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 mathematical ecologist with a particular focus on population biology and epidemiology for wildlife populations. Specifically, I use stochastic modelling to address applied ecological questions in the fields of wildlife management, fisheries, conservation biology, invasion ecology and disease ecology. I have also contributed mathematical models to guide the management of native and feral species, including giant cuttlefish, koalas and feral goats.
I am a mathematical ecologist with a particular focus on population biology and epidemiology for wildlife populations. Specifically, I use stochastic modelling to address applied ecological questions in the fields of wildlife management, fisheries, conservation biology, invasion ecology and disease ecology. I have also contributed mathematical models to guide the management of native and feral species, including giant cuttlefish, koalas and feral goats.
Some current projects include:
- Multi-strain modelling of rabbit haemorrhagic disease (RHD) dynamics
- Stochastic modelling to inform the development of new genome-editing technologies for controlling invasive species populations
- Spatial optimisation of integrated control strategies for native and feral species
- Molecular surveillance and latent-class analysis for detecting emerging marine pest species
- Evidence-based adaptive-management models for the Mount Lofty Ranges biodiversity hotspot
- Modelling the evolutionary impacts of past climate change and human hunting on Australian mammals
-
Appointments
Date Position Institution name 2016 - ongoing Senior Research Fellow The University of Adelaide -
Education
Date Institution name Country Title University of Sydney Australia PhD Flinders University Australia BSc (Hons) -
Research Interests
-
Journals
Year Citation 2022 Warburton, B., Eason, C., Fisher, P., Hancox, N., Hopkins, B., Nugent, G., . . . Cowan, P. E. (2022). Alternatives for mammal pest control in New Zealand in the context of concerns about 1080 toxicant (sodium fluoroacetate). New Zealand Journal of Zoology, 49(2), 1-43.
2022 Birand, A., Cassey, P., Ross, J. V., Russell, J. C., Thomas, P., & Prowse, T. A. A. (2022). Gene drives for vertebrate pest control: realistic spatial modelling of eradication probabilities and times for island mouse populations. Molecular ecology, 31(6), 1-17.
2022 van Harten, E., Lawrence, R., Lumsden, L. F., Reardon, T., & Prowse, T. A. A. (2022). Novel passive detection approach reveals low breeding season survival and apparent lactation cost in a critically endangered cave bat. Scientific Reports, 12(1), 11 pages.
2022 Kuhne, J. G., Austin, J. J., Reardon, T. B., & Prowse, T. A. A. (2022). Diverse moth prey identified in the diet of the critically endangered southern bent-wing bat (Miniopterus orianae bassanii) using DNA metabarcoding of scats. Wildlife Research, 12 pages.
2022 Van Harten, E., Lawrence, R., Lumsden, L. F., Reardon, T., Bennett, A. F., & Prowse, T. A. A. (2022). Seasonal population dynamics and movement patterns of a critically endangered, cave-dwelling bat, Miniopterus orianae bassanii. Wildlife Research, 13 pages.
2021 Tatler, J., Prowse, T. A. A., Roshier, D. A., Cairns, K. M., & Cassey, P. (2021). Phenotypic variation and promiscuity in a wild population of pure dingoes (Canis dingo). Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research, 59(1), 311-322.
Scopus3 WoS32021 Boardman, W. S. J., Baker, M. L., Boyd, V., Crameri, G., Peck, G. R., Reardon, T., . . . Prowse, T. A. A. (2021). Serological evidence of exposure to a coronavirus antigenically related to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome virus (SARS-CoV-1) in the Grey-headed flying fox (Pteropus poliocephalus).. Transboundary and emerging diseases, 68(4), 2628-2632.
Scopus2 WoS3 Europe PMC12021 Boardman, W. S. J., Roshier, D., Reardon, T., Burbidge, K., McKeown, A., Westcott, D. A., . . . Prowse, T. A. A. (2021). Spring foraging movements of an urban population of grey-headed flying foxes (Pteropus poliocephalus). Journal of Urban Ecology, 6(1), 1-10.
Scopus22021 Tatler, J., Currie, S. E., Cassey, P., Scharf, A. K., Roshier, D. A., & Prowse, T. A. A. (2021). Accelerometer informed time-energy budgets reveal the importance of temperature to the activity of a wild, arid zone canid. Movement Ecology, 9(1), 1-12.
