Steven Delean

Research Interests

Applied Statistics Biostatistics Community Ecology Conservation and Biodiversity Ecology Global Change Biology Invasive Species Ecology Life Histories Population Ecology Statistics Terrestrial Ecology Vertebrate Biology Wildlife and Habitat Management

Dr Steven Delean

Senior Lecturer

School of Biological Sciences

College of Sciences

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

I am an academic leader committed to transforming how the next generation of scientists approaches quantitative research.
As a dually trained Ecologist and Biostatistician, my core professional focus is translating complex computational and statistical methods into actionable ecological knowledge.
My educational identity is centered on developing and leading core university programs that equip students with highly sought-after, interdisciplinary competencies. I utilise an integrated, real-world, example-based pedagogy to cultivate advanced skills in R and Python for robust, reproducible research methodologies.
I have dedicated 25 years to providing specialised biostatistical support, consulting, and training to higher-degree research and Honours students across various research disciplines.
My collaborative research program applies computational data science to solve urgent biodiversity challenges and deliver critical advice on conservation management to government and industry agencies.

My academic expertise lies at the intersection of applied ecology and rigorous biostatistics, a blend honed through a PhD jointly supervised across Statistics and Environmental Science, and six years as a biostatistician at the Australian Institute of Marine Science. My research program focuses on utilising advanced statistical and computational analysis to address pressing biodiversity conservation challenges. 

As a dedicated Consulting Biostatistician, I provide hands-on statistical support and training to postgraduate and Honours students and academic staff. This consultation role is vital to ensuring methodological robustness in studies and has demonstrably improved the quality and completion rates of our HDR students' training.

Research Interest/Honours Project opportunities:

I am committed to fostering quantitative literacy and welcome inquiries from motivated students to discuss research projects that apply statistical ecology, spatial capture-recapture models, and computational data science to real-world conservation problems, particularly in the areas of population dynamics, biodiversity assessment, and ecotechnology. 

Current research projects focus on applications of statistical ecology to understanding population ecology and community biodiversity with project funding for modelling movement patterns and habitat use in Kangaroo Island dunnarts, measuring the impacts of water flows and predators on fairy tern demography in the Coorong, using machine learning tools to measure body condition in migratory shorebirds, understanding long-term dynamics of biodiversity in semi-arid landscapes (including plant and animal systems).

Please contact me to discuss potential Honours and PhD projects.

Date Position Institution name
2026 - ongoing Senior Lecturer Adelaide University
2013 - 2025 Lecturer University of Adelaide
2011 - 2012 Research Associate University of Adelaide
2008 - 2011 Research Associate University of Adelaide
2000 - 2006 Biostatistician Australian Institute of Marine Science

Date Institution name Country Title
2007 James Cook University Australia PhD
1996 James Cook University Australia Masters in Applied Science (Statistics - Incomplete; coursework completed)
1993 James Cook University Australia Postgraduate Diploma of Science
1988 Flinders University Australia BA (Biol.)

