School of Marine and Tropical Biology > Our People > Academic and Research Staff

Dr Lin Schwarzkopf

Associate Professor

CSIROPost-doc JCU 1991-3

NSERCPost-doc UBC (British Colombia, Canada) 1993-4

JCU postdoc 1995-8

Lecturer JCU 1999 – 2002

Senior lecturer 2002 – 2005

Associate Prof 2006 – present.

BSc Guelph University (Ontario, Canada) 1981

MSc Guelph University 1984

PhD Sydney University 1991

Research Interests

Research interests: evolutionary ecology of reptiles & amphibians,effects of weed control on fauna (birds, reptiles, amphibians), control of invading fauna (cane toads)

Recent and Current Projects Include

Current

Beyond abundance: Effects of predators on meso-predator behaviour and life-history traits (ARC Discovery grant with Ross Alford and Tom Schoener)

Understanding mechanisms of weed damage to ecosystems: paragrass, amphibians and reptiles (Burdekin Dry Tropics Resource Management Board)

Recent

The behaviour of water on lizard skin (PRG with de Nys, Robson and Liow)

Recent and currently supervised projects

Current

John Llewellyn, The Impact of toads on fauna in NQ
Carryn Manicom,Beyond abundance: the influence of top predators on mesopredator behaviour and life-history
Mat Vucko, Hydrophobicity, adhesion and ecology of geckos
Jen Davis, Cane toad attractants to improve trappability
Ashley Pearcy,Wetlands: What lives where and when?

Recent

Leonie Valentine, Impacts of fire management strategies on bird and reptile assemblages in grazed tropical savannas
Brett Goodman, Ecomorphology, performance and reproductive output in saxicolous and terrestrial skinks

Future PhD directions

Chytrid fungus in lowland frogs
Gecko evolution
Off-park biodiversity: How much is preserved in heavily impacted areas?

Teaching

Websites

http://www.jcu.edu.au/school/tropbiol/reptilelab/

Selected Publications

Schwarzkopf, L, Alford, RA (2002) Nomadic movement in tropical toads Oikos 96: 496-506. IF = 2.9

Langkilde, T, Schwarzkopf, L, Alford, RA (2003) An ethogram for the rainbow skink, Carlia jarnoldae.Herpetological Journal 13: 141 – 148. IF = 0.43

Langkilde T, Schwarzkopf L (2003) Observations of mating behaviour and reproduction in a small tropical scincid lizard Carlia jarnoldae. Herpetological Review 34: 325-327.

Caley, MJ, Schwarzkopf, L (2004) Experimental evidence of complex growth rate evolution in a latitudinally widespread species. Evolution 58: 862-869. IF = 3.7

Schwarzkopf, L (2005) Sexual dimorphism in body shape without sexual dimorphism in body size. Herpetologica 61: 116-123. IF = 0.68

Fearn S, Schwarzkopf L, Shine R (2005) Giant snakes in tropical forests: A field study of the Australian scrub python, Morelia kinghorni Wildlife Research 32:1-9. IF = 0.86

Salkeld, DJ, Schwarzkopf, L (2005) Epizootiology of blood parasites in an Australian lizard: a mark - recapture study of a natural population International Journal for Parasitology 35: 11-18. IF = 3.1

Langkilde T, Schwarzkopf L, Alford R (2005) The function of tail displays in male rainbow skinks, Carlia jarnoldae Journal of Herpetology 39: 325-328 IF = 0.65

Langkilde, T., Alford, R. A. and Schwarzkopf, L (2005) No behavioural compensation for fitness costs of autotomy in a lizard. Austral Ecology 30 713-718 IF = 1.3

Alford RA, Schwarzkopf L & Schoener TW (2005) Effects of varanid top predators on skink mesopredators and their prey. ASIH (published conference abstract).

Schwarzkopf L, Alford RA & Schoener TW (2005) The influence of top predators on mesopredator assemblage composition. 5th World Congress of Herpetology, Stellenbosch, South Africa (published conference abstract)

Felton A, Alford RA, Felton AM, Schwarzkopf L (2006) Multiple mate choice criteria and the importance of age for male mating success in the Microhylid frog, Cophixalus ornatus. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 59:786-795 IF = 2.1

Valentine, LE, Roberts, B, Schwarzkopf, L. (2007) Mechanisms driving habitat avoidance of an introduced weed by native lizards.Journal of Applied Ecology 44:228-237. IF = 4.3

Goodman, B. A., Krockenberger, A. K., Schwarzkopf, L. Master of them all: performance specialisation does not result in trade-offs in tropical lizards. Evolutionary Ecology Research (in press)

Valentine, LE, Schwarzkopf, L, Johnson, C, Grice, AC. Burning season has a long term influence on the response of bird assemblages to fire. Biological Conservation (in press)

Sherbrooke, WC, Scardino A, de Nys P, and Schwarzkopf L. Functional morphology of scale hinges used to transport water: convergent drinking adaptations in desert lizards. Zoomorphology (in press)

Schwarzkopf, L., Alford R.A. 2006. Increasing the effectiveness of toad traps: olfactory and acoustic attractants. Molloy, K.L. and Henderson, W.R.(Eds) (2006). Science of Cane Toad Invasion and Control. Proceedings of the Invasive Animals CRC/CSIRO/Qld NRM&W Cane Toad Workshop, June 2006, Brisbane.Invasive Animals CRC, Canberra.

Schwarzkopf, L., Alford, R.A. 2006. Movement and dispersal in established and invading toad populations. Proc. East Kimberley Cane Toad Control Forum, Kununurra, WA.

( http://www.canetoads.com.au/forumprocedespp4.htm )

Bower, DS, Valentine LE, Grice AC, Schwarzkopf L. 2006. Decreasing weed biomass by burning and grazing can adversely affect frogs. Pp. 831 -834. In C. Preston, J.H. Watts, and N.D. Crossman. 15th Australian Weeds Conference Papers and Proceedings: Managing Weeds in a Changing Climate. 24-28 Sept 2006, Weed Management Society of South Australia, Inc. Adelaide, SA.

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