Dr Jill Shephard
B.Ed (UTas), BSc - Hons (Griffith Uni), PhD (Griffith Uni)

My particular research interest is movement ecology and understanding and identifying the drivers of species spatial distributions. I also have strong interests in ecophysiology and ecotoxicology and use a range of genetic, satellite and gps tracking, and chemical markers to investigate population distribution. To date I have studied the effects of colonisation, reintroduction, translocation, migration and scale on genetic and spatial arrangements of wild populations including: freshwater and terrestrial invertebrates, mammals, amphibians and avian species, particularly raptors, cockatoos and seabirds. Increasingly, this has involved looking at these distributions from the perspective of human modified land and seascapes with particular reference to the effects of climate and ecosystem quality to answer applied questions in wildlife conservation and ecology with a strong emphasis on the translation of research outcomes to inform industry and government policy formulation.

I currently teach in:

• ENV637 – Advanced Protected Area Management
• ENV527 – Environmental Science Topics
• ENV526 – Advanced Ecology
• ENV241 – Ecology

Past teaching

• BIO313 – Forensic DNA Analysis
• BIO212 – Genetic Engineering
• BIO372 – Genetics and Evolution
• ENV529 – Advanced Environmental Science Topics
• ENV511 – Aquatic Ecology
• ENV268 – Ecology
• BIO215 – Bodies of Evidence

I have a diverse range of research interests. Usually these fall within the areas of:

• Conservation Genetics/Population Genetics
• Landscape Genetics
• Avian Conservation
• Spatial Ecology and Demography
• Avian Ecotoxicology

My current projects revolve around a number of avian and mammal projects, some of which are being led by research students (see the link below). They can be loosely categorised under the following headings:

• The use of remotely sensed data in seabird nest identification.
• Landscape genetic analysis in a range of species including Tasmanian Wedgetailed eagles and Sulawesi Ungulate species.
• Conservation genetic and ecotoxicology studies in Sea Eagle species in Australia and Borneo.
• The development of novel ecotoxicology tools for the study of contamination in seabirds.
• Aging studies in Seabird species.
• Satellite tracking in a range of species including Seabirds, European White Stork and Black Cockatoos.
• Population genetics and mate choice studies in European White Stork and Eurasian Black Vultures.

Assoc. Prof. Rob Trengove – Murdoch University, AUSTRALIA– Ecotoxicology studies and method development in avian species. 

Dr Kristin Warren – Murdoch University, AUSTRALIA – Satellite Tracking and associated studies in a range of avian species including Black Cockatoos and Malleefowl

Dr Nic Dunlop – Conservation Council of Western Australia – Various Seabird projects

Dr Margaret Andrew – Murdoch University, AUSTRALIA – Nest site modelling in raptor species, marine subsidies, landscape genetics.

Assoc. Prof. Thomas Schlacher - University of the Sunshine Coast, AUSTRALIA – Raptor studies in nearshore and coastal ecosystems.

Dr Peter Galbusera – Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp, BELGIUM – Population Genetics in European White Stork.

Prof. Dr Poitr Tryjanowski – Adam Mickiewicz University, POLAND – Population Genetics in European White Stork.

Dr Jose Aguirre – Universidad Complutense de Madrid, SPAIN – Modelling Breeding Success in the European White Stork.

Dr Jennie Chaplin – Murdoch University, AUSTRALIA – Msat variation in White-bellied Sea Eagle.

Prof. Erik Matthysen – University of Antwerp, BELGIUM – Population Genetics in Eurasian Black Vulture.

Prof.  Michael Bruford – Cardiff School of Biosciences, Cardiff Univ. UK – Phylogeography and population genetics of Okapi using museum samples.

SEA EAGLE (Systematic Environmental Assessment, Eagles Assess Global & Local Ecosystems) – Core Research Member – International Working Group comprised of leading Haliaeetus researchers globally.

SULAWESI UNGULATES SPECIALIST RESEARCH CONSORTIUM – Core research member – Role as: Conservation and Landscape Genetics Specialist – International Working Group.

Dr Oliver Krone – Liebniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin, GERMANY – Avian Olfaction. Sea Eagles as biosentinels in Sabah, Borneo.