Year Citation
2026 Dornan, T. N., Dorji, T., Chhetri, Y., Chilton, D., Delean, S., Keneally, C., . . . Brookes, J. (2026). Elevation, aspect, and climate shape blue pine (Pinus wallichiana) biomass and carbon dynamics in the Bhutanese Himalayas. Global Ecology and Conservation, 65, e03995.
DOI
2025 Hill, K. G. W., Delean, S., Hall, T., Tyler, J. J., Stringham, O. C., & Cassey, P. (2025). Feather forensics: tracing the origins of parrots in wildlife trade with stable isotopes and citizen science. Animal Conservation, 28(4), 582-591.
DOI Scopus2 WoS2
2025 Hill, K. G. W., Delean, S., Robinson, S. A., Hall, T., Tyler, J. J., Stringham, O. C., & Cassey, P. (2025). Identifying recent captive escapees of Rainbow Lorikeets (Trichoglossus moluccanus) at different stages of the pet-release pathway. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, 13, 1517867-1-1517867-12.
DOI
2025 Gerhardy, S. P., Delean, S., Olds, L. G. M., & Finlayson, G. (2025). Contrasting Habitat Use at the Range Edge of an Endangered Grassland Specialist: Insights Into Plains-Wanderer (Pedionomus torquatus) Habitat Use in a Periphery Population.. Ecology and Evolution, 15(8), e71894-1-e71894-20.
DOI Scopus2 WoS2
2024 Draper, J. T., Conran, J. G., Delean, S., Weinstein, P., & Simpson, B. S. (2024). Size class, sex ratio, and spatial distribution of four populations of Pimelea microcephala subsp. microcephala under different long-term rainfall regimes. Arid Land Research and Management, 38(2), 263-284.
DOI Scopus2 WoS2
2024 Theng, M., Prowse, T. A. A., Delean, S., Cassey, P., & Bracis, C. (2024). Integrating resource memory and cue-based territoriality to simulate movement dynamics: a process-explicit and pattern-oriented approach. Ecological Modelling, 487, 110560.
DOI Scopus2 WoS2
2024 Hill, K. G. W., Stringham, O. C., Moncayo, S., Toomes, A., Tyler, J. J., Cassey, P., & Delean, S. (2024). Who's a pretty bird? Predicting the traded abundance of bird species in Australian online pet trade. Biological Invasions, 26(4), 975-988.
DOI Scopus6 WoS6
2024 Jackson, M. V., Mott, R., Delean, S., Hunt, B. J., Brookes, J. D., Cassey, P., & Prowse, T. A. A. (2024). Shorebird habitat selection and foraging behaviour have important implications for management at an internationally important non‐breeding wetland. Ecological Solutions and Evidence, 5(1), 13 pages.
DOI Scopus17 WoS16
2023 Draper, J. T., Delean, S., Conran, J. G., Weinstein, P., & Simpson, B. S. (2023). Life-history characteristics and climate correlates of dioecious plant species in central southern Australia. Australian Journal of Botany, 71(4), 175-187.
DOI
2022 Turner, A. M., Delean, S., & Garcia-Bellido, D. (2022). Preliminary revision of the morphology of Phyllozoon hanseni from the Ediacaran of South Australia. Serie Correlación Geológica, 37(2), 5-14.
DOI Scopus1
2022 Theng, M., Milleret, C., Bracis, C., Cassey, P., & Delean, S. (2022). Confronting spatial capture–recapture models with realistic animal movement simulations. Ecology, 103(10), 20 pages.
DOI Scopus16 WoS15 Europe PMC9
2022 Deliveyne, N., Cassey, P., Linacre, A., Delean, S., Austin, J. J., & Young, J. M. (2022). Recovering trace reptile DNA from the illegal wildlife trade. Forensic Science International: Animals and Environments, 2, 100040-1-100040-8.
DOI Scopus8
2021 Arnold, P. A., Delean, S., Cassey, P., & White, C. R. (2021). Meta-analysis reveals that resting metabolic rate is not consistently related to fitness and performance in animals. Journal of Comparative Physiology B, 191(6), 1097-1110.
DOI Scopus50 WoS50 Europe PMC35
2021 Stringer, D., Bertozzi, T., Meusemann, K., Delean, J., Guzik, M., Tierney, S., . . . Austin, A. (2021). Development and evaluation of a custom bait design based on 469 single-copy protein-coding genes for exon capture of isopods (Philosciidae: Haloniscus). PLoS One, 16(9), 1-24.
