Dr Benjamin Scheele
Areas of expertise
- Ecology 0602
- Population Ecology 060207
- Terrestrial Ecology 060208
- Evolutionary Biology 0603
- Landscape Ecology 050104
- Life Histories 060308
Research interests
I am an ecologist currently leading research across five broad topics: the macroecology of declining species, threatened species adaptive management and monitoring, biodiversity in farmland, farm dam management, and amphibian ecology. I emphasise testing and refining ecological theory, while also working closely with conservation practitioners to inform management.
I have conducted extensive research on amphibian ecology, and in particular, the impacts of the devastating disease, chytridiomycosis, on the world’s amphibians. My research in this area is aligned with informing the development of effective management strategies to prevent population declines and species extinctions.
Where needed, I use a mix of population and landscape ecology to better understand patterns of threat distribution. I also use landscape ecology approaches to investigate the occurrence of wildlife in human-modified landscapes and have conducted research in farmland regions in south-eastern Australia, and the traditional rural landscapes of Transylvania, Romania.
Biography
2011-2014 PhD Ecology
Australian National University
2015 Postdoctoral Fellow
James Cook University
2016 – ongoing Postdoctoral Fellow
2021-2023 ARC DECRA Fellow
Australian National University
Researcher's projects
I have several projects investigating the population ecology of declining amphibians in south-eastern Australia impacted by chytrid fungus; a key global threat to amphibians. My current research focuses on investigating how the emergence of pathogens can alter host life-history, as well as amphibian demography and realised niche. An overarching question is why some species, and some populations of declined species, persist following the emergence of chytrid fungus, while others become extinct?
Publications
- Lindenmayer, D, Blanchard, W, Blair, D et al. 2021, 'The response of arboreal marsupials to long-term changes in forest disturbance', Animal Conservation, vol. 24, no. 2, pp. 246-258.
- Kelleher, S, Scheele, B, Silla, A et al. 2021, 'Disease influences male advertisement and mating outcomes in a critically endangered amphibian', Animal Behaviour, vol. 173, pp. 145-157.
- Banks, S, Scheele, B, Macris, A et al. 2020, 'Chytrid fungus infection in alpine tree frogs is associated with individual heterozygosity and population isolation but not population‑genetic diversity', Frontiers of Biogeography, vol. 12, no. 1, pp. 1-14.
- Evans, M, Scheele, B, Westgate, M et al. 2020, 'Beyond the pond: Terrestrial habitat use by frogs in a changing climate', Biological Conservation, vol. 249, pp. 1-11.
- Lindenmayer, D, Woinarski, J, Legge, S et al. 2020, 'A checklist of attributes for effective monitoring of threatened species and threatened ecosystems', Journal of Environmental Management, vol. 262, 110312.
- Scheele, B, Legge, S, Blanchard, W et al. 2019, 'Continental-scale assessment reveals inadequate monitoring for threatened vertebrates in a megadiverse country', Biological Conservation, vol. 235, pp. 273-278.
- Scheele, B, Pasmans, F, Skerratt, L et al 2019, 'Amphibian fungal panzootic causes catastrophic and ongoing loss of biodiversity', Science, vol. 363, no. 6434, pp. 1459-1463pp.
- Michael, D, Blanchard, W, Scheele, B et al 2019, 'Comparative use of active searches and artificial refuges to detect amphibians in terrestrial environments', Austral Ecology, vol. 44, no. 2, pp. 327-338.
- Driscoll, D, Worboys, G, Allan, H et al 2019, 'Impacts of feral horses in the Australian Alps and evidence-based solutions', Ecological Management and Restoration, vol. 20, no. 1, pp. 63-72.
- Scheele, B, Legge, S, Armstrong, D et al 2018, 'How to improve threatened species management: An Australian perspective', Journal of Environmental Management, vol. 223, pp. 668-675.
- Canessa, S, Bozzuto, C, Grant, E et al. 2018, 'Decision-making for mitigating wildlife diseases: From theory to practice for an emerging fungal pathogen of amphibians', Journal of Applied Ecology, vol. 55, no. 4, pp. 1987-1996.