Scopus2 WoS2 Europe PMC12021 Prowse, T. A. A., O'Connor, P. J., Collard, S. J., Peters, K. J., & Possingham, H. P. (2021). Optimising monitoring for trend detection after 16 years of woodland-bird surveys. Journal of Applied Ecology, 58(5), 1090-1100.
Scopus2 WoS12020 Boardman, W. S. J., Baker, M. L., Boyd, V., Crameri, G., Peck, G. R., Reardon, T., . . . Prowse, T. A. A. (2020). Seroprevalence of three paramyxoviruses; Hendra virus, Tioman virus, Cedar virus and a rhabdovirus, Australian bat lyssavirus, in a range expanding fruit bat, the Grey-headed flying fox (Pteropus poliocephalus).. PLoS One, 15(5), 1-18.
Scopus7 WoS7 Europe PMC42020 Van Harten, E., Reardon, T., Holz, P. H., Lawrence, R., Prowse, T. A. A., & Lumsden, L. F. (2020). Recovery of southern bent-winged bats (Miniopterus orianae bassanii) after PIT-tagging and the use of surgical adhesive. Australian Mammalogy, 42(2), 216-219.
Scopus4 WoS42019 Prowse, T., O'Connor, P., Collard, S., & Rogers, D. (2019). Eating away at protected areas: Total grazing pressure is undermining public land conservation. Global Ecology and Conservation, 20, 10 pages.
Scopus18 WoS172019 van Harten, E., Reardon, T., Lumsden, L. F., Meyers, N., Prowse, T. A. A., Weyland, J., & Lawrence, R. (2019). High detectability with low impact: Optimizing large PIT tracking systems for cave-dwelling bats. ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION, 9(19), 10916-10928.
Scopus9 WoS10 Europe PMC32019 Sudweeks, J., Hollingsworth, B., Blondel, D. V., Campbell, K. J., Dhole, S., Eisemann, J. D., . . . Lloyd, A. L. (2019). Locally Fixed Alleles: A method to localize gene drive to island populations.. Scientific reports, 9(1), 15821.
Scopus20 WoS18 Europe PMC122019 Grey, E. K., Bernatchez, L., Cassey, P., Deiner, K., Deveney, M., Howland, K. L., . . . Lodge, D. M. (2019). Author Correction: Effects of sampling effort on biodiversity patterns estimated from environmental DNA metabarcoding surveys (Scientific Reports, (2018), 8, 1, (8843), 10.1038/s41598-018-27048-2). Scientific Reports, 9(1), 15892.
Scopus12019 Godwin, J., Serr, M., Barnhill-Dilling, S. K., Blondel, D. V., Brown, P. R., Campbell, K., . . . Thomas, P. (2019). Rodent gene drives for conservation: Opportunities and data needs. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 286(1914), 20191606.
Scopus18 WoS19 Europe PMC72019 Holz, P., Hufschmid, J., Boardman, W. S. J., Cassey, P., Firestone, S., Lumsden, L. F., . . . Stevenson, M. (2019). Does the fungus causing white-nose syndrome pose a significant risk to Australian bats?. Wildlife Research, 46(8), 657-668.
Scopus8 WoS72019 García-Díaz, P., Prowse, T. A. A., Anderson, D. P., Lurgi, M., Binny, R. N., & Cassey, P. (2019). A concise guide to developing and using quantitative models in conservation management. Conservation science and practice, 1(2), e11.
WoS13 Europe PMC12019 Collard, S. J., O Connor, P., Prowse, T. A. A., Gregg, D., & Bond, A. J. (2019). Objectives versus realities: Spatial, temporal, financial and social deficiencies in Australia’s public revegetation investment model. Ecological Management and Restoration, 21(1), 35-41.
Scopus4 WoS42019 Tatler, J., Prowse, T. A. A., Roshier, D. A., Allen, B. L., & Cassey, P. (2019). Resource pulses affect prey selection and reduce dietary diversity of dingoes in arid Australia. Mammal Review, 49(3), 263-275.
Scopus7 WoS62019 Breed, M. F., Harrison, P., Blyth, C., Byrne, M., Gaget, V., Gellie, N., . . . Mohr, J. (2019). The potential of genomics for restoring ecosystems and biodiversity. Nature Reviews Genetics, 20(10), 615-628.
