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Dr Kirsten Parris
Senior Research Fellow
Location
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Botany Building (ground floor, south end) |
| Phone |
+61 3 9035 8090 |
| Fax |
+61 3 9348 1620 |
| Email |
k.parris@unimelb.edu.au |
I completed a PhD in ecology at The Australian National University in 1999. During my PhD, I assessed the distribution, habitat requirements and conservation status of the cascade tree frog Litoria pearsoniana, the great barred frog Mixophyes fasciolatus and associated stream-breeding frogs. The project included six months of field work in the sub-tropical forests of Queensland and New South Wales. In 2000, I shifted the focus of my research from forests to urban habitats, with a postdoctoral position at the Australian Research Centre for Urban Ecology, a division of the Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne. This was followed by an ARC Postdoctoral Fellowship at the School of Botany, University of Melbourne and a lecturing position at the School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University. I started my current position in February 2007.
My research interests include the ecology and conservation biology of amphibians; the ecology of urban systems; bio-acoustics and animal communication; field survey methods; ecological ethics; and macroecology.
I am a keen science communicator, and particularly enjoy sharing stories about ecology and conservation in urban habitats.
Recent media stories
Birds raise their voice over noisy traffic; The Science Show, ABC Radio National, April 17, 2010
http://www.abc.net.au/rn/scienceshow/stories/2010/2875169.htm
Aussie frogs try new pickup line; All Things Considered, National Public Radio (USA), October 11, 2009
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113717563
Birds raise pitch to beat traffic noise; The Age, October 28, 2009
http://www.theage.com.au/national/birds-raise-pitch-to-beat-traffic-noise-20091027-hj1t.html
Current Research
My current research projects include:
- Effects of traffic noise on acoustic communication in birds and frogs
- Guidelines for strategic impact assessments under the EPBC Act
- The value and impact of ecological field research, including impacts of marking methods on vertebrates
- Ecology and conservation of the growling grass frog Litoria raniformis on Melbourne's urban fringe
- Experimental translocation of tadpoles for conservation of frogs in urban habitats http://zoos.org.au/Conservation/Research/Reintroduction/Urban_frog_translocation
- Robust replication of field surveys in the presence of uncertainty
- Macroecology of frogs in eastern Australia
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My Research Group
Stefano Canessa Masters student (based at The University of Melbourne): Effects of urbanisation on frog communities in Melbourne streams
Josh Hale
PhD student (based at Museum Victoria and The University of Melbourne):
Human-induced changes in the genetic structure of amphibian populations
http://researchdata.museum.vic.gov.au/herpetology/JoshHale.htm
Geoff Heard Postdoctoral Fellow: Optimal monitoring and management of the growling grass frog Litoria raniformis on Melbourne's urban fringe
Sacha Jellinek PhD student (based at the University of Melbourne): Is habitat restoration working? The value of landscape linkages for wildlife http://www.littledesertlodge.com.au/?id=sachasprjoect
Claire Keely PhD student (based at The University of Melbourne): Conservation genetics of the growling grass frog Litoria raniformis in an urban landscape
Dominique Potvin PhD student (based at The University of Melbourne): Effects of urban noise on song learning, development and evolution in the silvereye Zosterops lateralishttp://www.zoology.unimelb.edu.au/staff2/profile,student,d.potvin.html
Katie Smith
PhD student (based at Museum Victoria and The University of Melbourne):
Historical change in a hybrid zone: Evolution of the Hylid frogs, Litoria ewingii and L. paraewingii
http://researchdata.museum.vic.gov.au/herpetology/KSmithPhD.html
See Episode 5 of "Access All Areas" to learn more about Josh and Katie's research
http://museumvictoria.com.au/accessallareas/podcastadventures/?tag=/amphibians
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Major Grants
2010-2013 ARC Linkage Grant, in collaboration with Dr Jane Melville, Dr Jeremy Austin and Dr Murray Littlejohn; The impact of severe bushfires on the ecology, demography and genetics of frogs in the Victorian Kinglake region: $210,000
2009-2012 ARC Linkage Grant, in collaboration with Dr Michael McCarthy, Dr Andrew Hamer and Dr Jane Melville; Optimal management of threatened amphibian metapopulations in urbanising landscapes: $340,000
2006 - 2008
ARC Linkage Grant, in collaboration with Dr Josh Van Buskirk, Dr Jane Melville, Dr Jeremy Austin and Dr Murray Littlejohn: $221,000
2003 - 2005
ARC Discovery Grant, including an ARC Postdoctoral Fellowship (APD): $240,500
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Publications
Refereed papers and book chapters
Hamer, A.J. and Parris, K.M. (in press) Local and landscape determinants of amphibian communities in urban ponds. Ecological Applications.
