Dr Brad Congdon

Contact Details

Campus:	Cairns
Phone:	+61 7 4042 1212
Fax:	+61 7 4042 1319
Email:	brad.congdon@jcu.edu.au

Research Interests

My primary research interest is mechanisms of population divergence and speciation in birds. I integrate ecological studies of resource use, local adaptation, and mate choice with studies of population genetic structure. My aim is to identify the influence of localized phenomena on the development of intrinsic barriers to gene flow. This work also allows me to explore evolutionary theory relating to foraging ecology, mating systems and life history evolution. My work combines observational and/or manipulative field and laboratory analysis with genetic screening, using a range of molecular marker systems and techniques. I am particularly interested in the application of evolutionary theory and molecular techniques to the conservation of threatened species and have a special interest in seabird conservation and evolution. I have previously also undertaken research on whales, fish, insects and small mammals, and am interested in studies of any taxa around which appropriate evolutionary and conservation / management questions can developed.

Recent and Current Projects Include

• Modes of population structuring and speciation in tropical birds, fish & mammals

• Evolution of tropical seabird foraging ecology and life-history strategies

• Global climate change and sea-surface temperature (SST) impacts on forage-fish availability and breeding success of tropical seabirds

• Foraging ecology and long-term demographic trends in wader/shorebird populations

• Cultural evolution and population divergence in rainforest endemic birds

• Conservation genetics of threatened and fragmented bird and mammal populations

• The ecology and management of exotic pest species in the tropics.

Current Postgraduate Research Students

• Carol Erwin (USA/Aus)PhD - Climate change and seabird populations of the Great Barrier Reef

• Kylie Anderson (Aus) PhD - Invasion potential of Eumetopina flavipes, vector of Ramu Stunt Disease of Sugarcane

• Sandra Abell (Aus)PhD - The ecology of hypogeous fungi, principle resource of the endangered Bettongia tropica

• Sarah Kerr (Aus) PhD - Diversification of a mammal across a rainforest boundary

Recently Completed Postgraduate Research Students

• Anna Koetz (Ger/Aus) - PhD - Cultural and genetic divergence in a rainforest endemic bird, the Chowchilla (Orthonyx spaldingii) - 2007

• Pramana Yuda (Indo) - PhD - Population ecology and conservation genetics of Java sparrow (Padda oryzativa) - 2007

• Darren Peck (Aus) - PhD - Foraging ecology, local adaptation and population divergence in a tropical seabird, the Wedge-tailed shearwater (Puffinus pacificus) - 2006

Teaching

BZ3400 (Coordinator) Population and Community Ecology

BZ3730 (offered odd years only) (Coordinator) Ornithology

Selected publications

Full Publication List

Devney CA, M Short & BC Congdon (in press) Sensitivity of tropical seabirds to El Niño precursors Ecology

Congdon BC, C.A. Erwin, DR Peck, GB Baker, MC Double, P O’Neill (2007) Vulnerability of seabirds on the Great Barrier Reef to climate change In: Johnson J. & Marshall P. (eds) Climate change and the Great Barrier Reef . Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, Canberra.

Koetz, AH, D Westcott & BC Congdon(2007). Spatial pattern of song element sharing and its implications for song learning in the Chowchilla, Orthonyx spaldingii Animal Behaviour 74:1019-1028.

Koetz, A.H. D. Westcott & B.C. Congdon (2007) Geographic variation in song frequency and structure – the effect of isolation and distance. Animal Behaviour 74: 1573-1583

Abell SE, PA Gadek, C.A. Pearce & BC Congdon (2006) Seasonal resource availability and use by an endangered tropical mycophagous marsupial. Biological Conservation 132: 533-540

Congdon BC, Krockenberger AK and Smithers BV (2005) Dual-foraging and coordinated provisioning in a tropical Procellariiform the Wedge-tailed shearwater. Marine Ecology Progress Series 301, 293-301.

Peck DR and Congdon BC (2005) Colony-specific foraging behaviour and coordinated divergence of chick development in the wedge-tailed shearwater Puffinus pacificus. Marine Ecology Progress Series 299, 289-296.

Peck DR, Smithers BV, Krockenberger AK and Congdon BC (2004) Sea surface temperature constrains wedge-tailed shearwater foraging success within breeding seasons. Marine Ecology-Progress Series 281, 259-266.

Congdon BC, Piatt JF, Martin K and Friesen VL (2000) Mechanisms of population differentiation in marbled murrelets: Historical versus contemporary processes. Evolution 54, 974-986.

Morrow J, Scott L, Congdon B, Yeates D, Frommer M and Sved J (2000) Close genetic similarity between two sympatric species of tephritid fruit fly reproductively isolated by mating time. Evolution 54, 899-910.