Scopus79 WoS75 Europe PMC172019 Bardsley, D. K., Prowse, T., & Siegfriedt, C. (2019). Seeking knowledge of traditional Indigenous burning practices to inform regional bushfire management. Local Environment, 24(8), 727-745.
Scopus12 WoS112019 Buss, J. J., Wiltshire, K. H., Prowse, T. A. A., Harris, J. O., & Deveney, M. R. (2019). Bonamia in Ostrea angasi: Diagnostic performance, field prevalence and intensity. Journal of Fish Diseases, 42(1), 63-74.
Scopus7 WoS72019 Prowse, T. A., Adikusuma, F., Cassey, P., Thomas, P., & Ross, J. V. (2019). A Y-chromosome shredding gene drive for controlling pest vertebrate populations. eLife, 8, e41873-1-e41873-19.
Scopus18 WoS18 Europe PMC122019 Arman, S. D., Prowse, T. A. A., Couzens, A. M. C., Ungar, P. S., & Prideaux, G. J. (2019). Incorporating intraspecific variation into dental microwear texture analysis. Journal of the Royal Society Interface, 16(153), 1-14.
Scopus7 WoS7 Europe PMC12018 Bradshaw, C., Prowse, T., Drew, M., Gillanders, B., Donnellan, S., & Huveneers, C. (2018). Predicting sustainable shark harvests when stock assessments are lacking. ICES Journal of Marine Science, 75(5), 1591-1601.
Scopus13 WoS152018 Bradshaw, C. J. A., Prowse, T. A. A., Drew, M., Gillanders, B. M., Donnellan, S. C., & Huveneers, C. (2018). Corrigendum: Predicting sustainable shark harvests when stock assessments are lacking(ICES Journal of Marine Science (2018) DOI: 10.1093/icesjms/fsy031). ICES Journal of Marine Science, 75(5), 1840.
WoS12018 Correll, R., Prowse, T., & Prideaux, G. (2018). Environmentally- and human-induced body-size responses in Macropus robustus and Macropus rufus, two widespread kangaroo species with largely overlapping distributions. Austral Ecology, 43(1), 13-24.
Scopus2 WoS12018 Jones, A., Doubleday, Z., Prowse, T., Wiltshire, K., Deveney, M., Ward, T., . . . Gillanders, B. (2018). Capturing expert uncertainty in spatial cumulative impact assessments. Scientific Reports, 8(1), 1469-1-1469-13.
Scopus9 WoS9 Europe PMC22018 Grey, E., Bernatchez, L., Cassey, P., Deiner, K., Deveney, M., Howland, K., . . . Lodge, D. (2018). Effects of sampling effort on biodiversity patterns estimated from environmental DNA metabarcoding surveys. Scientific Reports, 8(1), 10 pages.
Scopus61 WoS46 Europe PMC162018 Wilkins, K., Prowse, T., Cassey, P., Thomas, P., & Ross, J. (2018). Pest demography critically determines the viability of synthetic gene drives for population control. Mathematical Biosciences, 305, 160-169.
Scopus12 WoS13 Europe PMC62018 Barnett, L., Prowse, T., Peacock, D., Mutze, G., Sinclair, R., Kovaliski, J., . . . Bradshaw, C. (2018). Previous exposure to myxoma virus reduces survival of European rabbits during outbreaks of rabbit haemorrhagic disease. Journal of Applied Ecology, 55(6), 2954-2962.
Scopus8 WoS72018 Tatler, J., Cassey, P., & Prowse, T. (2018). High accuracy at low frequency: detailed behavioural classification from accelerometer data. Journal of Experimental Biology, 221(23), 184085-1-184085-8.
Scopus21 WoS21 Europe PMC112018 Prowse, T. A. A., Cassey, P., Ross, J. V., Pfitzner, C., Wittmann, T., & Thomas, P. (2018). Correction to: Dodging silver bullets: Good CRISPR gene-drive design is critical for eradicating exotic vertebrates (Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences (2017 ) 284 (20170799) DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2017.0799). Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 285(1888), 2 pages.
Scopus2 WoS2 Europe PMC22017 Prowse, T., Sewell, M., & Byrne, M. (2017). Three-stage lipid dynamics during development of planktotrophic echinoderm larvae. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 583, 149-161.