DOI Scopus2 WoS1
2021 Cirocco, R. M., Facelli, E., Delean, J., & Facelli, J. (2021). Does phosphorus influence performance of a native hemiparasite and its impact on a native legume?. Physiologia Plantarum, 173(4), 1889-1900.
DOI Scopus4 WoS4 Europe PMC6
2020 Heinrich, S., Ross, J. V., Gray, T. N. E., Delean, S., Marx, N., & Cassey, P. (2020). Plight of the commons: 17 years of wildlife trafficking in Cambodia. Biological Conservation, 241, 1-9.
DOI Scopus16 WoS15
2020 Pipek, P., Blackburn, T. M., Delean, S., Cassey, P., Şekercioğlu, Ç., & Pyšek, P. (2020). Lasting the distance: The survival of alien birds shipped to New Zealand in the 19th century. Ecology and Evolution, 10(9), 3944-3953.
DOI Scopus7 WoS6 Europe PMC4
2020 Hill, K. G., Nielson, K. E., Tyler, J., McInerney, F., Doubleday, Z. A., Frankham, G. J., . . . Cassey, P. B. (2020). Pet or pest? Stable isotope methods for determining the provenance of an invasive alien species. NeoBiota, 59(59), 21-37.
DOI Scopus11 WoS11
2020 Dorji, T., Facelli, J. M., Norbu, T., Delean, S., & Brookes, J. D. (2020). Tree shelters facilitate brown oak seedling survival and establishment in a grazing-dominant forest of Bhutan, Eastern Himalaya. Restoration Ecology, 28(5), 1145-1157.
DOI Scopus10 WoS9
2020 Bannister, H. L., Brandle, R., Delean, S., Paton, D. C., & Moseby, K. E. (2020). Supportive release techniques provide no reintroduction benefit when efficacy and uptake is low. Oryx, 54(2), 206-214.
DOI Scopus19 WoS17
2019 Crowe-Riddell, J. M., Simões, B. F., Partridge, J. C., Hunt, D. M., Delean, S., Schwerdt, J. G., . . . Sanders, K. L. (2019). Phototactic tails: evolution and molecular basis of a novel sensory trait in sea snakes. Molecular Ecology, 28(8), 1-16.
DOI Scopus17 WoS16 Europe PMC13
2019 Fisk, C., Clarke, K. D., Delean, S., & Lewis, M. M. (2019). Distinguishing photosynthetic and non-photosynthetic vegetation: How do traditional observations and spectral classification compare?. Remote Sensing, 11(21), 2589-1-2589-10.
DOI Scopus10 WoS9
2018 Falster, G., Delean, S., & Tyler, J. (2018). Hydrogen peroxide treatment of natural lake sediment prior to carbon and oxygen stable isotope analysis of calcium carbonate. Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems, 19(9), 3583-3595.
DOI Scopus19 WoS19
2018 Haby, N., Delean, S., & Brook, B. (2018). Improving performance and transferability of small mammal species distribution models. Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia, 142(2), 143-161.
DOI
2018 Caruso, A., Clarke, K., Tiddy, C., Delean, S., & Lewis, M. (2018). Objective regolith-landform mapping in a regolith dominated terrain to inform mineral exploration. Geosciences, 8(9), 1-19.
DOI Scopus15 WoS13
2018 Cassey, P., Delean, S., Lockwood, J., Sadowski, J., & Blackburn, T. (2018). Dissecting the null model for biological invasions: a meta-analysis of the propagule pressure effect. PLoS Biology, 16(4), e2005987-1-e2005987-15.
DOI Scopus187 WoS184 Europe PMC87
2018 Smith, M., Delean, S., Cavagnaro, T., & Facelli, J. (2018). Evidence for species-specific plant responses to soil microbial communities from remnant and degraded land provides promise for restoration. Austral Ecology, 43(3), 301-308.
DOI Scopus14 WoS15 Europe PMC5
2017 Prowse, T., Collard, S., Blackwood, A., O'Connor, P., Delean, S., Barnes, M., . . . Possingham, H. (2017). Prescribed burning impacts avian diversity and disadvantages woodland-specialist birds unless long-unburnt habitat is retained. Biological Conservation, 215, 268-276.
DOI Scopus30 WoS30 Europe PMC6
2016 Blackburn, T., Delean, S., Pyšek, P., & Cassey, P. (2016). On the island biogeography of aliens: a global analysis of the richness of plant and bird species on oceanic islands. Global Ecology and Biogeography, 25(7), 859-868.
