Rodney Armistead
Conservation biology PhD student at Murdoch University

Centre for Phytophthora Science and Management
Alcoa Laboratory
Murdoch University,
Western Australia, 6150

Email: armistea@central.murdoch.edu

Relevant Education

• Associated Diploma in Laboratory Technology at Box Hill Tafe Campus from 1996 to 1997.
• Bachelor of Plant and Animal Science at the School of Biological Science Deakin University in Geelong Victoria from 1999 to 2000.
• Bachelor of Environmental Science (Honours) at the School of Ecology and Environment Deakin University, Geelong Victoria during 2001. The title of my project was; A phylogenetic study of the of swamp antechinus Antechinus minimus populations. My supervisor for this study was Associate Professor Barbara Wilson.

Relevant work experience

1999 - 2001. Research Assistant at Deakin University for Associate Professor Barbara Wilson and Dr Dave Cahill. During this time I was casually employed to assess the diversity and abundance of small mammals in the eastern Otway Ranges. I was also employed to assess the status of P. cinnamomi in several coastal localities in the eastern and southern Otway Ranges.

During this period the mammals I captured included the swamp antechinus Antechinus minimus, agile antechinus A. agilis, white footed dunnart Sminthopsis leucopus, the eastern pygmy possum Cercartetus nanus, bandicoots Issodon obesulus, the native bush rat Rattus fuscipes and the swamp rat Rattus lutreolus.

I was also able to show the dramatic impacts P. cinnamomi is having throughout the Otway Ranges.

Doctoral Project:

The introduced soil borne pathogen, Phytophthora cinnamomi kills a vast array of native plant species and degrades a wide range of vegetation communities in southern Australia. The impact of this pathogen can cause dramatic and severe changes to the vegetation structure and floristic richness of affected sites. It has a remarkable ability to kill many native plant species and transform a functional and productive ecosystem into an open, harsh, arid and inhospitable environment. For these reasons P. cinnamomi is regarded as a serious threat to the biology, ecology and management of the flora and fauna of southern Australia.

Several studies have shown a number of small mammal species reacting negatively to disturbances that can alter the vegetation structure and floristic diversity. Therefore, it is highly likely that P. cinnamomi will impact on the density, demographics, genetic diversity and metapopulation dynamics of small mammal populations. However, after 40 years of intensive research on P. cinnamomi, little effort has been given to the native mammals.

The aim of my research has been to compare and contrast the densities, demographics, habitat use and basic ecology of small mammals in diseased areas and healthy areas of the jarrah Eucalyptus marginata forest. The native mammals captured during this project have been the mardo Antechinus flavipes, chudtich Dasyurus geoffroii, western pygmy possum Cercartetus concinnus, the little long tailed dunnart Sminthopsis dolichlora, and the southern brown bandicoot Isoodon obesulus. The most significant finding of my study is the simple fact that there are less mardos Antechinus flavipes and chuditch Dasyurus geoffroii at the disturbed sites that at the healthy forest sites.

This project has been kindly supported by Alcoa World Alumina

Research Interests

I am interested in how small mammals use their habitat and the discovering the most important components of the landscape to small mammals. I would like to use these studies to develop and design novel rehabilitation strategies in areas impacted by P. cinnamomi.

I am very interested in small mammal use of the grass tree (Xanthorrhoea species) and I would conduct research into the micro-environment of the grassy skirts of the large grass trees. During my research I found the mardo using the grassy skirts for refuge and nesting. I would like to understand why these plant species are so attractive to small mammals.

Other research interest include mycophagy in small mammals, understanding the genetic structure of fragmented populations, and developing education strategies for increased awareness of Australian native mammals.

Reports, Publications and Conferences

R.D. Archibald, B.J. Bowen, G.E.StJ. Hardy, J.E.D. Fox & D.J. Ward (2005). Changes to tuart woodland over four decades, in Calver et al. (Eds) Proceedings of Australian Forest Historical Society: A Forest Conscienceness. Millerpress Rotterdam Netherlands

R.D. Archibald, R.J. Harper, J.E.D. Fox & R.P. Silberstein (2005). Tree performance and root-zone salt accumulation in three dryland Australian plantations, Agroforestry Systems, 65.

Cahill, D. M., Wilson, B. A., and Armsitead, R. J. (2001). Dieback assessment at Fairhaven Ridge, Angahook - Lorne State Park, Victoria. A report to Parks Victoria.

Cahill, D. M, Wilson, B. A., and Armistead, R. J. (2001). Assesment of Phytophthora cinnamomi (cinnamon fungus) at Coalmine Road, Angelsea Alcoa lease, Victoria. As report for Alcoa World Alumina, Anglesea.

Cahill, D. M., Wilson, B. A., and Armistead, R. J. (2001). Assessment of Phytophthora cinnamomi, Phytophthora cinnamomi in the Otway National Park, Victoria. A report for Parks Victoria for the Great Ocean Walk.

<< Back to Personnel