Papers and presentations
Scientific papers authored by and conference presentations made by Conservation Ecology Centre researchers (in bold), by financial year.
2023/2024
Scientific papers
Menon, V., McGregor, H., Giljohann, K., Pascoe, J.H., Le Pla, M. et al. Ecological factors influencing invasive predator survival and movement: insights from a continental-scale study of feral cats in Australia. Biol Invasions (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-024-03254-0
Rees, M.W., Wintle, B.A., Pascoe, J.H., Le Pla, M., Birnbaum, E.K. and Hradsky, B.A. (2023), Dynamic shifts in predator diel activity patterns across landscapes and threat levels. Oikos e09849. https://doi.org/10.1111/oik.09849
Rees, M.W., Wintle, B.A., Robley, A., Pascoe, J.H., Le Pla, M., Birnbaum, E.K. & Hradsky, B.A. Fox control and fire influence the occurrence of invasive predators and threatened native prey. Biol Invasions (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-023-03200-6
Le Pla, M., Hradsky, B.A., Di Stafano, J., Farley-Lehmer, T.C., Birnbaum, E.K. and Pascoe, J.H. (2023). Movement and ranging behaviour of long-nosed potoroos (Potorous tridactylus) in south-west Victoria, Australia. Wildlife Research – https://doi.org/10.1071/WR23013
2022/2023
Scientific papers
Rawluk, A., Neale, T., Smith, W., Doherty, T., Ritchie, E., Pascoe, J., Murray, M., Carter, R., Bourke, M., Falconer, S., Nimmo, D., Price, J., White, M., Bates, P., Wong, N., Nelson, T., Atkinson, A., & Webster, D. (2023). Tomorrow’s Country: Practice-oriented principles for Indigenous cultural fire research in south-east Australia. Geographical Research, 1– 16. https://doi.org/10.1111/1745-5871.12596
Rees, M. W., Pascoe, J. H., Le Pla, M., Robley, A., Birnbaum, E. K., Wintle, B. A., & Hradsky, B. A. (2023). Mesopredator release among invasive predators: Controlling red foxes can increase feral cat density and alter their behaviour. Journal of Applied Ecology, 00, 1– 15. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.14402
Blyton, M., Brice, K., Heller-Uszynska, K., Pascoe, J., Jaccoud, D., Leigh, K., & Moore, B. (2023). A new genetic method for diet determination from faeces that provides species level resolution in the koala. 10.1101/2023.02.12.528172.
Conference presentations
Farley-Lehmer, T. Striking a Balance Between Conservation and Bushfire Risk ina Flammable System. Ecological Society of Australia Conference 2022; Otways Ecological Research Forum 2022; Victorian Biodiversity Conference 2023.
Le Pla, M. David vs Goliath – Describing the response of predators and prey to fire in a biodiverse heathland. Ecological Society of Australia Conference 2022 (Winner of the Society for Conservation Biology Prize for a spoken paper on conservation by a student.)
Le Pla, M. Describing the response of predators and prey to fire in the Carlisle Heath. Otways Ecological Research Forum 2022.
Paccoe, J.H., Le Pla, M., Farley-Lehmer, T. and Birnbaum, E Weeyn (Fire) in Gadabanut Meereng (Country) Ecological Society of Australia Conference 2022
Templeton, J. The contemporary and pre-colonial distribution, community ecology and soil condition of murnong (Microseris sp.) across Eastern Maar country. Victorian Biodiversity Conference 2023.
2021/2022
Scientific papers
Le Pla, M., Birnbaum, E., & Rees, M., Hradsky, B., Weeks, A., Rooyen, A., & Pascoe, J. (2022). Genetic sampling and an activity index indicate contrasting outcomes of lethal control for an invasive predator. Austral Ecology. 47. 10.1111/aec.13182.
Rutter, N., Stukas, A., & Howell, T., Pascoe, J. & Bennett, P. (2022). Improving access to conservation detection dogs: identifying motivations and understanding satisfaction in volunteer handlers. Wildlife Research 49(7) 624-636 10.1071/WR21113.
Conference presentations
Farley-Lehmer, T. Striking a Balance Between Conservation and Bushfire Risk. South-West Biodiversity Forum 2021
Farley-Lehmer, T. Managing both Fuel Hazard Reduction and Conservation in a Flammable System. OTSRN Forum 2021
Le Pla, M. How do Long-nosed Potorros respond to fire? South-West Biodiversity Forum 2021
Le Pla, M. How do Long-nosed Potorros respond to fire in the Carlisle Heath? OTSRN Forum 2021
Le Pla, M & Birnbaum, E. Effect of Fire on the Carlisle Small Mammal Community. OTSRN Forum 2021
Pascoe, J.H. Plenary. Victorian Biodiversity Conference 2022.