Dr Judy Shamoun-Baranes – University of Amsterdam, THE NETHERLANDS –  Summer home range use and satellite tracking in the European White Stork in Flanders, Belgium

Prof. Dr. Willem Bouten – University of Amsterdam, THE NETHERLANDS –  Satellite tracking studies in seabird species.

Dr Britta Denise Hardesty – CSIRO – Ecotoxicology studies in seabird species

I-STORG (Interdisciplinary Stork Research Group) – Core research member – European working group.

Dr Robert Browne – Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp, BELGIUM – Population Genetics in a Salamander species in Iran.

Dr Lenny Van Erp  - University of Applied Sciences – Has Den Bosch, THE NETHERLANDS – Satellite tracking in the European White Stork.

a.      PhDs

2015 – current     Sam Rycken (Murdoch University). Human wildlife conflict in urban ecology: defining a mutually beneficial approach to conservation management in black cockatoos (Principal Supervisor, co-supervisor Dr K. Warren).

2013 – current     Lian Yeap (Murdoch University). Landscape scale impacts on health and persistence of three endangered Black Cockatoo species in southwest Western Australia, a global biodiversity hotspot. (Co-supervisor, Principal Supervisor: Dr K. Warren)

b.      PhDs – overseas

2009 – current     Katya Wolfram (University of Antwerp, Belgium). The genetics of mate choice & patterns of adaptive variation in the European Black Vulture (Aegypius monachus) (Co-supervisor, Primary supervisors: Dr P Galbusera – RZSA, Belgium; Professor Erik Matthysen – University of Antwerp)

2011 – current     Hiva Fazi (Razi University, Iran and Kunming University, China). The conservation genetics of the Kurdistan newt (Neurergus microspilotus) and the Loristan newt (N. kaiseri) (Co-supervisor, Primary supervisors: Dr RK Browne RZSA, Belgium; Dr Narullah Rastegar-Pouyani – Razi University; Dr Mozafar Sharifi – Razi University).

c.      Finalised

2014                 Shannon Clohessy (Murdoch University) – Coursework Masters - An analysis of dietary breadth and foraging habitat among West Australian island populations of the White-bellied Sea Eagle (Principal Supervisor)

2013                 Robyn Pryor (Murdoch University) – Honours (1st Class) - A Novel System for Detecting Toxin Levels in Avian Species: Gulls on Penguin Island (WA), a Test Case. (Primary supervisor, co-supervisor Associate Professor Robert Trengove – Murdoch University).

2012- 2014       Stuart Venables (Murdoch University) – Honours Candidate - Is a secondary colonisation route into Australia driving low level genetic structure in the iconic Australian raptor species, the White-bellied Sea-Eagle Haliaeetus leucogaster? (Primary supervisor, co-supervisor Dr Jennie Chaplin – Murdoch University.

2012                 Charlotte Rowley (Murdoch University) – Independent Study Unit –  Epigenetics in captive breeding programmes: implications for inbreeding depression. (Primary Supervisor)

2011                 Sam Rycken – Masters Dissertation – Changes in migration phenology in the European White Stork Ciconia ciconia – A study using long-term satellite tracking data. KMDA-CRC, Writtle College/University of Essex, UK; University of Applied Sciences-Has Den Bosch, The Netherlands). Primary Supervisor.

2009 – 2010      Matthias Papies -  Masters Candidate –  Breeding success in a reintroduced population of European White Stork Ciconia ciconia modelled with respect to environmental factors (Masters Thesis – Wageningen University, The Netherlands).

2009                Liesbeth Verboven – Professional Bachelor – Genotyping in the European White Stork (Ciconia ciconia) and the optimalisation of Multilplex PCR – PART II                 (Professionele Bachelor in de Chemie – Karel de Grote Hogeschool, Katholielke Hogeschool Antwerpen, Belgium).

2008                Yasmina Ahkandhaf – Professional Bachelor – Genotyping in the European White Stork (Ciconia ciconia) and the optimalisation of Multilplex PCR – PART I                  (Professionele Bachelor in de Chemie – Karel de Grote Hogeschool, Katholielke Hogeschool Antwerpen, Belgium).

