Research
Postdoc research (current) - genomics projects with and for tangata whenua and other communities
Advisors: Nathan Kenny, Alana Alexander, Catherine Collins
Project 1. The genetic differences of kawakawa across Aotearoa - University of Otago - in collaboration with Wakatū Incorporation
Watch this space!
Project 1. The genetic differences of kawakawa across Aotearoa - University of Otago - in collaboration with Wakatū Incorporation
Watch this space!
PhD Research (2016-2022) - The ecology, distribution and population genetics of amphibians on Haida Gwaii - University of British Columbia, Canada
For my PhD, I aimed to improve the understanding of population-level dynamics and provide insights for conservation of amphibians using tools from invasion biology, experimental ecology, population genomics and conservation biology. I focussed on two amphibians of conservation concern in British Columbia (BC), Canada - the Northern Red-legged Frog (Rana aurora; NRLF), introduced to the Haida Gwaii Archipelago but native to southwest BC, and the Western Toad (Anaxyrus boreas boreas, called Hlk’yáan Ḵ’ust’áan in the X̱aad Kíl dialect of the Haida language (X̱aad Kíl Née; Haida Language Council), and Hlk'yan ḵ'uust'an (X̱aayda Kil dialect), native to both areas. I investigated their ecology, population genomics and distribution - with the aim of providing information useful for their conservation.
I modelled the distribution of the NRLF under current and future climate, conducted a mesocosm experiment examining the effect of co-occurrence history and naïveté on competition between the Western Toad and NRLF using populations from Haida Gwaii and southwest BC, and conducted genomic analyses of diversity and divergence of 27 Western Toad (hereafter “toad”) populations on Haida Gwaii and southwest BC.
Together, my research suggests that: 1) the introduced NRLF has spread since its discovery on Haida Gwaii in 2002, and will likely spread further on Haida Gwaii, especially with climate change; 2) Haida Gwaii toad tadpoles are weaker competitors with the introduced NRLF compared to southwest BC toad tadpoles, likely due to their short history of co-occurrence (but it is unknown whether competition with NRLFs affects toad population persistence); and finally, 3) Haida Gwaii toad populations are genetically distinct and less diverse compared to southwest BC toad populations. The observed toad genetic patterns could be due to a historical population bottleneck or founder effect as well as contemporary small effective population size. This thesis provides knowledge that can be used to help conserve amphibians.
I spent 6.5 years tromping through bogs and old-growth forest and swimming across lakes to find toad breeding sites that had never been recorded before, running experiments with thousands of tadpoles and conducting analyses. I designed the project myself, and found funding to continue it beyond the second year. A large part of my PhD was spent building relationships with communities on Haida Gwaii. I worked with the Council of the Haida Nation, provincial and federal agencies - including BC Parks, Parks Canada and the Ministry of Forests, and elementary and high schools in the area. I also involved non-profit organizations and local people - including farmers, to help identify, monitor and protect the toad. I created a community science project to monitor toads and worked with local landowners to conserve toads on their land. I also generated a lot of education resources, which teachers use in schools. Here's more on the community science project + the education resources: https://haidagwaiitoads.weebly.com/
This work was conducted at the University of British Columbia (UBC - Vancouver), and funded by the National Geographic Society, NSERC and the UBC Public Scholar Initiative. I worked with Professor John S. Richardson for the first two research chapters of my PhD and worked with Professor Sally N. Aitken's Conservation Genetics lab for the final chapter of my PhD (my toad genetics chapter). I worked closely on the genetics chapter with Melissa Todd from the BC Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development, as well as Dr. Jared Grummer from the UBC Biodiversity Research Centre, and Professor Richard Hamelin's lab at UBC.
Download thesis here: open.library.ubc.ca/soa/cIRcle/collections/ubctheses/24/items/1.0413035
I modelled the distribution of the NRLF under current and future climate, conducted a mesocosm experiment examining the effect of co-occurrence history and naïveté on competition between the Western Toad and NRLF using populations from Haida Gwaii and southwest BC, and conducted genomic analyses of diversity and divergence of 27 Western Toad (hereafter “toad”) populations on Haida Gwaii and southwest BC.
Together, my research suggests that: 1) the introduced NRLF has spread since its discovery on Haida Gwaii in 2002, and will likely spread further on Haida Gwaii, especially with climate change; 2) Haida Gwaii toad tadpoles are weaker competitors with the introduced NRLF compared to southwest BC toad tadpoles, likely due to their short history of co-occurrence (but it is unknown whether competition with NRLFs affects toad population persistence); and finally, 3) Haida Gwaii toad populations are genetically distinct and less diverse compared to southwest BC toad populations. The observed toad genetic patterns could be due to a historical population bottleneck or founder effect as well as contemporary small effective population size. This thesis provides knowledge that can be used to help conserve amphibians.