Wilson, T & Pascoe, J.H. The Emerging Threat of Feral Pigs in the Otways. OSTRN Forum 2021
2020/2021
Scientific papers
Rutter, N.J., Howell, T., Stukas, A., Pascoe, J. & Bennett P.C. (2021). Diving in Nose First: The Influence of Unfamiliar Search Scale and Environmental Context on the Search Performance of Volunteer Conservation Detection Dog–Handler Teams. Animals 11(4):1177 10.3390/ani11041177
Rutter, N.J., Howell, T., Stukas, A., Pascoe, J. & Bennett P.C. (2021). Can volunteers train their pet dogs to detect a novel odor in a controlled environment in under 12 weeks? Journal of Veterinary Behavior Clinical Applications and Research 43 10.1016/j.jveb.2020.09.004
Swan, M., Le Pla, M., Di Stefano, J., Pascoe, J. & Penman, T.D. (2021). Species distribution models for conservation planning in fire‐prone landscapes. Biodiversity and Conservation 30(3):1-18 10.1007/s10531-021-02136-4
Rutter, N.J., Mynott, J.H., Howell, T., Stukas, A., Pascoe, J., Bennett P.C. & Murphy N.P. (2021). Buzzing with possibilities: Training and olfactory generalization in conservation detection dogs for an endangered stonefly species. Aquatic Conservation Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems 31(96) 10.1002/aqc.3531
Conference presentations
Le Pla, M. Pieces of the puzzle: Insights into fox control in the Otway Ranges using non-invasive genetic sampling. 18th Australasian Vertebrate Pest Conference, May 2021
2019/2020
Scientific papers
Rees, M.W., Pascoe, J.H., Wintle, B., Le Pla, M., Birnbaum, E. and Hradsky, B. (2019). Unexpectedly high densities of feral cats in a rugged temperate forest. Biological Conservation vol. 239.
Blyton, M.D.J., Soo, R., Whisson, D., Marsh, K., Pascoe, J.H., Le Pla, M., Foley, W., Hugenholtz, P. and Moore, B. (2019). Faecal inoculations alter the gastrointestinal microbiome and allow dietary expansion in a wild specialist herbivore, the koala. Animal Microbiome 1(6).
Conference presentations
Birnbaum E.K, Expanding the Otway Ark – a local fox-control program that has gone cross tenure, Private Land Conservation Conference 2019 & South-West Biodiversity Forum 2019
Birnbaum, E.K. The Next Big Threat- tackling the feral pig problem”, OTSRN Forum 2019 & South-West Biodiversity Forum 2019.
Le Pla, M. Evaluating Efficacy: Non-invasive genetic sampling in the Otway Ranges, Ecological Society of Australia 2019 & OTSRN Forum 2019
Le Pla, M, Long-term monitoring of Leafy Greenhoods reveals a population of national significance on Cape Otway, South West Biodiversity Forum 2019
Pascoe, J.H. Ecologists and practitioners collaborating to set research priorities for threatened species conservation in the Otways, Ecological Society of Australia Conference 2019 & South-West Biodiversity Forum 2019.
2018/2019
Scientific papers
Rees, M.W., Pascoe, J.H., Wintle, B., Le Pla, M., Birnbaum, E. and Hradsky, B. (2019). Unexpectedly high densities of feral cats in a rugged temperate forest. Biological Conservation vol. 239. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2019.108287
Blyton, M.D.J., Soo, R., Whisson, D., Marsh, K., Pascoe, J.H., Le Pla, M., Foley, W., Hugenholtz, P. and Moore, B. (2019). Faecal inoculations alter the gastrointestinal microbiome and allow dietary expansion in a wild specialist herbivore, the koala. Animal Microbiome 1(6).
Pascoe, J.H., Flesh, J.S., Duncan, M., Le Pla. M. and Mulley., R.C. (2019). Territoriality and Seasonality in the home range of adult male free-ranging lace monitors (Varanus varius) in South-eastern Australia. Herpetological Conservation and Biology 14(1):97-104
Conference presentations
Pascoe J.H. The Otway Threatened Species Forum, South-West Biodiversity Forum 2019.
Pascoe, J.H. Ecologists and practitioners collaborating to set research priorities for threatened species conservation in the Otways, Ecological Society of Australia Conference 2019.
Le Pla, M. Long-term Monitoring of Leafy Greenhoods reveals a population of national significance on Cape Otway, South-West Biodiversity Forum 2019.
Le Pla, M. Evaluating the impact of fox control in the Otway Ranges, Geelong Field Naturalists Club 2019.
Le Pla, M. Evaluating Efficacy: Noninvasive genetic sampling in the Otway Ranges, Ecological Society of Australia 2019, Federation, University Seminar Series 2019, VicBioCon 2019, OTSRN Forum 2019.
Birnbaum, E.K. Expanding the Otway Ark- A cross tenure fox control program. Private Land Conservation Conference 2019, OTSRN Forum 2019, South-West Biodiversity Forum 2019.
Birnbaum, E.K. The Next Big Threat tackling the feral pig problem”, OTSRN Forum 2019 South-West Biodiversity Forum 2019