Dr Ross Goldingay, PhD (UniWollongong), BSc (hons) (UNSW). Ross is a wildlife ecologist with expertise extending from pollination ecology through to road ecology. His early research led to experimentally demonstrating that Australian non-flying mammals (sugar gliders and antechinuses) were important pollinators. His PhD research on the ecology of the yellow-bellied glider established a solid foundation in forest ecology that he continues to build on. One large current research project deals with understanding the impacts of roads on wildlife and how these can be mitigated. This research has been funded over several years by Brisbane City Council. The focus of this research at present is on whether tall wooden poles can enable gliding mammals to cross roads. Field work is being conducted at Compton Road and Hamilton Road in Brisbane. This research is aimed at understanding the behavioural responses of squirrel gliders to roads and road crossing structures but also whether these structures can improve the viability of local populations. Ross is involved in providing advice on this issue for several new road projects. Much more research is needed to offset the likely impacts of large road projects on wildlife. Another topic of intense research activity is whether artificial hollows (nest boxes and bat roost boxes) can be used to manage and conserve hollow-using wildlife. There has been much criticism of how effective artificial hollows can be but Ross argues that this has arisen largely from a dearth of suitable research. Ross is conducting several projects that investigate preferences by mammals and birds for different artificial hollow designs. He is also studying temperature profiles within artificial hollows to determine whether this may influence the frequency of use. Ross holds great concern for the conservation of threatened species. He has conducted many studies to assist the conservation of different species. Apart from studies on threatened species such as the yellow-bellied glider, squirrel glider and eastern pygmy-possum, he has completed a long-term project on the green and golden bell frog. Another long-term project has been on the endangered broad-headed snake. This research is focused on habitat disturbance and whether degraded habitat can be restored and used by broad-headed snakes. This research has led to an ongoing interest in the management of protected areas for the conservation of their wildlife.
Journal articles
Direct male parental care observed in wild sugar gliders, Australian Mammalogy (2010)
Observations were made of a pair of wild sugar gliders (Petaurus breviceps) occupying a nest...
Population ecology of the nectar-feeding squirrel glider (Petaurus norfolcensis) in remnant forest in subtropical Australia (with David Sharpe), Wildlife Research (2010)
Context. Nectar is a temporally variable food resource. However, because few studies describe the population...
Roads and wildlife: impacts, mitigation and implications for wildlife management in Australia (with Brendan D. Taylor), Wildlife Research (2010)
Roads can disrupt the population processes of vertebrate wildlife species through habitat fragmentation and vehicle...
Variation in the home-range size of the squirrel glider (Petaurus norfolcensis) (with David Sharpe and M DJ Dobson), Australian Mammalogy (2010)
The home-range area of animals may vary geographically and in response to habitat quality. We...
Can road-crossing structures improve population viability of an urban gliding mammal? (with Brendan D. Taylor), Ecology and Society (2009)
Tree-dwelling mammals are potentially highly vulnerable to discontinuities in habitat created by roads. We used...
Books
Ecology and conservation of Australian bell frogs (with William S. Osborne), School of Environmental Science and Management Papers (2008)
The biology of Australian possums and gliders (with Stephen M. Jackson), School of Environmental Science and Management Papers (2004)
This volume represents the proceedings of the Possum and Glider symposium held in Brisbane July...
Biology of gliding mammals (with John S. Scheibe), School of Environmental Science and Management Papers (2000)
This volume is the proceedings of a symposium ... that was held at the seventh...
Books chapters
Components of the habitat of the yellow-bellied glider in north Queensland (with Darren G. Quin), The biology of Australian possums and gliders (2004)
Conserving reptiles and frogs in the forests of New South Wales (with David A. Newell), Conservation of Australia's forest fauna (2004)
Ecology of the Australian Petauridae (with Stephen M. Jackson), The biology of Australian possums and gliders (2004)
How do we conserve the squirrel glider in Brisbane's urban matrix? (with David Sharpe), Conservation of Australia’s forest fauna (2004)