I spent 6.5 years tromping through bogs and old-growth forest and swimming across lakes to find toad breeding sites that had never been recorded before, running experiments with thousands of tadpoles and conducting analyses. I designed the project myself, and found funding to continue it beyond the second year. A large part of my PhD was spent building relationships with communities on Haida Gwaii. I worked with the Council of the Haida Nation, provincial and federal agencies - including BC Parks, Parks Canada and the Ministry of Forests, and elementary and high schools in the area. I also involved non-profit organizations and local people - including farmers, to help identify, monitor and protect the toad. I created a community science project to monitor toads and worked with local landowners to conserve toads on their land. I also generated a lot of education resources, which teachers use in schools. Here's more on the community science project + the education resources: https://haidagwaiitoads.weebly.com/
This work was conducted at the University of British Columbia (UBC - Vancouver), and funded by the National Geographic Society, NSERC and the UBC Public Scholar Initiative. I worked with Professor John S. Richardson for the first two research chapters of my PhD and worked with Professor Sally N. Aitken's Conservation Genetics lab for the final chapter of my PhD (my toad genetics chapter). I worked closely on the genetics chapter with Melissa Todd from the BC Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development, as well as Dr. Jared Grummer from the UBC Biodiversity Research Centre, and Professor Richard Hamelin's lab at UBC.
Download thesis here: open.library.ubc.ca/soa/cIRcle/collections/ubctheses/24/items/1.0413035
Centre for Forest Conservation Genetics
PhD Supervisor: Dr. Sally Aitken Forest and Conservation Sciences |
January 2016 - May 2022
|
Honours Research - Detecting marine subsidies in stream communities
Much of New Zealand's inland coastal forests were previously populated by sea bird colonies. During the last century many of these populations have disappeared due to human induced habitat loss. Throughout their existence, these colonies bring a wide range of marine subsidies (nutrient or energy resources transported from one ecosystem to another) to the terrestrial environment from oceans all around the world. However, we still do not understand the role of marine subsidies in terrestrial ecosystems, let alone in freshwater ecosystems. My research used stable isotopes of carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) and trace elements looks at the movement of these marine subsidies from the terrestrial environment to freshwater ecosystems. I investigated streams surrounded by current and extinct sea bird colonies in order to follow the marine subsidies they bring, from the soil to the riparian plants and up the freshwater food web. Understanding how these subsidies move between the terrestrial-freshwater interface could guide restoration management in areas with an extinct marine nutrient source. Ultimately, I want to understand the role these subsidies play in controlling freshwater ecosystems functions such as productivity and decomposition. But that is a question for a much larger study!
Publications (download): Gamlen-Greene et al (2018) and Hawke et al (2017)
Freshwater Ecology Research Group (FERG),
School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, New Zealand FERG website: http://www.biol.canterbury.ac.nz/ferg/ |
Supervisors: Dr. David Hawke (Ara Institute)
Professor Jon S. Harding (UC) Jan 2014-Nov 2014 |
Contracted researcher at NIWA - investigating the decline of the subantarctic sea lion
Research experience at NIWA (National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research) as a contracted researcher investigating the decline of the subantarctic sea lion using stable isotope analysis of seal teeth to infer temporal diet changes (stable isotope lab work and statistics in R).
Collaborators: Dr. Brittany Graham and Dr. Jim Roberts – December 2014 - April 2015
Modelling the distribution of an invasive freshwater snail
Research experience at the University of Canterbury managing a project on modelling the distribution of an invasive freshwater snail and its coevolution with a parasite (involved field, lab work and statistics in R).
Advisors: Dr. William Godsoe and Professor Angus McIntosh - 2012 (5 months)
Plant-pathogen interactions and earthquakes
Research experience at the University of Canterbury on a project investigating how plant-pathogen interactions are affected by earthquakes (field, lab work and statistics in R).
Publication: Gamlen-Greene, R. Clemens, J. Morgenroth, J. Lechner, M. Godsoe, W. (2014) "When belowground rumbles: a plant’s interactions with antagonists are robust to earthquake- induced shifts in the below-ground environment." New Zealand Journal of Ecology 38.1
Publication: Gamlen-Greene, R. Clemens, J. Morgenroth, J. Lechner, M. Godsoe, W. (2014) "When belowground rumbles: a plant’s interactions with antagonists are robust to earthquake- induced shifts in the below-ground environment." New Zealand Journal of Ecology 38.1
Advisor: Dr. William Godsoe – 2011 (2 years)
Biodiversity survey
Research experience with a project at Lincoln University monitoring terrestrial invertebrates, bats and lizards (field and lab work).
Funding from: One of three National Bayerboost Environmental Science Scholarships awarded nationally to carry out research at Lincoln University over the summer holidays after finishing secondary school
Publication: Bowie et al 2011
Funding from: One of three National Bayerboost Environmental Science Scholarships awarded nationally to carry out research at Lincoln University over the summer holidays after finishing secondary school
Publication: Bowie et al 2011
Advisor: Mike Bowie – 2010 (3 months)
All images copyrighted, 2016. Please contact R. Gamlen-Greene for permission to use.