Thomas Prowse

Dr Thomas Prowse

Grant-Funded Researcher (B)

School of Biological Sciences

Faculty of Sciences, Engineering and Technology

Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD - email supervisor to discuss availability.


I am a quantitative ecologist and modeller with a focus on the population biology of native and invasive wildlife. My research investigates the processes influencing wild populations including survival, reproduction, dispersal, genetics, disease, harvesting, natural environmental variation and climate change. I use a mixture of field studies (e.g., capture-mark-recapture monitoring, animal tracking through GPS and PIT technology, eDNA-based diet analysis) and models to address applied questions in conservation biology and wildlife management.

I am a quantitative ecologist and modeller with a focus on the population biology of native and invasive wildlife. My research investigates the processes influencing wild populations including survival, reproduction, dispersal, genetics, disease, harvesting, natural environmental variation and climate change. I use a mixture of field studies (e.g., capture-mark-recapture monitoring, animal tracking through GPS and PIT technology, eDNA-based diet analysis) and models to address applied questions in conservation biology and wildlife management.

Some current projects include:

  • GPS tracking and population modelling of migratory and resident waterbirds
  • Identifying drivers of woodland bird declines in the Mount Lofty Ranges
  • Multi-strain modelling of rabbit haemorrhagic disease (RHD) dynamics
  • Spatial optimisation of control strategies for feral cats
  • Genetic bioncontrols (gene drives) for controlling invasive species populations
  • Molecular surveillance of marine pest species
  • Population monitoring through genetics (e.g., effective population size)
  • Current Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)

    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2024 Co-Supervisor Ecology of Australian Sheep Blowfly, Lucilia cuprina; Knowledge to enhance eradication efforts on Kangaroo Island Master of Philosophy Master Full Time Miss Casey Rose Gove
    2023 Principal Supervisor Population viability and behavioural ecology of the Critically Endangered Southern Bent-wing Bat. Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Nicola Bail
    2023 Co-Supervisor valuing stacked ecosystem services Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Mimi Salminah
    2021 Co-Supervisor Drivers of the live pet trade in Australian reptiles Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Sebastian Chekunov
    2020 Principal Supervisor Optimising fire and herbivore management for biodiversity conservation in temperate woodlands Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Ms Johanna Grace Kuhne
    2019 Principal Supervisor Monitoring methods, ecology and activity of the cave roosting Southern Bent-wing Bat. Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Ms Amanda Bush
  • Past Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)

    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2016 - 2018 Co-Supervisor Disease ecology of low pathogenic avian influenza in the Australian environment Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Dr Antonia Eleanor Dalziel
    2015 - 2019 Co-Supervisor Integrated analysis of the movement and ecology of wild dingoes in the arid zone Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Jack Tatler
    2013 - 2021 Principal Supervisor Setting up camp in Adelaide: Ecological Insights into the Range Expanding Grey-Headed Flying Fox (Pteropus poliocephalus) Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time APrf Wayne Boardman
  • Other Supervision Activities

    Date Role Research Topic Location Program Supervision Type Student Load Student Name
    2018 - ongoing Co-Supervisor Population ecology of the critically endangered southern bent-wing bat Lat Trobe University Biological Sciences Doctorate Full Time Emmi van Harten
  • Editorial Boards

    Date Role Editorial Board Name Institution Country
    2015 - ongoing Associate Editor Wildlife Research CSIRO Publishing Australia
    2013 - ongoing Associate Editor Management of Biological Invasions REABIC Australia
  • Position: Grant-Funded Researcher (B)
  • Phone: 83139861
  • Email: thomas.prowse@adelaide.edu.au
  • Fax: 83133696
  • Campus: North Terrace
  • Building: Benham, floor 1
  • Org Unit: School of Biological Sciences

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External Profiles