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ProfessorStuart Parsons

Executive Dean

Faculty of Science

Orcid identifier0000-0003-1025-5616 (opens in a new tab)⁠
  • Executive Dean
    Faculty of Science
  • Professor
    School of Biological Sciences
  • +6433691778 (Work)

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Stuart’s research is in the broad area of sensory ecology and animal behaviour, with a focus on bioacoustics. Past outputs have covered topics as diverse as auditory anatomy, biological sonar, mating systems, and habitat selection in natural and modified landscapes. Although much of his work has focused on bats, he has also worked with insects, birds and whales.

 

Much of Stuart’s work also has a strong applied focus, using his knowledge of acoustics and quantitative methods to develop detection and classification systems for vocalising animals. Systems developed have been used by conservation organisations to track birds in the wild, and state government to detect invasive species.

 

He has also worked with federal and local government and multinational companies on large infrastructure development projects such as dams, roads, airports, wind farms and quarries.

 

His research is international with collaborations in Australia, Europe, USA, Central America, South Africa, Taiwan, China, and Thailand. Stuart’s research is also multi-disciplinary with collaborations with physicists (acoustic arrays), engineers (bio-engineering – measure respiration from free-flying animals) and computer scientists/bioinformaticians (acoustic informatics).

 

His research is currently funded by the Australian Cotton Research Development Corporation, and he is collaborating with Plant and Food Research Rangahau Ahumāra Kai on an MBIE-funded project.

 

Stuart is a member of the Scientific Advisory Board of Bat Conservation International and a member of the IUCN Chiroptera Specialist group. He co-chaired the Specialist Group’s working party on human to bat transmission of SARS-CoV-2 and was a founding member of the New Zealand Department of Conservation Bat Recovery Group and Species Threat Assessment Group (bats).

GRANTS

  • GRANT
    Impacts of landscape connectivity on bat and bird activity in cotton and value of acoustic monitoring technology: benefits for natural pest suppression.
    Cotton Research Development Corporation8 Jan 2024 - 31 Dec 2026
    This project will measure the importance of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategies and habitat connectivity in determining the diversity and activity of birds and bats known to play a role in natural pest management in cotton landscapes. We will demonstrate the value of measuring such on-farm biodiversity using novel wireless acoustic monitors. Bats and birds provide important pest control services to the cotton industry and growers encourage beneficial insects and predator pests into cotton crops as part of IPM systems. This reduces the need for pesticides and encourages natural pest eradication. However, to provide IPM services, bats and birds known to consume pest insects must be present. Key elements influencing the presence of bats and birds is connectivity of the surrounding landscape and the safeguarding of remnant and restored native vegetation on farms. We will use novel automated acoustic monitoring devices with embedded artificial intelligence-based software developed previously by our team to map the activity of bird and bat species known to provide pest control services in cotton. We will combine this information with with spatial data from the CRDC Natural Capital Assessment project to quantify the effects of landscape structure and remnant vegetation intactness on the presence of beneficial bats and birds. This research will empower growers to actively manage natural areas to increase ecosystem services provided through natural insect pest suppression. We will demonstrate how growers can make use of innovative technologies for data collection, so that monitoring of beneficial biodiversity becomes standard practice in the future as part of farm business. The cotton industry will also gain a biodiversity monitoring tool for sustainability reporting and international recognition for delivering positive biodiversity outcomes.