DOI Scopus80 WoS105
2016 Wedderburn, S., Bailey, C., Delean, S., & Paton, D. (2016). Population and osmoregulatory responses of a euryhaline fish to extreme salinity fluctuations in coastal lagoons of the Coorong, Australia. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, 168, 50-57.
DOI Scopus24 WoS20
2016 Packer, J., Delean, S., Kueffer, C., Prider, J., Abley, K., Facelli, J., & Carthew, S. (2016). Native faunal communities depend on habitat from non-native plants in novel but not in natural ecosystems. Biodiversity and Conservation, 25(3), 503-523.
DOI Scopus29 WoS27 Europe PMC10
2016 Wittmann, T., Izzo, C., Doubleday, Z., McKenzie, J., Delean, S., & Gillanders, B. (2016). Reconstructing climate–growth relations from the teeth of a marine mammal. Marine Biology, 163(4), 71-1-71-11.
DOI Scopus16 WoS16
2016 Prowse, T., Bradshaw, C., Delean, S., Cassey, P., Lacy, R., Wells, K., . . . Brook, B. (2016). An efficient protocol for the global sensitivity analysis of stochastic ecological models. Ecosphere, 7(3), e01238-1-e01238-17.
DOI Scopus39 WoS69
2016 Izzo,, C., Doubleday, Z., Grammer, G., Barnes, T., Delean, J., Ferguson, G., . . . Gillanders, B. (2016). Multi-species response to rapid environmental change in a large estuary system: a biochronological approach. Ecological Indicators, 69, 739-748.
DOI Scopus31 WoS29
2016 Fuentes, M., Delean, S., Grayson, J., Lavender, S., Logan, M., & Marsh, H. (2016). Spatial and Temporal Variation in the Effects of Climatic Variables on Dugong Calf Production. PLOS ONE, 11(6), 1-14.
DOI Scopus17 Europe PMC6
2016 Dalziel, A., Delean, S., Heinrich, S., & Cassey, P. (2016). Persistence of low pathogenic influenza A virus in water: a systematic review and quantitative meta-analysis. PLoS ONE, 11(10), e0161929-1-e0161929-24.
DOI Scopus32 WoS33 Europe PMC22
2016 Heinrich, S., Wittmann, T., Prowse, T., Ross, J., Delean, S., Shepherd, C., & Cassey, P. (2016). Where did all the pangolins go? International CITES trade in pangolin species. Global Ecology and Conservation, 8, 241-253.
DOI Scopus176 WoS157
2016 Weinstein, P., Delean, S., Wood, T., & Austin, A. (2016). Bioluminescence in the ghost fungus Omphalotus nidiformis does not attract potential spore dispersing insects. IMA Fungus, 7(2), 229-234.
DOI Scopus14 WoS11 Europe PMC7
2015 Murphy, N., King, R., & Delean, S. (2015). Species, ESUs or populations? Delimiting and describing morphologically cryptic diversity in Australian desert spring amphipods. Invertebrate Systematics, 29(5), 457-467.
DOI Scopus30 WoS28
2015 Read, J., Parkhurst, B., & Delean, S. (2015). Can Australian bush birds be used as canaries? Detection of pervasive environmental impacts at an arid Australian mine site. Emu, 115(2), 117-125.
DOI Scopus8 WoS9
2014 Bradshaw, C., Brook, B., Delean, S., Fordham, D., Herrando-Pérez, S., Cassey, P., . . . Araújo, M. (2014). Predictors of contraction and expansion of area of occupancy for British birds. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London: Biological Sciences, 281(1786), 20140744-1-20140744-9.
DOI Scopus44 WoS27 Europe PMC22
2014 Herrando-Pérez, S., Delean, S., Brook, B., Cassey, P., & Bradshaw, C. (2014). Spatial climate patterns explain negligible variation in strength of compensatory density feedbacks in birds and mammals. PLoS One, 9(3), e91536-1-e91536-12.
DOI Scopus9 WoS9 Europe PMC5
2013 Haby, N., Prowse, T., Gregory, S., Watts, M., Delean, J., Fordham, D., . . . Brook, B. (2013). Scale dependency of metapopulation models used to predict climate change impacts on small mammals. Ecography, 36(7), 832-841.
DOI Scopus6 WoS6
