Reptile Ecology and Environmental Disturbance (REED)

REED

About Us

The Reptile Ecology and Environmental Disturbance Lab investigates how environmental changes, from renewable energy infrastructure to agricultural practices, affect wildlife communities, particularly reptile species. We integrate field surveys, microclimate monitoring, and experimental approaches to understand and mitigate impacts of human-driven landscape change. By developing evidence-based guidelines and monitoring tools, we translate ecological knowledge into practical solutions for sustainable land management and nature-positive development.

Our Research
  • We investigate how utility-scale renewable energy infrastructure affects wildlife communities and thermal microhabitats, developing nature-positive design and operational guidelines for solar farms across diverse taxa including reptiles, birds, and mammals.
  • We study freshwater turtle ecology and conservation, creating management strategies to enhance species persistence while supporting sustainable land use and agricultural productivity.
  • We examine reptile responses to environmental disturbance and landscape change, including geckos, rattlesnakes, and other herpetofauna, integrating thermal ecology with species movement, behaviour, and community dynamics.
  • We investigate how habitat structure, including log and rock piles, vegetation patches, and microhabitat features, shapes wildlife communities and supports biodiversity in modified and fragmented landscapes.
  • We develop and deploy innovative monitoring technologies, including custom microclimate sensors, remote-triggered camera systems, and acoustic monitoring, for long-term, non-invasive wildlife and environmental data collection across multiple taxa.
Join Us

We welcome PhD, Masters, and Honours students interested in applied ecology, reptile biology, renewable energy sustainability, freshwater turtle conservation, or wildlife ecology. Projects typically combine field-based research, data analysis, and stakeholder collaboration. Students gain hands-on experience with field and laboratory techniques, data collection and experimental design, and emerging. Prospective students should contact A/Prof Eric Nordberg (see below) with a brief outline of research interests, academic background, and career goals. We encourage applications from students with diverse backgrounds and are committed to fostering inclusive, supportive research environments.

Our People

Associate Professor Eric Nordberg – email: Eric.Nordberg@une.edu.au

Find out more 

https://sites.google.com/view/ericjnordberg/home?authuser=0

Instagram: Nordberg_reed_lab

REED