- Brannelly, L, Clemann, N, Skerratt, L et al 2018, 'Investigating community disease dynamics can lead to more effective conservation efforts', Animal Conservation, vol. 21, no. 2, pp. 108-109.
- Robinson, N, Scheele, B, Legge, S et al. 2018, 'How to ensure threatened species monitoring leads to threatened species conservation', Ecological Management and Restoration, vol. 19, no. 3, pp. 222-229pp.
- Grogan, L, Cashins, S, Skerratt, L et al 2018, 'Evolution of resistance to chytridiomycosis is associated with a robust early immune response', Molecular Ecology, vol. 27, no. 4, pp. 919-934pp.
- Grogan, L, Robert, J, Berger, L et al. 2018, 'Review of the amphibian immune response to chytridiomycosis, and future directions', Frontiers in Immunology, vol. 9, no. 2536.
- Grogan, L, Mulvenna, J, Gummer, J et al. 2018, 'Survival, gene and metabolite responses of Litoria verreauxii alpina frogs to fungal disease chytridiomycosis', Scientific Data, vol. 5.
- Lindenmayer, D, Wood, J, MacGregor, C et al 2018, 'Conservation conundrums and the challenges of managing unexplained declines of multiple species', Biological Conservation, vol. 221, pp. 279-292pp.
- Lindenmayer, D, Lane, P, Westgate, M et al. 2018, 'Tests of predictions associated with temporal changes in Australian bird populations', Biological Conservation, vol. 222, pp. 212-221.
- Brannelly, L, Webb, R, Hunter, D et al 2018, 'Non-declining amphibians can be important reservoir hosts for amphibian chytrid fungus', Animal Conservation, vol. 21, no. 2, pp. 91-101pp.
- Westgate, M, MacGregor, C, Scheele, B et al 2018, 'Effects of time since fire on frog occurrence are altered by isolation, vegetation and fire frequency gradients', Diversity and Distributions, vol. 24, no. 1, pp. 82-91.
- Legge, S, Lindenmayer, D, Robinson, N et al., eds, 2018, Monitoring Threatened Species and Ecological Communities, CSIRO Publishing, Victoria.
- Lindenmayer, D, Burns, E, Dickman, C et al. 2017, 'Save Australia's ecological research', Science, vol. 357, no. 6351, pp. 557-557.
- Scheele, B, Foster, C, Banks, S et al 2017, 'The Role of Biotic Interactions in the Niche Reduction Hypothesis: A Reply to Doherty and Driscoll', Trends in Ecology and Evolution, vol. 33, no. 3, pp. 148-149pp.
- Scheele, B, Hunter, D, Brannelly, L et al 2017, 'Reservoir-host amplification of disease impact in an endangered amphibian', Conservation Biology, vol. 31, no. 3, pp. 592-600pp.
- Scheele, B, Foster, C, Banks, S et al 2017, 'Niche Contractions in Declining Species: Mechanisms and Consequences', Trends in Ecology and Evolution, vol. 32, no. 5, pp. 346-355.
- Scheele, B, Hunter, D, Brannelly, L et al. 2017, 'Reservoir-host amplification of disease impact in an endangered amphibian', Conservation Biology, vol. 31, no. 3, pp. 592-600pp.
- Lindenmayer, D & Scheele, B 2017, 'Do not publish', Science, vol. 356, no. 6340, pp. 800-801.
- Scheele, B, Skerratt, L, Hunter, D et al. 2017, 'Disease-associated change in an amphibian life-history trait', Oecologia, vol. 184, no. 4, pp. 825-833.
- Lindenmayer, D, Ehmke, G & Scheele, B 2017, 'Publish openly but responsibly--Response', Science, vol. 357, no. 6347, pp. 142pp..
- Scheele, B, Skerratt, L, Grogan, L et al 2017, 'After the epidemic: Ongoing declines, stabilizations and recoveries in amphibians afflicted by chytridiomycosis', Biological Conservation, vol. 206, pp. 37-46.
- Brannelly, L, Hunter, D, Skerratt, L et al 2016, 'Chytrid infection and post-release fitness in the reintroduction of an endangered alpine tree frog', Animal Conservation, vol. 19, no. 2, pp. 153-162.