2013 Martins Sequeira, A., Mellin, C., Delean, J., Meekan, M., & Bradshaw, C. (2013). Spatial and temporal predictions of inter-decadal trends in Indian Ocean whale sharks. Marine Ecology-Progress Series, 478, 185-195.
DOI Scopus16 WoS13
2013 Delean, J., Brook, B., & Bradshaw, C. (2013). Ecologically realistic estimates of maximum population growth using informed Bayesian priors. Methods in Ecology and Evolution, 4(1), 34-44.
DOI Scopus25 WoS24
2013 Delean, J., Bull, C., Brook, B., Heard, L., & Fordham, D. (2013). Using plant distributions to predict the current and future range of a rare lizard. Diversity and Distributions, 19(9), 1125-1137.
DOI Scopus21 WoS20
2012 Herrando-Perez, S., Delean, J., Brook, B., & Bradshaw, C. (2012). Strength of density feedback in census data increases from slow to fast life histories. Ecology and Evolution, 2(8), 1922-1934.
DOI Scopus24 WoS23 Europe PMC15
2012 Herrando-Perez, S., Delean, J., Brook, B., & Bradshaw, C. (2012). Density dependence: An ecological Tower of Babel. Oecologia, 170(3), 585-603.
DOI Scopus83 WoS77 Europe PMC36
2012 Fordham, D., Watts, M., Delean, J., Brook, B., Heard, L., & Bull, C. (2012). Managed relocation as an adaptation strategy for mitigating climate change threats to the persistence of an endangered lizard. Global Change Biology, 18(9), 2743-2755.
DOI Scopus62 WoS58 Europe PMC19
2012 Herrando-Perez, S., Delean, J., Brook, B., & Bradshaw, C. (2012). Decoupling of component and ensemble density feedbacks in birds and mammals. Ecology, 93(7), 1728-1740.
DOI Scopus20 WoS18 Europe PMC8
2012 Haby, N., Delean, J., & Brook, B. (2012). Specialist resources are key to improving small mammal distribution models. Austral Ecology, 37(2), 216-226.
DOI Scopus6 WoS6
2011 Sweatman, H., Delean, J., & Syms, C. (2011). Assessing loss of coral cover on Australia's Great Barrier Reef over two decades, with implications for longer-term trends. Coral Reefs, 30(2), 521-531.
DOI Scopus167
2011 Mellin, C., Delean, J., Caley, M., Edgar, G., Meekan, M., Pitcher, R., . . . Bradshaw, C. (2011). Effectiveness of biological surrogates for predicting patterns of marine biodiversity: A global meta-analysis. PLoS One, 6(6), e20141-1-e20141-11.
DOI Scopus107 WoS101 Europe PMC38
2010 Clark, F., Brook, B., Delean, J., Akcakaya, H., & Bradshaw, C. (2010). The theta-logistic is unreliable for modelling most census data. Methods in Ecology and Evolution, 1(3), 253-262.
DOI WoS91
2010 Traill, L., Bradshaw, C., Delean, J., & Brook, B. (2010). Wetland conservation and sustainable use under global change: a tropical Australian case study using magpie geese. Ecography, 33(5), 818-825.
DOI Scopus31 WoS24
2009 Delean, J., De'ath, G., & Marsh, H. (2009). Climate and maternal effects modify sex ratios in a weakly dimorphic marsupial. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, 64(2), 265-277.
DOI Scopus11
2008 Emslie, M., Cheal, A., Sweatman, H., & Delean, J. (2008). Recovery from disturbance of coral and reef fish communities on the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Marine Ecology-Progress Series, 371, 177-190.
DOI Scopus110
2007 Hodgson, A., Marsh, H., Delean, J., & Marcus, L. (2007). Is attempting to change marine mammal behaviour a generic solution to the bycatch problem? A dugong case study. Animal Conservation, 10(2), 263-273.
DOI Scopus18
2007 Cheal, A., Delean, J., Sweatman, H., & Thompson, A. (2007). Spatial synchrony in coral reef fish populations and the influence of climate. Ecology, 88(1), 158-169.
DOI Scopus74 Europe PMC24
2006 Kwan, D., Marsh, H., & Delean, J. (2006). Factors influencing the sustainability of customary dugong hunting by a remote indigenous community. Environmental Conservation, 33(2), 164-171.
DOI Scopus31
2006 Poulsen, A., Burns, K., Lough, J., Brinkman, D., & Delean, J. (2006). Trace analysis of hydrocarbons in coral cores from Saudi Arabia. Organic Geochemistry, 37(12), 1913-1930.
