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Email alison.cree@otago.ac.nz

Phone 64-3-479-7980

Google Scholar Profile

Alison Cree 2023

Research Interests

Woodworthia OtagoSouthland gecko

  • Reproduction of reptiles in cold climates
  • Thermal biology and climate change
  • Environmental and evolutionary influences on gestation length
  • Sex determination and sexual differentiation
  • Conservation of New Zealand reptiles

Current Projects

  • Reintroduction of tuatara (Sphenodon punctatus) to the cool climate of Orokonui Ecosanctuary in Otago
  • Thermal ecology of a viviparous, nocturnal gecko (Mokopirirakau) in the alpine zone of southern Aotearoa NZ
  • Relationships between reproductive frequency and changing climate in a viviparous gecko (Woodworthia) from Otago's subalpine zone

Recent Research students

  • Christian Chukwuka: Microhabitat use by the nocturnal, cool-climate gecko Woodworthia "Otago/Southland" in the context of global climate change (PhD 2020, co-supervised Dr Jo Monks, Department of Conservation)
  • Aaron Bertoia: Thermal ecology of an alpine gecko: implications for management (MSc 2019, co-supervised by Dr Jo Monks, Department of Conservation)
  • Jemima Gardiner-Rodden: Nesting ecology and behaviour of tuatara (Sphenodon punctatus) at Ōrokonui Ecosanctuary (MSc 2019, co-supervised by Prof Nicola Nelson, Victoria University of Wellington and Dr Stephanie Godfrey, University of Otago)

Cree-Christiansen

Alison Cree (left) and Jade Christiansen after witnessing tuatara hatching at Orokonui Ecosanctuary in 2021.
Jade (Ngāpuhi, Samoa) was a previous holder of a Te Ngaru Paewhenua: Māori and Pacific Science Summer Studentship with Alison's group. For more information, see https://www.otago.ac.nz/news/news/otago826220.html

Keywords

climate change, conservation, ecophysiology, herpetology, lizard, reproduction, thermal biology, tuatara

Full Publication List - download here

Publications

Virens, E., & Cree, A. (2022). Wind of change: A diurnal skink thermoregulates between cooler set-points and for an increased amount of time in the presence of wind. Journal of Experimental Biology, 225, jeb244038. doi: 10.1242/jeb.244038 Journal - Research Article

Chukwuka, C. O., Mello, R. S. R., Cree, A., & Monks, J. M. (2021). Thermal heterogeneity of selected retreats in cool-temperate viviparous lizards suggests a potential benefit of future climate warming. Journal of Thermal Biology, 97, 102869. doi: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2021.102869 Journal - Research Article

Jarvie, S., Worthy, T. H., Saltré, F., Scofield, R. P., Seddon, P. J., & Cree, A. (2021). Using Holocene fossils to model the future: Distribution of climate suitability for tuatara, the last rhynchocephalian. Journal of Biogeography, 48, 1489-1502. doi: 10.1111/jbi.14092 Journal - Research Article

Bertoia, A., Monks, J., Knox, C., & Cree, A. (2021). A nocturnally foraging gecko of the high-latitude alpine zone: Extreme tolerance of cold nights, with cryptic basking by day. Journal of Thermal Biology, 99, 102957. doi: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2021.102957 Journal - Research Article

Chukwuka, C. O., Monks, J. M., & Cree, A. (2020). Heat and water loss vs shelter: A dilemma in thermoregulatory decision making for a retreat-dwelling nocturnal gecko. Journal of Experimental Biology, 223, jeb231241. doi: 10.1242/jeb.231241 Journal - Research Article

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