Dr Dwyer is an ecologist interested in the environmental and behavioural drivers for movement and space utilisation among animals, particularly aquatic vertebrates. His research is primarily field-based, where he uses emergent technologies such as satellite and acoustic telemetry to gain new insights into how animals behave and interact within their natural environment.
The underlying emphasis and direction of his research program is to understand the mechanisms driving habitat selection and migration, where the information gained can be used to help identify and mitigate human-wildlife conflict.
This includes:
- identifying critical habitats for crocodiles, turtles, and sawfishes
- creating more effective protected areas for sharks and rays
- quantifying environmental flows required to facilitate fish passage between rivers and estuaries
- measuring disturbance impacts on seabird and shorebird populations
Useful links
Follow Dr Ross Dwyer on Twitter
Follow Dr Ross Dwyer on Google Scholar
Visit www.zoatrack.org
Refer to https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1136-5489
*These are external websites and the University of the Sunshine Coast is not responsible for the content.
Potential Research Projects for HDR and Honours Students
- Spatial ecology of euryhaline teleosts, sharks and rays
- Spatial ecology of estuarine crocodiles
- Spatial ecology of freshwater turtles
Current Research Grants
|
Project Name |
Investigator/s |
Funding Body/$ |
Year(s) of Operation |
Focus Statement |
| Movement ecology of elasmobranches |
Dr Ross Dwyer Prof Craig Franklin |
Rio Tinto Aluminium Ltd | 2017-2020 | Through a concurrent part-time appointment with the University of Queensland, Dr Dwyer also leads a tracking program that seeks to gain new insights into the movement ecology of threatened sawfishes and river sharks in the eastern Gulf of Carpentaria. |
Research areas
- Movement ecology
- Animal behaviour
- Marine conservation
- Disturbance ecology
- Human-wildlife conflict
Dr Ross Dwyer is a Lecturer in Animal Ecology.
Teaching areas
Dwyer, R.G., Campbell, H.A., Cramp, R.L., Burke, C.L., Micheli-Campbell, M.A., Pillans, R.D., Lyon, B.J., Franklin, C.E., In Press, Niche partitioning between river shark species is driven by seasonal fluctuations in environmental salinity. Functional Ecology
Dwyer, R.G., Krueck, N.C., Udyawer, V., Heupel, M.R., Chapman, D., Pratt, H.L., Garla, R., Simpfendorfer, C.A., 2020, Individual and population benefits of marine reserves for reef sharks. Current Biology, 30, 480-489.e5 doi:10.1016/j.cub.2019.12.005
Dwyer, R.G., Campbell, H.A., Pillans, R.D., Watts, M.E., Lyon, B.J., Guru, S.M., Possingham, H.P., Franklin, C.E., 2019, Using individual‐based movement information to identify spatial conservation priorities for mobile species. Conservation Biology, 33, 1426-1437
Baker, C.J., Franklin, C.E., Campbell, H.A., Irwin, T.R., Dwyer, R.G., 2019, Ontogenetic shifts in the nesting behaviour of female crocodiles. Oecologia, 189, 891-904 doi:10.1007/s00442-019-04382-4
Reynolds, S.D., Norman, B.M., Beger, M., Franklin, C.E., Dwyer, R.G., 2017, Movement, distribution and marine reserve use by an endangered migratory giant. Diversity and Distributions, 23, 1268-1279 doi:10.1111/ddi.12618
Dr Ross Dwyer's specialist areas of knowledge include: • Migration ecology, habitat use and foraging behaviour of aquatic predators • Using technology to help quantify disturbance impacts on wildlife • Large database management and data visualisation • Methods for modelling animal movement • Crocodile ecology • Freshwater turtle ecology