DOI Scopus20
2005 Codi, S., Humphrey, C., Klumpp, D., & Delean, S. (2005). Erratum: Barramundi as an indicator species for environmental monitoring in north Queensland, Australia: Laboratory versus field studies (Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (2004) 23 (2737-2744)). Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 24(1), 249.
DOI
2005 Chilvers, B. L., Delean, S., Gales, N. J., Holley, D. K., Lawler, I. R., Marsh, H., & Preen, A. R. (2005). Erratum: Diving behaviour of dugongs, Dugong dugon (Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology (2004) 304 (203-224) DOI: 10.1016/j.jembe.2003.12. 010). Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 315(1), 115.
DOI
2004 Chilvers, B., Delean, J., Gales, N., Holley, D., Lawler, I., Marsh, H., & Preen, A. (2004). Diving behaviour of dugongs, Dugong dugon. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 304(2), 203-224.
DOI Scopus62
2004 Marsh, H., Lawler, I., Kwan, D., Delean, J., Pollock, K., & Alldredge, M. (2004). Aerial surveys and the potential biological removal technique indicate that the Torres Strait dugong fishery is unsustainable. Animal Conservation, 7(4), 435-443.
DOI Scopus91
2004 Codi, S., Humphrey, C., Klumpp, D., & Delean, J. (2004). Barramundi as an indicator species for environmental monitoring in North Queensland, Australia: laboratory vs field studies. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 23(11), 2737-2744.
DOI Scopus6 Europe PMC5
2003 Johnson, P., & Delean, J. (2003). Reproduction of Lumholtz's tree-kangaroo, Dendrolagus lumholtzi (Marsupialia : Macropodidae) in captivity, with age estimation and development of the pouch young. Wildlife Research, 2003(30), 505-512.
DOI Scopus13
2003 Ninio, R., Delean, J., Osborne, K., & Sweatman, H. (2003). Estimating cover of benthic organisms from underwater video images: variability associated with multiple observers. Marine Ecology-Progress Series, 265, 107-116.
DOI Scopus53
2002 Johnson, P. M., & Delean, S. (2002). Reproduction of the purple-necked rock-wallaby, Petrogale purpureicollis Le Souef (Marsupialia: Macropodidae) in captivity, with age estimation and development of the pouch young. Wildlife Research, 29(5), 463-468.
DOI Scopus7
2002 Johnson, C. N., Delean, S., & Balmford, A. (2002). Phylogeny and the selectivity of extinction in Australian marsupials. Animal Conservation, 5(2), 135-142.
DOI Scopus46
2002 Cheal, A. J., Coleman, G., Delean, S., Miller, I., Osborne, K., & Sweatman, H. (2002). Responses of coral and fish assemblages to a severe but short-lived tropical cyclone on the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Coral Reefs, 21(2), 131-142.
DOI Scopus79
2002 Johnson, P. M., & Delean, S. (2002). Development and age estimation of the pouch young of the black-striped Wallaby Macropus dorsalis, with notes on reproduction. Australian Mammalogy, 24(2), 193-198.
DOI Scopus3
2001 Johnson, P. M., & Delean, S. (2001). Erratum: Reproduction in the northern bettong, bettongia tropica wakefield (Marsupialia: Potoroidae), in captivity, with age estimation and development of the pouch young. (Wildlife Research (2001) 28 (81)). Wildlife Research, 28(6), 647.
DOI Scopus1
2001 Johnson, P. M., & Delean, S. (2001). Reproduction in the northern bettong, Bettongia tropica wakefield (Marsupialia: Potoroidae), in captivity, with age estimation and development of pouch young. Wildlife Research, 28(1), 79-85.
DOI Scopus8
1999 Johnson, P. M., & Delean, J. S. C. (1999). Reproduction in the Proserpine rock-wallaby, Petrogale persephone Maynes (Marsupialia: Macropodidae), in captivity, with age estimation and development of pouch young. Wildlife Research, 26(5), 631-639.
DOI Scopus19

