Dr. Joanna Sumner

RESEARCH INTERESTS

I have been involved in the fields of molecular ecology, phylogenetics and conservation biology for 12 years, first during my honours year when I studied morphological and allozyme electrophoretic differences between two species of Antechinus in south-east Australia with Prof. Chris Dickman. My PhD research involved surveys for reptiles and frogs in fragmented and continuous rainforest sites on the Atherton Tableland in the Wet Tropics of Australia under the supervision of Prof. Craig Moritz. Research concentrated on molecular ecology and genetic diversity of Gnypetoscincus queenslandiae, a rainforest endemic skink. I determined that there were changes in skink morphology in response to habitat fragmentation and a mark-recapture program was used to assess density, dispersal and neighbourhood size in G. queenslandiae. Laboratory-based research included the development of 10 variable microsatellite DNA markers and screening of over 400 individuals. I was then able to generate molecular estimates of density, dispersal, and neighbourhood size to compare to the demographic estimates. These two sets of data were highly concordant and indicated an extremely small genetic neighbourhood size for this species. Additional molecular research revealed male-biased dispersal in prickly forest skinks and deferred juvenile dispersal. In my research on the effect of habitat fragmentation on genetic diversity in G. queenslandiae I found a decrease in average allele number in fragments and a breakdown in isolation by distance patterns in fragments. Although the changes were small, all were in the direction predicted by the theory of genetic erosion in recently fragmented populations. I have a strong commitment to the application of conservation principles and have undertaken contracts with the World Wide Fund for Nature helping set up a sustainable forestry cooperative in Indonesia and creating research priorities and projects for marine turtle conservation in Papua.

My current research in A/Prof. Scott Keogh's lab involves using a model system in south-eastern Australia (the Eulamprus quoyii group of water skinks) to address questions concerning how the history of the Great Dividing Range has shaped the evolutionary history of animals. South eastern Australia is a biologically diverse, yet under studied area of Australia. Geological events such as the uprising of the Great Dividing Range, and climatic events such as ice ages have shaped the current distribution of species. I am using phylogenetic methods to test paleogeographic theories on these events using water skinks, a diverse group of lizards of conservation interest, as a model system. Knowledge of the number and distribution of species is vital for conservation - you must know what you have before you can conserve it. My study will clarify the number and distribution of species in this group and determine comparative dispersal ability in relation to habitat area.

Other ongoing projects include the population biology and molecular ecology of the endangered broad-headed snake and research on threatened species legislation among state and Commonwealth jurisdictions.

QUALIFICATIONS

• 2002 PhD University of Queensland, Australia. Thesis entitled: "Ecology and genetic diversity of the prickly forest skink (Gnypetoscincus queenslandiae) in a fragmented habitat."
  1995 - 2001 PhD candidate, University of Queensland
• 1993 B.Sc. 1st Class Hons University of Sydney, Australia. Thesis entitled: "Distribution and identity of species in the Antechinus stuartii - A. flavipes group (Marsupialia: Dasyuridae) in south-eastern Australia".
• 1990 - 1992 B.Sc. University of Sydney, Australia (Terrestrial Ecology and Genetics).

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

• January 2006 - Present. Australian Research Council Postdoctoral Fellow, ANU.
• March 2005 - Dec 2006: Honorary Fellow, University of Wollongong. Worked with Prof. Rob Whelan, researching differences in threatened species legislation among state and Commonwealth jurisdictions, and assessing the science behind the decision making process.
• Oct 2002 - February 2005: Part-time Research associate for the Center for Reproduction of Endangered Species, Zoological Society of San Diego. Komodo Dragon Project, Indonesia. Responsible for data base creation, data analysis, and preparation of publications.
• Dec 2004 - January 2005: Consultant for WWF - Indonesia, Marine Turtle Research.
• Aug 2004 - September 2004: Consultant for WWF - Forests for Life, Asia Pacific Programme.
• Nov 2002 - January 2003: Consultant for WWF - Forests for Life, Asia Pacific Programme.
• Feb 2002 - Apr 2002: Senior tutor / Laboratory coordinator. 1st level Evolution and Ecology, University of Queensland, Australia.
• Jan 1999 - Jun 1999: Research Assistant for Dr Nancy FitzSimmons in a study of mating systems and paternity in the Pig-nosed turtle (Carettochelys insculpta). University of Queensland / University of Canberra, Australia.
• Jul 1995 - Aug 2001: PhD. candidate, University of Queensland. This research involved surveys for reptiles and frogs in fragmented and continuous rainforest sites on the Atherton Tableland in the Wet Tropics of Australia. Research concentrated on molecular ecology and genetic diversity of Gnypetoscincus queenslandiae, a rainforest endemic skink. Research determined that there were changes in skink morphology in response to habitat fragmentation and a mark-recapture program was used to assess density, dispersal and neighbourhood size in G. queenslandiae. Laboratory-based research included DNA fingerprinting over 400 skinks. Analysis of this data showed preliminary changes in genetic diversity with habitat fragmentation.
• Jul 1995 - Dec 1999: Casual tutor for biology and veterinary science undergraduates, years I - III at the University of Queensland and the University of Sydney. Courses included: Evolution and Ecology III, Rainforest Ecology Field Course III, Conservation Biology III, Genetics II, Genetics I, Biology I.
• Dec 1993 - Apr 1995: Research assistant for Prof. Richard Shine, University of Sydney, Australia. Working on various projects in a reptile evolution lab as well as general laboratory maintenance and administrative tasks. My work included husbandry of up to 300 lizards of various species, care of incubating eggs, running performance tests of adult and hatchling lizards, data entry, analysis of results and building out-door lizard enclosures. Field work included surveying for an endangered elapid snake species, the Broad-headed snake, Hoplocephalus bungaroides.
  

