Kath Dickinson, Our People, Department of Botany, University of Otago, New Zealand

Terrestrial Ecology

|

Email: kath.dickinson@otago.ac.nz

|

Phone: +64 3 479 9059

Teaching

I have been fortunate enough to receive University and National Tertiary Teaching Excellence Awards. I am very committed to teaching through research and learning through authentic experiences. I teach into a range of courses which in 2019 will be:

ECOL111	Ecology and Conservation of Diversity
ECOL211	Ecology of Communities and Ecosystems (Course coordinator)
ECOL212	Ecological Applications
BTNY301	Plant Ecology
BTNY303	Topics in Field Botany (Course coordinator)
ECOL313	Ecology Field Course

Research interests

Ecology; plant ecology: plant-animal interactions; conservation and biodiversity; in a habitat and systems context.

I have developed an understanding of a range of subject areas and through my research collaborations and graduate student supervision, I have gained a broad knowledge of plants, vertebrates and invertebrates, how they interact with one another, and their associated habitats. I have a particular interest in mountain environments, but I am fascinated by other systems too, including those in urban areas. I am also involved in the Alpine Ecosystems Research Group (AERG) which is a collaboration of scientists and postgraduate students who have research interests that focus on New Zealand’s alpine environments. The AERG is supported through the Department of Botany and we welcome contact from researchers and students who may be interested in working with us.

Current postgraduate students

PhD

Sophie Fern What is the effect of non-human charisma on conservation in New Zealand? (Botany/Geography/Philosophy)

MSc

Jessica Chen Effects of mammalian pest eradication on invertebrate communities at Orokonui Ecosanctuary, coastal Otago, New Zealand
Verity Forbes Women in conservation science: an evaluation through an ecological lens
Jake Tully Determination and analysis of the flower constancy exhibited by the bumblebee Bombus terrestris
Sam West Alpine plant species distribution in relation to micro- and macro- spatial changes in snow cover over time

Recent postgraduate students (completed 2013-2018)

PhD

Amy Adams Spatial ecology of possums across an urban/rural gradient
Timm Dobert (University of Western Australia) The influence of logging on understorey plant communities in tropical lowland rainforest in Borneo
Kimberley Harris Understanding the matrix: impacts of modification in indigenous grassland landscapes
Jay Iwasaki New Zealand pollinator communities: Competition & conservation
Christa Miller Pollination and dispersal mechanisms in alpine plant species
Jacqui Nielsen Aboveground-belowground ecological linkages in exotic plant invasion: Thymus vulgaris L. in Central Otago, New Zealand.
Lorna Little The Polar Palette: the role of flower colour in polar regions

MSc

Luke Easton Ecology and physiology of Hochstetter’s frogs: Implications for a species threatened by habitat modification and a potential translocation to the cooler south.
Joseph Jackson A study plant fossils from Landslip Hill silcrete.
Janine Wing Amphipod responses to differing fire regimes in tussock grassland communities.

^ Top of page

Publications

Chen, J. P. L., Dickinson, K. J. M., Barratt, B. I. P., & Jandt, J. M. (2022). Beetle (Coleoptera) communities inside and outside the pest-resistant fencing of a New Zealand ecosanctuary. New Zealand Entomologist. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1080/00779962.2022.2120594

Altobelli, J. T., Dickinson, K. J. M., Godfrey, S. S., & Bishop, P. J. (2022). Methods in amphibian biotelemetry: Two decades in review. Austral Ecology. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1111/aec.13227

Samus, A., Freeman, C., Van Heezik, Y., Krumme, K., & Dickinson, K. J. M. (2022). How do urban green spaces increase well-being? The role of perceived wildness and nature connectedness. Journal of Environmental Psychology. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1016/j.jenvp.2022.101850

Rixen, C., Wipf, S., Rumpf, S. B., Giejsztowt, J., Millen, J., Morgan, J. W., … Dickinson, K. J. M., … Deslippe, J. R. (2022). Intraspecific trait variation in alpine plants relates to their elevational distribution. Journal of Ecology. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1111/1365-2745.13848

Samus, A., Freeman, C., Dickinson, K. J. M., & van Heezik, Y. (2022). Relationships between nature connectedness, biodiversity of private gardens, and mental well-being during the Covid-19 lockdown. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 127519. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1016/j.ufug.2022.127519

Döbert, T. F., Webber, B. L., Barnes, A. D., Dickinson, K. J. M., & Didham, R. K. (2014). Forest fragmentation and biodiversity conservation in human-dominated landscapes. In C. J. Kettle & L. P. Koh (Eds.), Global forest fragmentation. (pp. 28-49). Oxford, UK: CABI.