Scopus13 WoS132017 Prowse, T., Cassey, P., Ross, J., Pfitzner, C., Wittmann, T., & Thomas, P. (2017). Dodging silver bullets: good CRISPR gene-drive design is critical for eradicating exotic vertebrates.. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 284(1860), 20170799-1-20170799-10.
Scopus68 WoS72 Europe PMC342017 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.
Scopus14 WoS14 Europe PMC12016 Cope, R., Ross, J., Wittmann, T., Prowse, T., & Cassey, P. (2016). Integrative analysis of the physical transport network into Australia. PLoS One, 11(2), e0148831-1-e0148831-16.
Scopus10 WoS9 Europe PMC12016 Wells, K., O Hara, R., Cooke, B., Mutze, G., Prowse, T., & Fordham, D. (2016). Environmental effects and individual body condition drive seasonal fecundity of rabbits: identifying acute and lagged processes. Oecologia, 181(3), 853-864.
Scopus19 WoS19 Europe PMC72016 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.
Scopus17 WoS292016 Doubleday, Z., Prowse, T., Arkhipkin, A., Pierce, G., Semmens, J., Steer, M., . . . Gillanders, B. (2016). Global proliferation of cephalopods. Current Biology, 26(10), R406-R407.
Scopus151 WoS146 Europe PMC242016 Cunningham, C., Prowse, T., Masters, P., & Cassey, P. (2016). Home range, habitat suitability and population modelling of feral Indian peafowl (Pavo cristatus) on Kangaroo Island, South Australia. Australian Journal of Zoology, 64(2), 107-116.
Scopus2 WoS12016 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.
Scopus93 WoS862016 Correll, R., Prowse, T., & Prideaux, G. (2016). Lean-season primary productivity and heat dissipation as key drivers of geographic body-size variation in a widespread marsupial. Ecography, 39(1), 77-86.
Scopus8 WoS92015 Cope, R., Prowse, T., Ross, J., Wittmann, T., & Cassey, P. (2015). Temporal modelling of ballast water discharge and ship-mediated invasion risk to Australia. Royal Society Open Science, 2(4), 150039-1-150039-15.
Scopus19 WoS19 Europe PMC52015 Prowse, T., Gillanders, B., Brook, B., Fowler, A., Hall, K., Steer, M., . . . Fordham, D. (2015). Evidence for a broad-scale decline in giant Australian cuttlefish (Sepia apama) abundance from non-targeted survey data. Marine and Freshwater Research, 66(8), 692-700.
Scopus2 WoS22015 Prowse, T., Correll, R., Johnson, C., Prideaux, G., & Brook, B. (2015). Empirical tests of harvest-induced body-size evolution along a geographic gradient in Australian macropods. Journal of Animal Ecology, 84(1), 299-309.
Scopus6 WoS6 Europe PMC42015 Prowse, T., Johnson, C., Cassey, P., Bradshaw, C., & Brook, B. (2015). Ecological and economic benefits to cattle rangelands of restoring an apex predator. Journal of Applied Ecology, 52(2), 455-466.
Scopus40 WoS36 Europe PMC12014 Prowse, T., Johnson, C., Bradshaw, C., & Brook, B. (2014). An ecological regime shift resulting from disrupted predator-prey interactions in Holocene Australia. Ecology, 95(3), 693-702.
Scopus35 WoS39 Europe PMC182014 Cassey, P., Prowse, T., & Blackburn, T. (2014). A population model for predicting the successful establishment of introduced bird species. Oecologia, 175(1), 417-428.
Scopus29 WoS29 Europe PMC152013 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.
Scopus5 WoS52013 Blackburn, T., Prowse, T., Lockwood, J., & Cassey, P. (2013). Propagule pressure as a driver of establishment success in deliberately introduced exotic species: fact or artefact?. Biological Invasions, 15(7), 1459-1469.
Scopus46 WoS43 Europe PMC122013 Prowse, T., Johnson, C., Lacy, R., Bradshaw, C., Pollak, J., Watts, M., & Brook, B. (2013). No need for disease: Testing extinction hypotheses for the thylacine using multi-species metamodels. Journal of Animal Ecology, 82(2), 355-364.
Scopus34 WoS31 Europe PMC172012 Bradshaw, C., McMahon, C., Miller, P., Lacy, R., Watts, M., Verant, M., . . . Brook, B. (2012). Novel coupling of individual-based epidemiological and demographic models predicts realistic dynamics of tuberculosis in alien buffalo. Journal of Applied Ecology, 49(1), 268-277.