AWARDS, SCHOLARSHIPS AND FELLOWSHIPS

• 2006-2008: Australian Research Council Postdoctoral Fellowship (with grant), ANU, $316,000
• 2002: Dean's Award for Outstanding PhD Thesis, University of Queensland
• 1999: Rainforest CRC Research Support Scheme, UQ $7400
• 1999: University of Queensland Postgraduate Travel Grant $5000
• 1996-1999: Dept. of Zoology, UQ postgraduate conference grants $300 each year
• 1996: Student Travel Award: Australian Society of Herpetologists, UQ $200
• 1995-1998: Australian Postgraduate Award to undertake PhD research
  

RESEARCH PUBLICATIONS

14. Jessop, T. S. Madsen, T. Sumner, J. Rudiharto, H. Phillips, J.A., Ciofi, C. (2006) Maximum body size among insular Komodo dragon populations covaries with large prey density. Oikos 112: 422-429. Download PDF.

13. Sumner, J. (2006) Higher relatedness within groups due to deferred natal dispersal in a rainforest skink, Gnypetoscincus queenslandiae. Austral Ecology 31: 441-448. Download. PDF.

12. Sumner, J. (2005) Decreased relatedness between male prickly forest skinks (Gnypetoscincus queenslandiae) in habitat fragments. Conservation Genetics 6:333-340. Download PDF.

11. Sumner, J. (2004) Notes on reproduction in the prickly forest skink, Gnypetoscincus queenslandiae. Memoirs of the Queensland Museum 49:732.

10. Sumner, J., T. Jessop, D. Paetkau, C. Moritz. (2004). The effect of anthropogenic habitat fragmentation on molecular diversity in a rainforest endemic skink, Gnypetoscincus queenslandiae. Molecular Ecology. 13:259-269. Download PDF.

9. Jessop, T., Sumner, J., Lance, V., and Limpus, C. (2004) Reproduction in shark attacked sea turtles is supported by stress reduction mechanisms. Proceeding of the Royal Society of London B (supp - Biology Letters): 271: S91-S94. Download PDF.

8. Jessop, T. S. Sumner, J., Limpus, C. J. Whittier, J. M. (2004) Interplay between sex, body condition and plasma hormone profiles in juvenile Hawksbill turtles subjected to a capture stress protocol. Journal of Comparative Physiology and Biochemistry A. 137:197-204.

7. Jessop, T., Sumner, J., Rudiharto, H., Purwandana, D., Imansyah. M.J., and Phillips, J. A. (2004) Distribution, use and selection of nest type by Komodo Dragons. Biological Conservation. 117: 463-470. Download PDF.

6. Crowther, M.S., Sumner, J. & Dickman, C.R. (2003). Speciation of Antechinus stuartii and A. subtropicus (Marsupialia: Dasyuridae) in eastern Australia: molecular and morphological evidence. Austalian Journal of Zoology 51:443 - 462. Download PDF.

5. Sumner, J. (2002) Morphometric and reproductive notes on the rare wet tropics skink, Glaphyromorphous mjobergi. Memoirs of the Queensland Museum 48:146.

4. Sumner, J., Rousset, F., Estoup, A. and Moritz, C. (2001). "Neighbourhood size", dispersal and density estimates in the prickly forest skink (Gnypetoscincus queenslandiae) using individual genetic and demographic methods. Molecular Ecology 10:1917 - 1927. Download PDF.

3. Sumner, J., Moritz, C. and Shine, R. (1999). Shrinking forest shrinks skink: morphological change in response to rainforest fragmentation in the prickly forest skink (Gnypetoscincus queenslandiae). Biological Conservation 91:159-167. Download PDF.

2. Sumner, J. and Dickman, C. (1998). Distribution and identity of species in the Antechinus stuartii - A. flavipes group (Marsupialia : Dasyuridae) in south-eastern Australia. Australian Journal of Zoology 46:27-41. Download PDF.

1. Shine, R., Webb, J.K., Fitzgerald, M. and Sumner, J. (1998). The impact of bush-rock removal on an endangered snake species Hoplocephalus bungaroides (Serpentes: Elapidae). Wildlife Research 25:285-295. Download PDF.

Last updated 1 April 2007.