Chapter in Book - Research

Mark, A. F., & Dickinson, K. J. M. (2004). South Island high country in transition: Issues, options and initial outcomes with the tenure review process. In G. Kearsley & B. Fitzharris (Eds.), Glimpses of a Gaian world. (pp. 285-308). Dunedin, New Zealand: University of Otago School of Social Science.

Chapter in Book - Research

Dickinson, K. J. M. (1998). Communicating globally significant conservation problems: Bolivia as a case study. In R. T. Wills & R. J. Hobbs (Eds.), Ecology for Everyone: Communicating Ecology to scientists, the public and the politicians. (pp. 65-72). Surrey Beatty & Sons.

Chapter in Book - Research

Mark, A. F., & Dickinson, K. J. M. (1997). New Zealand Alpine Ecosystems. In F. E. Wielgolaski (Ed.), Polar and Alpine Tundra. (Ecosystems of the World, vol. 3). (pp. 311-345). Amsterdam; New York: Elsevier.

Chapter in Book - Research

Mark, A. F., & Dickinson, K. J. M. (1996). Research as a basis for protected natural area management in New Zealand. In M. M. Ralston, K. F. D. Hughey & K. F. O'Connor (Eds.), Mountains of East Asia and the Pacific. (pp. 35-40). Lincoln: Centre for Mountain Studies, Lincoln University.

Chapter in Book - Research

Journal - Research Article

Forbes, V. C. B., Dickinson, K. J. M., & Hulbe, C. L. (2022). Applying a social-ecological systems lens to patterns of policy, operational change, and gender participation in a large Aotearoa New Zealand organisation. Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand, 52(5), 539-568. doi: 10.1080/03036758.2021.2012489

Journal - Research Article

Iwasaki, J. M., Barratt, B. I. P., Jandt, J. M., Jowett, T. W. D., Lord, J. M., Mercer, A. R., & Dickinson, K. J. M. (2020). Honey bees do not displace foraging bumble bees on nectar-rich artificial flowers. Apidologie, 51, 137-146. doi: 10.1007/s13592-019-00690-z

Journal - Research Article

Döbert, T. F., Webber, B. L., Sugau, J. B., Dickinson, K. J. M., & Didham, R. K. (2018). Logging, exotic plant invasions, and native plant reassembly in a lowland tropical rain forest. Biotropica, 50(2), 254-265. doi: 10.1111/btp.12521

Journal - Research Article

Easton, L. J., Rawlence, N. J., Worthy, T. H., Tennyson, A. J. D., Scofield, R. P., Easton, C. J., … Whigham, P. A., Dickinson, K. J. M., & Bishop, P. J. (2018). Testing species limits of New Zealand’s leiopelmatid frogs through morphometric analyses. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 183(2), 431-444. doi: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlx080

Journal - Research Article

Freeman, C., van Heezik, Y., Dickinson, K., Buttery, Y., Barratt, B., & Waters, D. (2018). Cities: Open space planning for the benefit of both people and native species: Understanding urban biodiversity and highlighting their relevance for planning and planners. Planning Quarterly, 211, 10-17.

Journal - Research Article

Iwasaki, J. M., Dickinson, K. J. M., Barratt, B. I. P., Mercer, A. R., Jowett, T. W. D., & Lord, J. M. (2018). Floral usage partitioning and competition between social (Apis mellifera, Bombus terrestris) and solitary bees in New Zealand: Niche partitioning via floral preferences? Austral Ecology, 43, 937-948. doi: 10.1111/aec.12643

Journal - Research Article

Lord, J. M., Mark, A. F., Humar-Maegli, T., Halloy, S. R. P., Bannister, P., Knight, A., & Dickinson, K. J. M. (2018). Slow community responses but rapid species responses 14 years after alpine turf transplantation among snow cover zones, south–central New Zealand. Perspectives in Plant Ecology, Evolution & Systematics, 30, 51-61. doi: 10.1016/j.ppees.2017.07.004

Journal - Research Article

Miller, C. M., Barratt, B. I. P., Dickinson, K. J. M., & Lord, J. M. (2018). Are introduced plants a threat to native pollinator services in montane–alpine environments? Alpine Botany, 128(2), 179-189. doi: 10.1007/s00035-018-0206-5

Journal - Research Article

Döbert, T. F., Webber, B. L., Sugau, J. B., Dickinson, K. J. M., & Didham, R. K. (2017). Logging increases the functional and phylogenetic dispersion of understorey plant communities in tropical lowland rain forest. Journal of Ecology, 105(5), 1235-1245. doi: 10.1111/1365-2745.12794

Journal - Research Article

Eidesen, P. B., Little, L., Müller, E., Dickinson, K. J. M., & Lord, J. M. (2017). Plant–pollinator interactions affect colonization efficiency: Abundance of blue-purple flowers is correlated with species richness of bumblebees in the Arctic. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 121(1), 150-162. doi: 10.1093/biolinnean/blw006