Parris, K.M., McCall, S.C., McCarthy, M.A., Minteer, B.A., Steele, K., Bekessy, S. and Medvecky, F. (2010) Assessing ethical trade-offs in ecological field studies. Journal of Applied Ecology 47: 227-234.
Parris, K.M., Velik-Lord, M. and North, J.M.A. (2009) Frogs call at a higher pitch in traffic noise. Ecology and Society 14 (1): 25 http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol14/iss1/art25/
Parris, K.M. and Schneider, A. (2009) Impacts of traffic noise and traffic volume on birds in roadside habitats. Ecology and Society14 (1): 29 http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol14/iss1/art29/
Parris, K. M.
(2009) Towards a comparative ecology of cities and towns. Pp. 567-573 in M. J.
McDonnell, A. J. Hahs and J. Brueste (eds) Ecology of Cities and Towns: A
Comparative Approach. (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge).
McCarthy, M.A., Weller, W.F. and Parris, K.M. (2009) Effects of toe clipping on survival, recapture and return rates of Jefferson Salamanders (Ambystoma jeffersoniaum) in Ontario, Canada. Journal of Herpetology 43: 394-401.
Parris, K.M. and McCarthy, M.A. (2008). Toe clipping of anurans for mark-recapture studies: acceptable if justified. Herpetological Review 39: 148-149.
McCarthy, M. A. and Parris, K. M. (2008) Optimal marking of threatened species to balance benefits of information with impacts of marking. Conservation Biology 22: 1506-1512.
Parris, K. M. (2006) Urban amphibian assemblages as metacommunities. Journal of Animal Ecology 75: 757-764.
Parris, K. M. and Hazell, D. L. (2005) Biotic effects of climate change in urban environments: the case of the grey-headed flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus) in Melbourne, Australia. Biological Conservation 124: 267-276.
McCarthy, M. A. and Parris, K. M. (2004). Clarifying the effect of toe clipping on frogs with Bayesian statistics. Journal of Applied Ecology 41: 780-786.
Wintle, B. A., McCarthy, M. A., Parris, K. M. and Burgman, M. A. (2004). Precision and bias of methods for estimating point survey detection probabilities. Ecological Applications 14: 703-712.
Parris, K. M. (2004). Environmental and spatial variables influence the composition of frog assemblages in sub-tropical eastern Australia. Ecography 27: 392-400.
Parris, K. M. and Lindenmayer, D. B. (2004). Evidence that creation of a Pinus radiata plantation in south-eastern Australia has reduced habitat for frogs. Acta Oecologica 25: 93-101.
McCarthy, M. A., Parris, K. M.,
van der Ree, R., McDonnell, M. J., Burgman, M.A., Williams, N. S. G.,
McLean, N., Harper, M. J., Meyer, R., Hahs, A. and Coates, T. (2004).
The habitat hectares approach to vegetation assessment: an evaluation
and suggestions for improvement. Ecological Management and Restoration 5: 24-27.
Tyre, A. J., Tenhumberg, B., Field, S. A., Niejalke, D., Parris, K.
and Possingham, H. P. (2003). Estimating false negative error rates for
presence/absence data: Improving precision and reducing bias in
biological surveys. Ecological Applications 13: 1790-1801.
Parris, K. M.
(2002). More bang for your buck: The effect of caller position, habitat
and chorus noise on the efficiency of calling in the spring peeper. Ecological Modelling 156: 213-224.