Peer Reviewed Papers

Kozakiewicz C. P., Carver S., Austin J. J., Shephard J. M. & Burridge C. P. (2017) Intrinsic factors drive spatial genetic variation in a highly vagile species, the wedge‐tailed eagle (Aquila audax), in Tasmania. J. Avian Biol. doi:10.1111/jav.01326

Andrew M. E. & Shephard J. M. (2017) Semi-automated detection of eagle nests: an application of very high-resolution image data and advanced image analyses to wildlife surveys. Remote Sensing in Ecology and Conservation, doi:10.1002/rse2.38.

Yeap L., Shephard J. M., Bouten W., Jackson B., Vaughan-Higgins R. J. & Warren K. (2017) Development of a tag-attachment method to enable capture of fine- and landscape-scale movement in black-cockatoos. Australian Field Ornithology 34, 49-55.

Bracko A., Galbusera P., Höfle U., King C., Shephard J. M. & Noguera C. (2016) A European Treasure: the fortunes of the white stork have improved significantly in recent years thanks to a wide variety of conservation activities. Zooquaria 95, 16-7.

Yeap L, Shephard JM, Le Souef A, Holyoake C, Dawson R, Groom C, Kirkby T, Mawson P, Warren K. (2015) Satellite tracking of rehabilitated wild Baudin’s cockatoos, Calyptorhynchus baudinii: a feasibility trial to track forest black cockatoos. Pacific Conservation Biology, 21: 163-167.

Shephard JM, Rycken S, Almalik O, Struyf K, Van Erp-van der Kooij L (2015) Migration strategies revealed by satellite tracking among descendants of a population of European white stork (Ciconia ciconia) reintroduced to Belgium. Journal of Ornithology. doi:10.1007/s10336-015-1204-7

Stanton D, Helsen P, Shephard JM, Leus K, Hart J, , Kümpel N, Ewen J, Wang J, Galbusera P, Bruford M.  (2015) Genetic structure of captive and free ranging okapi (Okapia johnstoni) with implications for management. Conservation Genetics. doi 10.1007/s10592-015-0726-0

Stanton D, Hart J, Galbusera P, Helsen P, Shephard J.M.,Kümpel N, Ewen J, Bruford M. (2014) Distinct and diverse: range-wide phylogeography reveals ancient lineages and high genetic variation in the endangered Okapi (Okapia johnstoni). PLos One 9(7): e101081. (IF: 4.24)

Gabric A, Qu B, Rotstayn LD, Shephard JM (2013) Global simulations of the impact on contemporary climate of a perturbation to the sea-to-air flux of dimethylsulfide. Australian Meteorological and Oceanographic Journal. 63(3): 365-376.

Shephard, J. M., Ogden, R., Tryjanowski, P., Olsson, O. and Galbusera, P. (2013), Is population structure in the European white stork determined by flyway permeability rather than translocation history? Ecology and Evolution. 3(35): 4881-4895. doi: 10.1002/ece3.845

Shephard, J. M., P. Galbusera, et al. (2009) Isolation and characterization of a new suite of microsatellite markers in the European White Stork, Ciconia ciconia. Conservation Genetics: Published Online: 9 January 2009; DOI 10.1007/s10592-008-9784-x

Shephard, J.M., Hughes,J.M., Catterall,C.P.& Olsen, P.D. (2005) Conservation status of the White-bellied Sea-Eagle Haliaeetus leucogaster in Australia using mtDNA control region sequence data. Conservation Genetics. Conservation Genetics 6, 413-429.

Shephard, J.M., Catterall, C.P. & Hughes, J.M. (2005) Long-term variation in the distribution of the White-bellied Sea-Eagle across Australia. Austral Ecology 30, 131-145.

Gabric, A.J., Shephard, J.M., Knight, J. and Jones, G (2005) Correlations between the satellite-derived seasonal cycles of phytoplankton biomass and aerosol optical depth in the Southern Ocean: Evidence for the influence of sea ice. Global Biogeochemical Cycles 19, GB4018, doi:10.1029/2005GB002546..

Shephard, J.M., Catterall, C.P. & Hughes, J.M. (2004)  Discrimination of sex in the White-bellied Sea-Eagle Haliaeetus leucogaster using genetic and morphometric techniques. Emu: Austral Ornithology 104 (1), 83-87.

