Dr Linda Neaves

My research interests include:

• The application of genomic tools to inform wildlife conservation and management.
• Molecular ecology, evolution and conservation genetics of terrestrial plants and animals, including dispersal, phylogeography, population structure, gene flow and hybridisation and impacts of habitat fragmentation
• Trophic interactions between species (the food web) and how changes in one species may impact on the survival of another.
• Enhancing the integration of genetic information and genetic tools into conservation and management programs and policy.

My PhD research focused on the population genetic of the western grey kangaroo, and potential hybridisation with eastern grey kangaroos. Since this time I have been involved with several population and conservation genetics projects in both animals and plants. I am also very interested enhancing the use of genetic information in conservation and management policy and practice, both through targeted research and the use of general principles where such data is absent.

I am currently a joint postdoctoral fellow with the ACWG and the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. This position allows me to collaborate on a diverse range of research and applied genetics/genomics projects. Some of the work I am involved with includes the koala genome project, several projects providing data to inform captive breeding and population management, phylogeny and species identification in flying foxes and population/conservation genetics of macropods. I am also currently researching species interactions/dependencies, focussing on using genomic methods to investigate the diet of large herbivores, in particular Giant Panda, and the potential impacts of climate change on these species through the species they consume.

Qualifications:

PhD 2007 Macquarie University

BSc (1st class Hons) 2003 Macquarie University