Parris, K. M. (2002). The distribution and habitat requirements of the great barred frog Mixophyes fasciolatus. Wildlife Research 29: 469-474.
Parris, K. M.
(2002). Assessment of amphibian diversity in the Blackall and Conondale
Ranges, south-east Queensland. In A. E. O. Natrass (ed.) Frogs in The
Community. Proceedings of the Brisbane Symposium, 13-14 February
1999. pp. 65-75. (Queensland Frog Society Inc., East Brisbane).
Parris, K. M. and McCarthy, M. A. (2001). Identifying effects of toe clipping on anuran return rates: the importance of statistical power. Amphibia-Reptilia 22: 275-289.
Parris, K. M. (2001). Distribution, habitat requirements and conservation of the cascade treefrog (Litoria pearsoniana, Anura: Hylidae). Biological Conservation 99: 285-292.
Williams, N. S. G., Leary, E. J., Parris, K. M. and McDonnell, M. J. (2001). The potential impact of freeways on native grassland. Victorian Naturalist 188: 4-15.
Lindenmayer, D. B., McCarthy, M. A., Parris, K. M. and Pope, M. L (2000). Habitat fragmentation, landscape context, and mammalian assemblages in southeastern Australia. Journal of Mammalogy 81: 787-797.
Parris, K. M. (1999). Review: Amphibian surveys in forests and woodlands. Contemporary Herpetology 1999(1). http://www.cnah.org/ch/
Parris, K. M. and McCarthy, M. A. (1999). What influences the structure of frog assemblages at forest streams? Australian Journal of Ecology 24: 495-502.
Parris, K. M.,
Norton, T. W. and Cunningham, R. B. (1999). A comparison of techniques
for sampling amphibians in the forests of south-east Queensland,
Australia. Herpetologica 55: 271-283.
McGuigan, K., McDonald, K., Parris, K., and Moritz, C. (1998). Mitochondrial DNA diversity and historical biogeography of a wet forest-restricted frog (Litoria pearsoniana) from mid-east Australia. Molecular Ecology 7: 175-186.
Parris, K. M. and Norton, T. W. (1997). The significance of State Forests for conservation of Litoria pearsoniana (Copland) and associated amphibians. In
P. Hale and D. Lamb (eds), Conservation Outside Nature Reserves. pp.
521-526. (Centre for Conservation Biology, University of Queensland).
Parris, K. M., Drinnan, A. N. and Cantrill, D. J. (1995). Palissya cones from the Mesozoic of Australia and New Zealand. Alcheringa 19: 87-111.
Popular articles
Parris, K. M. (2009). What are strategic impact assessments? Decision Point 32: 4-6. http://www.aeda.edu.au/docs/Newsletters/DPoint_32.pdf
Parris, K. M. (2006). City slickers. Wildlife Australia Winter 2006: 20-23.
Invited Presentations
Parris, K. M. (2009). Conserving frogs in urban habitats. Vice-Chancellor’s Knowledge Transfer Awards, The University of Melbourne.
Parris, K. M. (2007). Effects of traffic noise on the acoustic communication and
population ecology of birds and frogs. World Congress of Landscape
Ecology, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
McDonnell, M. J. and Parris, K. M.
(2004) Attraction of native wildlife to urban areas, conflict with
humans, and implications for conservation. Society for Conservation
Biology, New York.
Parris, K. M.
(2003). Contemporary issues in international urban wildlife management.
Third International Wildlife Management Congress, Christchurch, New
Zealand.
Parris, K. M.
(2003). Conference summary: Towards a comparative ecology of cities and
towns. Melbourne Urban Ecology Workshop: Comparative Ecology of Cities
and Towns, Melbourne.
Press Releases
Frog sex in the city (September 2004)
Melbourne, the most livable city… for bats (May 2005)
Save the Frogs Day 2009 (April 2009)
Mating Calls of Urban frogs drowned out by noisy traffic in conjunction with the 10th International Congress of Ecology (INTECOL), Brisbane (August 2009)
Birds
have to change their tune or get out of town (October 2009)
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