Scopus20 WoS20 Europe PMC82012 Prowse, T., & Byrne, M. (2012). Evolution of yolk protein genes in the Echinodermata. Evolution and Development, 14(2), 139-151.
Scopus16 WoS15 Europe PMC52012 Swanson, R., Byrne, M., Prowse, T., Mos, B., Dworjanyn, S., & Steinberg, P. (2012). Dissolved histamine: a potential habitat marker promoting settlement and metamorphosis in sea urchin larvae. Marine Biology, 159(4), 915-925.
Scopus37 WoS382011 Blackburn, T., Prowse, T., Lockwood, J., & Cassey, P. (2011). Passerine introductions to New Zealand support a positive effect of propagule pressure on establishment success. Biodiversity and Conservation, 20(10), 2189-2199.
Scopus29 WoS262011 Prowse, T., & Brook, B. (2011). Climate change, variability and conservation impacts in Australia. Pacific Conservation Biology, 17(3), 168-178.
Scopus82009 Prowse, T. A. A., Falkner, I., Sewell, M. A., & Byrne, M. (2009). Long-term storage lipids and developmental evolution in echinoderms. Evolutionary Ecology Research, 11(7), 1069-1083.
Scopus18 WoS162009 Soars, N., Prowse, T., & Byrne, M. (2009). Overview of phenotypic plasticity in echinoid larvae, 'Echinopluteus transversus' type vs. typical echinoplutei. Marine Ecology-Progress Series, 383, 113-125.
Scopus66 WoS672008 Prowse, T., Sewell, M., & Byrne, M. (2008). Fuels for development: evolution of maternal provisioning in asterinid sea stars. Marine Biology, 153(3), 337-349.
Scopus63 WoS622008 Byrne, M., Prowse, T., Sewell, M., Dworjanyn, S., Williamson, J., & Vaitilingon, D. (2008). Maternal provisioning for larvae and larval provisioning for juveniles in the toxopneustid sea urchin Tripneustes gratilla. Marine Biology, 155(5), 473-482.
Scopus59 WoS562008 Byrne, M., Sewell, M., & Prowse, T. (2008). Nutritional ecology of sea urchin larvae: influence of endogenous and exogenous nutrition on echinopluteal growth and phenotypic plasticity in Tripneustes gratilla. Functional Ecology, 22(4), 643-648.
Scopus61 WoS62 Europe PMC42006 Byrne, M., Sewell, M., Selvakumaraswamy, P., & Prowse, T. (2006). The larval apical organ in the Holothuroid Chiridota gigas (Apodida): Inferences on evolution of the ambulacrarian larval nervous system. Biological Bulletin, 211(2), 95-100.
Scopus10 WoS12 Europe PMC42005 Prowse, T., & Pile, A. (2005). Phenotypic homogeneity of two intertidal snails across a wave exposure gradient in South Australia. Marine Biology Research, 1(3), 176-185.
Scopus12 WoS14 -
Conference Papers
Year Citation 2015 Boardman, W. S. J., Bradshaw, C., Prowse, T., Crameri, G., Westcott, D., & Caraguel, C. (2015). What are fruit bats doing in my back yard? Researching the disease and ecological implications of Grey-headed flying foxes in South Australia.. In Proc of the WDA Conference. Maroochydore, Australia. -
Conference Items
Year Citation 2015 Boardman, W., Bradshaw, C., Prowse, T., Crameri, G., Westcott, D., & Caraguel, C. G. (2015). What are fruit bats doing in my back yard? Researching the disease and ecological implications of Grey-headed flying foxes in South Australia. Poster session presented at the meeting of International Wildlife Disease Association Conference. Sunshine Coast, Australia. -
Report for External Bodies
Year Citation 2016 Gillanders, B. M., Ward, T. M., Bailleul, F., Cassey, P., Deveney, M. R., Doubleday, Z. A., . . . Wiltshire, K. H. (2016). Spencer Gulf Ecosystem and Development Initiative. Developing knowledge and tools to inform integrated management of Spencer Gulf: Case study on shipping and ports.. Adelaide.
-
Current Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)
Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name 2021 Principal Supervisor Investigation into the Reproductive Success and Survival Rates of the Southern Bent-wing Bat Master of Philosophy Master Full Time Miss Nicola Bail 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
Connect With Me
External Profiles