Journal - Research Article

Nielsen, J. A., Grøndahl, E., Callaway, R. M., Dickinson, K. J. M., & Ehlers, B. K. (2017). Home and away: Biogeographical comparison of species diversity in Thymus vulgaris communities. Biological Invasions, 19(9), 2533-2542. doi: 10.1007/s10530-017-1461-x

Journal - Research Article

Barratt, B. I. P., Crook, K. E., Dickinson, K. J. M., & Burritt, D. J. (2016). Cyanogenic white clover as a proxy for GM biosafety testing using two New Zealand native insects. New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research, 59(4), 377-388. doi: 10.1080/00288233.2016.1221835

Journal - Research Article

Easton, L. J., Dickinson, K. J. M., Whigham, P. A., & Bishop, P. J. (2016). Habitat suitability and requirements for a threatened New Zealand amphibian. Journal of Wildlife Management. doi: 10.1002/jwmg.1071

Journal - Research Article

Little, L., Bronken Eidesen, P., Müller, E., Dickinson, K. J. M., & Lord, J. M. (2016). Leaf and floral heating in cold climates: Do sub-Antarctic megaherbs resemble tropical alpine giants? Polar Research, 35, 26030. doi: 10.3402/polar.v35.26030

Journal - Research Article

Nielsen, J. A., Frew, R. D., Whigham, P. A., Callaway, R. M., & Dickinson, K. J. M. (2016). Thyme travels: ¹⁵N isoscapes of Thymus vulgaris L. invasion in lightly grazed pastoral communities. Austral Ecology, 41(1), 28-39. doi: 10.1111/aec.12284

Journal - Research Article

van Heezik, Y., Dickinson, K. J. M., Freeman, C., Porter, S., Wing, J., & Barratt, B. I. P. (2016). To what extent does vegetation composition and structure influence beetle communities and species richness in private gardens in New Zealand? Landscape & Urban Planning, 151, 79-88. doi: 10.1016/j.landurbplan.2016.02.013

Journal - Research Article

Barratt, B. I. P., Dickinson, K. J. M., Freeman, C., Porter, S., Johnstone, P. D., Wing, J., & van Heezik, Y. (2015). Biodiversity of Coleoptera and other invertebrates in urban gardens: A case study in a New Zealand city. Insect Conservation & Diversity, 8, 428-437. doi: 10.1111/icad.12120

Journal - Research Article

Cranston, B. H., Monks, A., Whigham, P. A., & Dickinson, K. J. M. (2015). Variation and response to experimental warming in a New Zealand cushion plant species. Austral Ecology, 40, 642-650. doi: 10.1111/aec.12231

Journal - Research Article

Döbert, T. F., Webber, B. L., Sugau, J. B., Dickinson, K. J. M., & Didham, R. K. (2015). Can leaf area index and biomass be estimated from Braun-Blanquet cover scores in tropical forests? Journal of Vegetation Science, 26(6), 1043-1053. doi: 10.1111/jvs.12310

Journal - Research Article

Iwasaki, J. M., Barratt, B. I. P., Lord, J. M., Mercer, A. R., & Dickinson, K. J. M. (2015). The New Zealand experience of varroa invasion highlights research opportunities for Australia. AMBIO, 44(7), 694-704. doi: 10.1007/s13280-015-0679-z

Journal - Research Article

Mark, A. F., Korsten, A. C., Urrutia Guevara, D., Dickinson, K. J. M., Humar-Maegli, T., Michel, P., … Lord, J. M., … Nielsen, J. A. (2015). Ecological responses to 52 years of experimental snow manipulation in high-alpine cushionfield, Old Man Range, south-central New Zealand. Arctic, Antarctic & Alpine Research, 47(4), 751-772. doi: 10.1657/AAAR0014-098

Journal - Research Article

Nielsen, J. A., Frew, R. D., Whigham, P. A., Callaway, R. M., & Dickinson, K. J. M. (2015). Germination and growth responses of co-occurring grass species to soil from under invasive Thymus vulgaris. Allelopathy, 35(1), 139-152.

Journal - Research Article

Nielsen, J. A., Whigham, P. A., Frew, R. D., Callaway, R. M., & Dickinson, K. J. M. (2015). Thyme and space invasion: Thymus vulgaris decreases exotic plant species diversity in Central Otago, New Zealand. Biological Invasions, 17(8), 2261-2274. doi: 10.1007/s10530-015-0872-9

Journal - Research Article

O'Connell, D. M., Monks, A., Dickinson, K. J. M., & Lee, W. G. (2015). Is domatia production in Coprosma rotundifolia (Rubiaceae) induced by mites or foliar pathogens? New Zealand Journal of Ecology, 39(2), 214-220. Retrieved from http://newzealandecology.org/nzje/3223