River Torrens Debris Program (2025-2028) External Consultancy to Green Adelaide $231,000 - Co‑investigator with Prof Justin Brookes

Conserving waterbird populations of the CLMMM and broader landscape under climate (2024-2026) $605,000 Goyder Institute for Water Research and CLLMM Research Centre - Lead Investigator ‑ Conservation modelling for key waterbird species

Livestock impacts on soil function and ecosystem productivity (2025) $20,820 Hugh Hughes Trust - Chief Investigator with Rebecca Greening

Livestock impacts on soil function and ecosystem productivity (2025) $10,000 Mabel Paxton Trust - Chief Investigator with Rebecca Greening

Digging into the impacts of livestock grazing on soil fertile islands in arid South Australia with a 98 year livestock grazing exclosure (2023) FND001160: NFSA - Nature Foundation Scientific Expedition Foundation RL & GK Willing Grant (Greening R, Delean S, Facelli J) - $2000. The TGB Osborn Vegetation Reserve will be studied to determine if spatial patterns of soil nutrient accumulation and microbial community compositions are different between 98 years of livestock grazing exclusion vs areas grazed since the 1860's.

Using remote bio-acoustic recorders to detect Plains-wanderers (Pedionomus torquatus) in the semi-arid rangeland, South Australia (2022) 95981: NCSSA - Conservation Biology Grant (Gerhardy S, Delean S, Finlayson G, Olds L) - $3000. This project aims to strategically deploy a number of song meters through the South Australian landscape, to assist in the detection of critically-endangered Plains-wanderers and improve knowledge of their behaviour and ecology.

Little Corella Satellite Tracking and Wing Tagging (2021) FND000697: Department for Environment and Water-Research Grant (Cassey P, Delean S.) - $20,000. The aim of the project is to better understand the fine scale movements of the over abundant Little Corella in the Greater Adelaide and surrounding regions, with view to determining effective management options. The project will use both GPS tracking data and field observations to build models of population movement, foraging range, habitat preferences and other resource use.

Biodiversity conservation and management in the urban environments of the Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges region (2020) FND000914: Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges Natural Resources Management Board Incubator Funding (Cassey P, Delean S) - $75,000. This project is designed to leverage partnerships in order to better facilitate the resolution of wildlife conservation and management challenges of metropolitan Adelaide. It is a project that has drawn on urban biodiversity conservation and management approaches adopted in the eastern states, however the ultimate delivery of such a project is to be tackled in a way to best suit our local context. The project aims to focus on wildlife conservation and management issues that have very high levels of community interest and/or concern.

Towards integrated management of the Mount Lofty Ranges biodiversity hotspot (2016-17)
FND000166: University of Adelaide (Prowse T, Boulton R, O'Connor P, Delean S, Bardsley D) - Interdisciplinary Research Funding Scheme - $25,000.00

Koala population modelling for Kangaroo Island, SA (2016-17)
Consultancy to South Australian Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources - $50,000.00
Project to provide: (1) quantitative understanding of drivers of koala distribution and abundance, (2) spatially explicit density estimates, and (3) spatially explicit population model to determine sterilisation regimes and project response of koalas to climate scenarios, management interventions, and forestry maturation.

Kangaroo Island koala population modelling and management (2016)
Consultancy to South Australian Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources - $11,900.00
Updated stochastic population model to determine koala sterilisation targets on Kangaroo Island

Goat population trends in South Australia's rangelands (2014)
Consultancy to the Australian Landscape Trust - $15,000.00
Develop statistical models to determine large-scale spatio-temporal patterns of goat abundance in the rangelands of South Australia, and relationships with variation in harvest

Kangaroo Island koala population modelling and management (2013)
Consultancy to South Australian Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources - $12,972.00
Develop a stochastic population model to determine the minimum number of koalas that need to be sterilised to maintain a declining or stable koala population on Kangaroo Island

 

Steven is the Coordinator for the second-year Animal Identification in Wildlife Conservation 2 and the Scientific Data: Analysis & Visualisation courses in the School of Biological Sciences. Steven also lectures in the third-year BSc courses Advanced Concepts in Ecology 3 and Research Methods in Ecology, Marine and Wildlife 3. Steve's teaching in Ecology includes theoretical quantitative ecology, practical workshops on ecological statistics, and field trips and camps.

Steven lectures and coordinates a quantitative training module for the Master's (and third-year) course Bioinformatics: Sequencing Technologies.

Current Teaching Schedule

BIOL 2050 - Animal Identification in Wildlife Conservation 2

The course will provision specialist skills in morphological, genetic, and behavioural techniques for identifying animals, including practical field-based sampling skills in observing and sampling, or trapping and handling, and data collection. Animal diversity across terrestrial and aquatic environments alongside policies, ethics, and procedures for working with animals may be covered. Intensive delivery in semester break ensures integrated theory and practice. Ecotechnology (remotely triggered video and audio recorders) and curating digital capture data using computer vision and learning algorithms will be prominent.

