Miss Natarsha McPherson

Higher Degree by Research Candidate

School of Biological Sciences

College of Sciences


My PhD research focuses on the development of a modelling and detection framework for semi-fossorial mammals in semi-arid rangeland habitats, using the southern hairy-nosed wombat and European rabbit as native and non-native case studies. The project combines field validation, remote sensing, and ecological modelling to determine optimum scales, procedures, and indicators that provide essential population knowledge of spatiotemporal trends, niche interactions, and densities at a fine scale. This work aims to address critical data gaps that have hindered effective conservation and pest management in remote arid and semi-arid landscapes.  

Date Type Title Institution Name Country Amount
2025 Award Undergraduate Student Award (National) Geospatial Council of Australia Australia -
2024 Award Undergraduate Student Award (SA) Geospatial Council of Australia Australia -
2023 Award Michael Smyth Memorial Prize The University of Adelaide Australia -
2021 Scholarship Summer Research Scholarship The University of Adelaide Australia -
2021 Award Ena Orrock Lewcock Prize The University of Adelaide Australia -
2020 Award Stan Edmonds Prize The University of Adelaide Australia -

Date Institution name Country Title
2024 University of Adelaide Australia Doctor of Philosophy
2020 - 2024 University of Adelaide Australia Honours Degree of Bachelor of Science (Advanced)

Year Citation
2025 McPherson, N., & Ostendorf, B. (2025). Detection of rabbit and wombat warrens in broad-scale satellite imagery. Australian Mammalogy, 47(1), 11 pages.
DOI

2025 Lyn Ballard Grant, Nature Foundation

2024/25 Holsworth Wildlife Research Endowment, Ecological Society of Australia 

2023 University Research Grant, Australian Wildlife Society

Practical demonstrator:

  • GIS for Agriculture & Natural Resource
  • GIS for Environmental Management
  • Earth Observation
  • Ecology II
  • Introductory Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

 


Connect With Me

External Profiles

Other Links