Shephard, J.M., Hughes,J.M. and Zalucki, M.P. (2002) Genetic Variation between Australian and North American Populations of the Monarch Butterfly Danaus plexippus L. (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae): An exploration using Allozyme Electrophoresis. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 75, 437-452.

Shephard, J.M. (2002) Raptors of the World. (Book Review) Emu: Austral Ornithology 102, 211

Wiersma, J., Nermut, W. and Shephard, J.M. (2001) A Variation on the “Noosed Fish” method and its application to catching the White Bellied Sea Eagle Haliaeetus leucogaster. Corella 25(4), 97-99.

Conference Oral Presentations/Posters and Invited Talks

Oral

Shephard J.M and Andrew M (2013) A novel approach to nest site modelling: White-bellied Sea-Eagle Haliaeetus leucogaster nest ditribution captured through remote sense imagery. Austrlasian Raptor Conference – Raptors in a Changing Landscape. Adelaide Zoo, South Australia 10-11 August 2013

Larsen G, Galbusera P, Burton J, Barnett R, Allen R, Linderholm A, Frantz L, Hillyer M, Shephard J, Leus K, Shaw D, Gillemot S, Obbels D, Ogle S, Damayanti S, Hulme-Beaman A, Djuwati I, McDonald A (2013) A Genetic Evaluation of Three Indigenous Mammals of Sulawesi. SAGE 2013 – 2nd Southeast Asian Gateway Evolution Meeting March 11-15, 2013, Berlin, Germany.

McDonald A, Hulme-Beaman A, Kurniawan I, Evin A, Johansen F, Kitchener A, Nugraha T, Agungpriyono S, Saili T, Glabusera P, Leus K, Burton J, Shephard J, Larson G, Shaw D (2013) The Morphometric Variation of Three Sulawesi Ungulates. SAGE 2013 – 2nd Southeast Asian Gateway Evolution Meeting March 11-15, 2013, Berlin, Germany.

Galbusera P, Leus K, Burton J, McDonald A, Ogle S, Djuwita I, Kusdiantoro M, Damayanti S, Kitchener A, Shephard J, Hillyer M, Shaw D, Larson G. (2013) The Conservation Genetics of 3 Sulawesi Ungulates. SAGE 2013 – 2nd Southeast Asian Gateway Evolution Meeting March 11-15, 2013, Berlin, Germany.

Shephard J.M. (2012) Population and Landscape Genetics|Spatial Modelling|Ecotoxicology – Lightening Talks, Murdoch University, Perth Australia. 16th December 2012.

Shephard J.M, Ogden R, Tryjanowski P, Olsson O, Galbusera P (2012) Unravelling the effects of translocation history versus population decline on a widespread migrant: The case of the European White Stork. European Congress of Conservation Biology (ECB) 28 August – 1 September, Glasgow, UK

Wolfram K, Galbusera P, Shephard J, Pereboom Z , Matthysen E (2012) Modern-day matchmaking in a species of conservation concern, the Eurasian Black Vulture, Aegypius monachus. European Congress of Conservation Biology (ECB) 28 August – 1 September, Glasgow, UK.

Wolfram K, Galbusera P, Shephard J, Pereboom Z , Matthysen E (2012) Modern-day matchmaking in a species of conservation concern, the Eurasian Black Vulture, Aegypius monachus. EAZA Annual Meeting, 25-29 September 2012, Innsbruck, Austria.

Shephard, J.M., Ogdon, R., Tryjanowski, P., Olsson, O., Galbusera, P., (2011) Unravelling the effects of translocation history versus population decline on a widespread migrant: The case of the European White Stork. 5th CRC Symposium, Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp, Belgium, 10^th November 2011.

Rycken, S., Shephard, J.M., Van Erp, L., (2011) Tracking the western white stork: patterns and process. 5th CRC Symposium, Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp, Belgium, 10^th November 2011

Shephard, J.M., Ogdon, R., Tryjanowski, P., Olsson, O., Galbusera, P., (2011) Unravelling the effects of translocation history versus population decline on a widespread migrant: The case of the European White Stork. Invited Speaker – at the European Ornithological Union meeting, August 2011, Latvia

 Shephard, J.M., Ogdon, R., Tryjanowski, P., Olsson, O., Galbusera, P., (2011) An evaluation of the reintroduction of European White Stork to Western Europe.  8th International Conference on Behaviour, Physiology and Genetics of Wildlife – IZW, Berlin, September 2011.