- Grogan, L, Phillott, A, Scheele, B et al 2016, 'Endemicity of chytridiomycosis features pathogen overdispersion', Journal of Animal Ecology, vol. 85, no. 3, pp. 806-816.
- Skerratt, L, Berger, L, Clemann, N et al 2016, 'Priorities for management of chytridiomycosis in Australia: saving frogs from extinction', Wildlife Research, vol. 43, no. 2, pp. 105-120.
- Scheele, B, Hunter, D, Banks, S et al. 2016, 'High adult mortality in disease-challenged frog populations increases vulnerability to drought', Journal of Animal Ecology, vol. 85, no. 6, pp. 1453-1460.
- Bataille, A, Cashins, S, Grogan, L et al 2015, 'Susceptibility of amphibians to chytridiomycosis is associated with MHC class II conformation', Proceedings of the Royal Society of London Series B: Biological Sciences, vol. 282, no. 1805, pp. 20143127-20143127.
- Brannelly, L, Hunter, D, Lenger, D et al 2015, 'Dynamics of Chytridiomycosis during the Breeding Season in an Australian Alpine Amphibian', PLOS ONE (Public Library of Science), vol. 10, no. 12, pp. e0143629-e0143629.
- Scheele, B, Hunter, D, Skerratt, L et al 2015, 'Low impact of chytridiomycosis on frog recruitment enables persistence in refuges despite high adult mortality', Biological Conservation, vol. 182, pp. 36-43.
- Scheele, B, Driscoll, D, Fischer, J et al 2015, 'Landscape context influences chytrid fungus distribution in an endangered European amphibian', Animal Conservation, vol. 18, no. 5, pp. 480-488.
- Westgate, M.J., Scheele, B.C., Ikin, K., Hoefer, A., Evans, M., Osborne, W., Hunter, D., Rayner, L. & Driscoll, D.A. (2015). Citizen science program shows urban areas have lower occurrence of frog species, but not accelerated declines. PLoS ONE, 10, e0140973.
- Scheele, B, Boyd, C, Fischer, J et al 2014, 'Identifying core habitat before it's too late: The case of Bombina variegata, an internationally endangered amphibian', Biodiversity and Conservation, vol. 23, no. 3, pp. 775-780.
- Scheele, B, Hunter, D, Grogan, L et al 2014, 'Interventions for Reducing Extinction Risk in Chytridiomycosis-Threatened Amphibians', Conservation Biology, vol. 28, no. 5, pp. 1195-1205.
- Scheele, B, Guarino, F, Osborne, W et al 2014, 'Decline and re-expansion of an amphibian with high prevalence of chytrid fungus', Biological Conservation, vol. 170, pp. 86-91.
- Keith, D, Mahony, M, Hines, H et al 2014, 'Detecting extinction risk from climate change by IUCN red list criteria', Conservation Biology, vol. 28, no. 3, pp. 810-819.
- Driscoll, D.A., Banks, S.C., Barton, P.S., Ikin, K., Lentini, P., Lindenmayer, D.B., Smith, A.L., Berry, L.E., Burns, E.L., Edworthy, A., Evans, M.J., Gibson, R., Heinsohn, R., Howland, B., Kay, G., Munro, N., Scheele, B.C., Stirnemann, I., Stojanovic, D., Sweaney, N., VillaseƱor, N.R. & Westgate, M.J. (2014). The trajectory of dispersal research in conservation biology. Systematic review. PLoS ONE, 9, e95053.
- Scheele, B, Driscoll, D, Fischer, J et al 2012, 'Decline of an endangered amphibian during an extreme climatic event', Ecosphere, vol. 3, no. 11, pp. Article 101.
Projects and Grants
Grants information is drawn from ARIES. To add or update Projects or Grants information please contact your College Research Office.
- Why do some declining species persist while others go extinct (Primary Investigator)
- Northern Corroboree Frog Disease Dynamics and Recovery (Primary Investigator)
- Understanding northern corroboree frog disease dynamics and developing recovery strategies (Primary Investigator)