty Ltd)
Summary: Animal Control Technologies (Australia) (ACTA) and James Cook University (JCU) have jointly developed a highly effective and target-specific cane toad trap and are approaching the commercial manufacture stage. A major next step in the development of this innovative trapping system is to identify a toxin that can be used to humanely euthanise trapped toads, as there is presently no such chemical available. Once the traps are commercially available, there will be a market for such a chemical because people will need to dispose of any trapped toads as quickly and humanely as possible.
Investigators: Lin Schwarzkopf and Michael Oelgemoeller in collaboration with Rebecca Webb and Angus Shephard (College of Science & Engineering)
Keywords: Toad; Toxin; Pest Control; Rhinella Marina

Australian Research Council - Linkage - Projects

Call out and listen in: A new way to detect and control invasive species

Indicative Funding: $593,519 over 4 years, in partnership with Anindilyakwa Land Council ($229,000 over 3 yrs)
Summary: Invasive species can cause extinctions. Invasive amphibians are an under-appreciated but serious ecological problem in worldwide, because they are voracious predators, and are often toxic to native species. Male frogs call to attract mates, and answer calls they hear. Using new acoustic technologies, these behaviours can be exploited to (1) detect species and enable control, and (ii) attract gravid females for removal. This project aims combine an early warning system (electronic listening) and trap (calling and catching), which can be customised to any invasive frog, and use it to detect and remove cane toads, especially in low density populations. The goal of the project is to provide and test means to protect native species.
Investigators: Lin Schwarzkopf and Paul Roe (College of Science & Engineering and Queensland University of Technology)
Keywords: Rhinella Marina; new technology; Ecology; Invasive Species

Torres Strait Regional Authority - Contract Research

Toad Control on Thursday Island

Indicative Funding: $18,298
Summary: Going to Thursday Island to supply prototype toad traps and lures and advise on their use.
Investigators: Lin Schwarzkopf in collaboration with Jodie Nordine (College of Science & Engineering)
Keywords: Toads; Trapping

QLD Department of Science, Information, Technology and Innovation - Advance Queensland Engaging Science Grants

Discovering Urban Wildlife Workshop

Indicative Funding: $10,000
Summary: Most kids, particularly those in cities, don't get the opportunity to experience native wildlife in far-flung places. Luckily. However, there is a diverse suite of native animals that live in our homes, backyards and local neighbourhoods! James Cook University proposes to deliver 'Discovering Urban Wildlife' a hands-on workshop for 4-7 year olds. During this workshop, students will be introduced to the unique urban native wildlife and learn how to collect scientific data.
Investigators: Lin Schwarzkopf (College of Science & Engineering)
Keywords: Urban wildlife; Engaging science; Stem

Supervision

Advisory Accreditation: I can be on your Advisory Panel as a Primary or Secondary Advisor.

These Higher Degree Research projects are either current or by students who have completed their studies within the past 5 years at JCU. Linked titles show theses available within ResearchOnline@JCU.

Current

Pathology and Epidemiology of Ranavirus Infection in Australian Freshwater Turtles (PhD , Secondary Advisor/AM)
Interactions between bettongs, their environment and the net effect on grazing land (Masters , Primary Advisor/AM/Adv)
Climatic variability and resilience: spatio-temporal climate variability and vulnerability of ant species to climate change in an Australian tropical rainforest (PhD , Advisor Mentor)
The Effect of Invasive Toad Calls on the Calls of other Frogs (PhD , Primary Advisor/AM/Adv)
Understanding uncertainty to inform conservation. Tools to protect the endangered black-throated finch southern subspecies. (PhD , Primary Advisor/AM/Adv)
Feral cats in the North Queensland wet tropics region: Understanding the behavioural and ecological interactions that affect conservation outcomes. (PhD , Secondary Advisor/AM)
Invading the soundscape: the impacts of vocal invasive species (PhD , Primary Advisor/AM/Adv)
The interaction between giant tortoises and agriculture on the Galapagos Islands (PhD , Primary Advisor/AM/Adv)
Environmental influences on geographic variations in body size in greater gliders (Petauroides volans) (PhD , Secondary Advisor)
Ecology and management of Chital Deer in North Queensland (PhD , Secondary Advisor/AM)
Eco-Morphology of Diplodactylid Geckos in Queensland (PhD , Primary Advisor/AM/Adv)

Completed

Acoustic Behaviour and Mating System of Cane Toads (Rhinella marina): Understanding and Exploiting Vocal Communication for Application to Control (2015, PhD , Secondary Advisor)
Fire management and biodiversity in Northern Australia (2016, PhD , Primary Advisor)
The impact of weeds and prescribed fire on faunal diversity (2016, PhD , Primary Advisor)
Patterns in physiological trait variation delineate potential impacts of climate change on ectotherms (2016, PhD , Secondary Advisor)
The ecology of an arboreal rainforest gecko: Saltuarius cornutus (2017, Masters , Primary Advisor)
Population trends, habitat requirements and conservation recommendations for an endangered marsupial, the northern bettong (Bettongia tropica) (2018, PhD , Advisor Mentor)
An examination of cane toad (Rhinella marina) behaviour: how can we use this knowledge to refine trapping regimes? (2018, PhD , Primary Advisor)
The impacts of cattle grazing on arboreal reptiles (2018, PhD , Primary Advisor)
Balancing beef with biodiversity: faunal responses to different cattle grazing strategies (2018, PhD , Primary Advisor)
Thermal thresholds in the amphibian disease chytridiomycosis (2018, PhD , Secondary Advisor)
Life finds a way: the recovery of frog populations from a chytridiomycosis outbreak (2019, PhD , Secondary Advisor)
Dynamics of the Amphibian Chytrid Fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis) in Isolated Patches of Lowland Rainforest. (2015, Masters , Primary Advisor)
Evolution and ecological adaptations of microornamentation in Australian geckos (Gekkota, Squamata) (2020, PhD , Primary Advisor/AM/Adv)

Data

These are the most recent metadata records associated with this researcher. To see a detailed description of all dataset records, visit the JCU Research Data Catalogue.

Yasumiba, K. (2019) Cane toad nightly chorus data Hervey Range 2012-2014. James Cook University
Schwarzkopf, L. (2018) Spinal arthritis in cane toads. James Cook University
Schwarzkopf, L. (2015) Eastern water skinks (Eulamprus quoyii) life-history data. James Cook University
Pintor, A. (2015) Hydroregulation in the tropical skink Carlia rubrigularis. James Cook University
Pintor, A. (2015) Physiological determinants of tolerance to climatic extremes in small ectotherms. James Cook University
Pintor, A. (2015) Latitudinal trends in thermal traits in a clade of small reptilian ectotherms. James Cook University
Pintor, A. (2015) Acclimation of cold tolerance in Carlia longipes. James Cook University
Pintor, A. (2015) Tests of the Climatic Variability Hypothesis in Australian Skinks. James Cook University

Collaboration

The map shows research collaborations by institution from the past 7 years.
Note: Map points are indicative of the countries or states that institutions are associated with.