Wolfram, K. Galbusera, P. Shephard, J.M. Pereboom, Z.J. (2011)   Modern-day matchmaking in a monogamous raptor species of conservation concern, the Eurasian Black Vulture, Aegypius monachus. 8th International Conference on Behaviour, Physiology and Genetics of Wildlife – IZW, Berlin, September 2011.

Bowerman, W., Shephard, J.M., MacClennan, A., Bridges, W., Hellander, B., Best, D., Virani, M., Nye, P., Thorstrom, R., Grubb, T., Masterov, V., (2011) Utilizing Over 50 Years of Sea Eagle Research for Global Climate Change Monitoring and Assessment. To be presented at Workshop: Adaptation To Climate From A Spatial Perspective’, Lammi Biological Station, University of Helsinki, Finland11-14 September 2011.

Shephard, J.M. (2011) Genetics of Reintroduced Populations: Panmixia in the European White Stork – A case of opportunistic reintroduction or dispersal opportunism.  Invited Case study in Masters in Conservation Biology (Subject Code: MBIO1043 – University of Antwerp 25 March 2011

Shephard, J.M. (2011) SEA EAGLE – Specialist Working Group Meeting. Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, Feb 27-March 5 201.

Shephard, J.M. (2010) Landscape Genetics – An introduction…. – Invited Speaker – CRC training seminar, Zoo Antwerpen, 25^th June 2010.

Shephard, J.M. (2010) Active Conservation: The state of research into the White-bellied Sea Eagle in Australia – Invited Speaker for the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW), Germany, 12 August 2010.

Shephard J.M. Pereboom Z.J., (2009) Ooievaars Zonder Grenzen: de populatie na de herintroductie projecten bekeken op een Europese schaal – Update. CRC-Symposium, Zoo Antwerpen, 20 November 2009.

Shephard, J.M., Hughes,J.M., Catterall,C.P.& Olsen, P.D. (2009) Contemporary Status of the White-Bellied Sea Eagle in Australia: A Tale of Many Scales. Raptor Research Foundation Annual Conference 2009 – Pitlochry, Scotland UK.

Pereboom Z.J., Shephard J.M. (2009) Ooievaars Zonder Grenzen: de populatie na de herintroductie projecten bekeken op een Europese schaal. Landelijke Ooievaarsdag April 16 2009, Eernewoude, The Netherlands.

Shephard J.M. (2008) Panmixia in the European White Stork: a case of opportunistic reintroduction or dispersal opportunism. CRC-Symposium, Zoo Antwerpen, 5 December 2008.

Shephard J.M. (2008) Is it real? The east-west divide explained. Landscape Genetics Workshop October 20-23 2008, Grenoble, France.

Shephard J.M. (2001) Molecular Ecology meets GIS – How useful are these tools in answering applied conservation Questions? A case study: The White-bellied Sea Eagle. Invited Speaker – Faculty Seminar Series – Queensland University of Technology. Brisbane, QLD, Australia.

Shephard J.M (2000) Conservation Priorities for the White-bellied Sea-Eagle (Haliaeetus leucogaster) as determined by Genetics and Habitat Modelling. The Griffith University Postgraduate Symposium. Gold Coast Campus – QLD, Australia.

Poster

Andrew, M.E. and Shephard J.M. (2014). Seascape ecology of nest site selection by white-bellied sea eagles.  Annual Symposium of the United States Regional Association of the International Association for Landscape Ecology.  May 18-22, 2014.  Anchorage, AK, USA.

Warren K, Le Souef A, Shephard J, Yeap L, Holyoake C, Claver M, Finn H, Dawson R, Groom C, Mawson P, Vitali S, Kirkby T. (2012) Carnaby’s Black-Cockatoo 2013 Symposium, WA Conservation Science Centre, Dept of Environment and Conservation, Perth, Western Australia. 19th Feb 2012

Wolfram, K. Galbusera, P. Shephard, J.M. Pereboom, Z.J. (2011)   Modern-day matchmaking in a monogamous raptor species of conservation concern, the Eurasian Black Vulture, Aegypius monachus. 12^th Meeting on Chemical Signals in Vertebrates, 28^th-31^st August 2011, Berlin, Germany.

