Stefan Caddy-Retalic

Stefan Caddy-Retalic

School of Biological Sciences

Faculty of Sciences, Engineering and Technology

Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD (as Co-Supervisor) - email supervisor to discuss availability.


I am interested in promoting sustainable urban landscapes, including more resilient trees, in Australia. I am also interested in using living and preserved plant collections to enhance biodiversity conservation, improve quality of life and enable new science. My research combines biomolecular techniques (stable isotopes, DNA metabarcoding) with traditional ecological survey methods (vegetation metrics, invertebrate trapping) to integrate species change from a population to biome level. My fieldwork is conducted on a climate gradient from the south coast of South Australia through the Mt Lofty Ranges, Flinders Ranges, Gammon Ranges and Stony Plains to investigate changes within species, communities and biomes to better understand the interrelationships and drivers of this change.

In addition to my scientific work, I have a strong interest in working with government and have worked in environmental policy and programs for the South Australian and Commonwealth governments. I have also managed science projects for the University of Adelaide and Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network (TERN). My primary interest is in conducting research to address real world problems and bridging the gap between ecological theory and the current needs of land managers.

  • Education

    Date Institution name Country Title
    2014 - 2017 University of Adelaide Australia PhD
    2007 - 2008 Flinders University Australia Honours (1st Class)
    2003 - 2006 Flinders University Australia Bachelor of Innovation & Enterprise
    2003 - 2006 Flinders University Australia Bachelor of Science

Caddy-Retalic, S. & McInerney, F.A. TERN Australian Transect Network (2016) $25K

Caddy-Retalic, S. AW Howard Memorial Trust (2016) $3.5K

Caddy-Retalic, S. & McInerney, F. A. TERN eMast (2015) $4.7K

Caddy-Retalic, S. & McInerney F. A. State Herbarium of South Australia (2015) $1K

Caddy-Retalic, S. Ludwig Leichardt Postgraduate Sciences Fellowship (2014) 3 year stipend

Caddy-Retalic, S. Australian Postgraduate Award (Australian Research Council) (2014) 3 year stipend

Clancy, T., Phinn, S., Lowe, A., Saunders, M., Thurgate, N., Walker, C., Sparrow, B. & Caddy-Retalic, S. (2013) Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network (NCRIS, Department of Education) $1.6M

Caddy-Retalic, S. & Benkendorff, K. Flinders University Equipment Grant (2008) $5K

Caddy-Retalic, S. Playford Memorial Trust Honours Scholarship (Marine Biology) (2008) $1K

I contribute lectures to topics including:

GEOG7002 Environmental Planning and Governance

  • Consulting/Advisories

    Date Institution Department Organisation Type Country
    2022 - 2022 Attorney Generals Department, Government of South Australia Planning and Land Use Services, Department for Trade and Investment Legislative and political Australia
  • Expert Witness

    Date Case Institution Country
    2023 - 2023 Parliamentary Inquiry into the Urban Forest Parliament of South Australia Australia

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External Profiles