SCIE 2000 - Scientific Data: Analysis & Visualisation

Students will demonstrate computational skills in the acquisition and recording, handling, manipulation and analysis of scientific data. Students will be able to identify trends and patterns in data and depict these visually. Ethical and ownership considerations of data will be introduced. Students will develop foundational data handling skills specific to their major study plan.

BIOL 3013 - Research Methods: Ecology, Marine and Wildlife 3

An introduction to systematic methods of collection, analysis and reporting of field and laboratory ecological data, and basic experimental design in ecology, marine biology and wildlife conservation. Lectures outline the quantitative nature of ecological research and the value of robust experimental methods. Some knowledge of basic statistics is required. Experimental design will be emphasised, and the elements of statistical tests, particularly linear modelling, will be considered in a variety of ecological contexts. Practical work involves use of computers and software, and will complement methods introduced in lectures. Workshops will be used to collect field-type ecological data and provide specialised expertise in data analysis applications to the fields of ecology, marine biology and wildlife conservation.

BIOL 3038 - Advanced Concepts in Ecology 3

This course addresses advanced ecological concepts, building upon Ecology II, and providing a common anchor to other Ecology courses in Year III. It deals with populations, communities and ecosystems, and examines various approaches to their studies, including experiments and models. Students are provided with both an understanding of theoretical ecology as well as a foundation for ecological applications. Details of the 4 day compulsory field trip to Calperum Station communicated at start of the course (timetabled to align with field camp for Freshwater Ecology III).

BIOL 5042 - Bioinformatics: Sequencing Technologies

This course provides learners with theoretical and practical knowledge to design and analyse bioinformatic datasets. The course will cover relevant bioinformatics, computational, statistical concepts, and the key biological processes under investigation. Practical skills will equip the learner with the required knowledge to conduct modern omic analysis using state-of-the-art methods and tools. Topics include: Fundamentals of Bioinformatics, Public Health Microbial Genomics, Genomics, Transcriptomics.
 

 

Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
2026 Co-Supervisor Movement and behavioural ecology of Chestnut Teal under varying environmental conditions in the Coorong, Lower Lakes and Murray Mouth region Master of Research Master Full Time Miss Katie Anne Wolfindale
2026 Principal Supervisor Understanding occupancy and habitat selection of the endangered Chestnut-rumped Heathwren using bioacoustic monitoring Master of Research Master Full Time Ms Eliza Grace Lawry Allan
2025 Co-Supervisor Enhancing Sustainability and Community Well-being in Social Forest through Payment for Ecosystem Services Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mrs Levina Augusta Geraldine
2025 Co-Supervisor Enhancing Sustainability and Community Well-being in Social Forest through Payment for Ecosystem Services Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mrs Levina Augusta Geraldine
2024 Principal Supervisor Impacts of livestock on soil function and ecosystem services in South Australia's rangelands. Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Rebecca Rose Greening
2024 Principal Supervisor Impacts of livestock on soil function and ecosystem services in South Australia's rangelands. Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Rebecca Rose Greening
2022 Principal Supervisor The ecology, status, and distribution of Plains Wanderers in South Australia. Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Saskia Gerhardy
2022 Principal Supervisor The ecology, status, and distribution of Plains Wanderers in South Australia. Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Saskia Gerhardy

Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
2020 - 2024 Co-Supervisor Ecological Role and Conservation Status of the Endangered, Native Fijian Free-Tailed Bat (Mops bregullae, Felten 1964) in Fragmented Forest Habitats Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Adi Siteri Alisi Alisi Waqanivalukinaneni Tikoca
2019 - 2023 Principal Supervisor Understanding movement processes underlying camera-trap data for reliable population inference Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Meryl Tze Yin Theng
2008 - 2012 Co-Supervisor Resolving Conceptual Confusion and Quantifying Cross Taxa Patterns of Density Dependence in Population Ecology Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Dr Salvador Herrando-Perez

Date Institution Department Organisation Type Country
2013 - 2016 Arid Recovery Arid Recovery Scientific Advisory Committee Scientific research Australia
2013 - 2016 Kangaroo Island Natural Resource Management GBC Recovery Team Conservation and environment Australia

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