Wolfram, K. Galbusera, P. Shephard, J.M. Pereboom, Z.J. Matthysen,E. (2010) Mate Choice and Patterns of Adaptive Variation in Eurasian Black Vultures (Aegypius monachus). European Scientific Foundation (ESF) Next Generation Sequencing Meeting, Leiden, The Netherlands August|September 2010.

Shephard J.M., Galbusera P.H.A. (2009) Artificial Dispersal? The Story of a Cyclic Migrant – The European White Stork (Ciconia ciconia). 4th meeting of the International Dispersal workgroup 14-15^th Sept 2009, Gent, Belgium.

Wolfram K., Shephard J.M., Galbusera P.H.A., Pereboom Z.P (2009) Matchmaking in the Eurasian Black Vulture (Aegypius monachus): Understanding mate choice and patterns of adaptive variation in a raptor species. An assessment using genetic analysis and behaviour observations.  EAZA Conference 2009 – Copenhagen.  

Shephard, J.M., Hughes,J.M., Catterall,C.P.& Olsen, P.D. (2003) Conservation status of the White-Bellied Sea-Eagle Haliaeetus leucogaster in Australia determined using mtDNA control region sequence data. XIX International Congress of Genetics, Brisbane, Australia.

Shephard, J.M., Hughes,J.M., Catterall,C.P.& Olsen, P.D. (2000) Conservation Priorities for the White Bellied Sea Eagle (Haliaeetus leucogaster) as Determined by Habitat Modelling and Genetic Analysis. The Southern Hemisphere Ornithology Conference 2000 – Griffith  University, Brisbane, Australia.

Shephard, J.M., Hughes,J.M., Catterall,C.P.& Olsen, P.D. (2000) Genetic Structure Within The Australian Range of The White Bellied Sea Eagle (Haliaeetus Leucogaster) and Implications for its Future Management.The National Postgraduate Conference for Ecology Evolution and Systematics 2000, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia.

Shephard, J.M., Hughes,J.M., Catterall,C.P.& Olsen, P.D. (1999) Genetic Structure Within The Australian Range Of The White Bellied Sea Eagle (Haliaeetus Leucogaster) and Implications For Its Future Management. Combined meeting of the Society for Molecular Biology & Evolution and The Genetics Society of Australia 1999 – Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia.

 Popular Science Publications – Communicating Science to the Public

Shephard J.M. , Pereboom, J (2011) Storks in the spotlight – 20 years of research comes to an end. The Zoo Magazine (in publication – Sept Edition) Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp, Antwerp. (In Flemish – Official Publication for the Public).

Shephard J.M. Sea Eagles as climate monitors ZOO zit dat! 3 May 2011– Antwerp Zoo Blog, http://www.zooresearch.be/?page=news&nid=941

Wolfram, K., Shephard J. (2009) Gierende Hormonen (Hormones raging) ZOO zit dat! 23 October 2009- Antwerp Zoo Blog, http://crc-sciblog.blogspot.com/2009/10/de-juiste-partner-vinden-is-niet-enkel.html

Shephard J., Pereboom J. (2008) Een fantastische start van het seizoen (A Fantastic Start to the Season). The Zoo Magazine 74:33, Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp, Antwerp. (In Flemish – Official Publication for the Public).

Pereboom J., Shephard J. (2008) Ooievaars (European White Stork). ZOO zit dat! 21 December 2008 – Antwerp Zoo Blog, http://crc-sciblog.blogspot.com/2008/12/ooievaars.html

Media – Television | Newspaper

12/06/2008 – Ooievaars in Planckendael (European White Stork in Planckendael, the banding and nesting season 2008), RTV Niews – Belgium.

Buitenlandse zoölogen leren bij in onze dierentuin: de job is me op het lijf geschreven (Overseas researchers in the zoo: The job fits me like a glove), Gazet van Antwerpen, Dinsdag 15 December 2009.