Journal - Research Article

Adams, A. L., Recio, M. R., Robertson, B. C., Dickinson, K. J. M., & van Heezik, Y. (2014). Understanding home range behaviour and resource selection of invasive common brushtail possums (Trichosurus vulpecula) in urban environments. Biological Invasions, 16(9), 1791-1804. doi: 10.1007/s10530-013-0627-4

Journal - Research Article

Adams, A. L., van Heezik, Y., Dickinson, K. J. M., & Robertson, B. C. (2014). Identifying eradication units in an invasive mammalian pest species. Biological Invasions, 16(7), 1481-1496. doi: 10.1007/s10530-013-0586-9

Journal - Research Article

Cavieres, L. A., Brooker, R. W., Butterfield, B. J., Cook, B. J., Kikvidze, Z., Lortie, C. J., … Dickinson, K. J. M., Cranston, B. H., … Mark, A. F., … Callaway, R. M. (2014). Facilitative plant interactions and climate simultaneously drive alpine plant diversity. Ecology Letters, 17(2), 193-202. doi: 10.1111/ele.12217

Journal - Research Article

Harris, K. M., Dickinson, K. J. M., & Whigham, P. A. (2014). Functional connectivity and matrix quality: Network analysis for a critically endangered New Zealand lizard. Landscape Ecology, 29(1), 41-53. doi: 10.1007/s10980-013-9967-9

Journal - Research Article

Hofstede, R. G. M., Dickinson, K. J. M., Mark, A. F., & Narváez, E. (2014). A broad transition from cloud forest to páramo characterizes an undisturbed treeline in Parque Nacional Llanganates, Ecuador. Arctic, Antarctic & Alpine Research, 46(4), 975-986. doi: 10.1657/1938-4246-46.4.975

Journal - Research Article

Nielsen, J. A., Frew, R. D., Whigham, P. A., Callaway, R. M., & Dickinson, K. J. M. (2014). Thyme invasion and soil properties in the Central Otago region of New Zealand. Geoderma Regional, 1, 48-58. doi: 10.1016/j.geodrs.2014.08.002

Journal - Research Article

Nielsen, J. A., Whigham, P. A., Frew, R. D., Callaway, R. M., & Dickinson, K. J. M. (2014). Invasion essentials: Does secondary chemistry plasticity contribute to the invasiveness of Thymus vulgaris L.? Chemoecology, 24(1), 15-27. doi: 10.1007/s00049-013-0142-1

Journal - Research Article

van Heezik, Y. M., Freeman, C., Porter, S., & Dickinson, K. J. M. (2014). Native and exotic woody vegetation communities in domestic gardens in relation to social and environmental factors. Ecology & Society, 19(4), 17. doi: 10.5751/ES-06978-190417

Journal - Research Article

Adams, A. L., Dickinson, K. J. M., Robertson, B. C., & van Heezik, Y. (2013). An evaluation of the accuracy and performance of lightweight GPS collars in a suburban environment. PLoS ONE, 8, e68496. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0068496

Journal - Research Article

Adams, A. L., Dickinson, K. J. M., Robertson, B. C., & van Heezik, Y. (2013). Predicting summer site occupancy for an invasive species, the common brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula), in an urban environment. PLoS ONE, 8(3), e58422. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0058422

Journal - Research Article

Butterfield, B. J., Cavieres, L. A., Callaway, R. M., Cook, B. J., Kikvidze, Z., Lortie, C. J., … Dickinson, K., … Brooker, R. W. (2013). Alpine cushion plants inhibit the loss of phylogenetic diversity in severe environments. Ecology Letters, 16(4), 478-486. doi: 10.1111/ele.12070

Journal - Research Article

Gebauer, K., Dickinson, K. J. M., Whigham, P. A., & Seddon, P. J. (2013). Matrix matters: Differences of grand skink metapopulation parameters in native tussock grasslands and exotic pasture grasslands. PLoS ONE, 8(10), e76076. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0076076

Journal - Research Article

van Heezik, Y., Freeman, C., Porter, S., & Dickinson, K. J. M. (2013). Garden size, householder knowledge, and socio-economic status influence plant and bird diversity at the scale of individual gardens. Ecosystems, 16(8), 1442-1454. doi: 10.1007/s10021-013-9694-8

Journal - Research Article

Waite, E., Closs, G. P., van Heezik, Y., & Dickinson, K. J. M. (2013). Resource availability and foraging of Silvereyes (Zosterops lateralis) in urban trees. Emu, 113(1), 26-32. doi: 10.1071/MU11093

Journal - Research Article

Chapin, III, F. S., Mark, A. F., Mitchell, R. A., & Dickinson, K. J. M. (2012). Design principles for social-ecological transformation toward sustainability: Lessons from New Zealand sense of place. Ecosphere, 3(5), 40. doi: 10.1890/ES12-00009.1

Journal - Research Article

Cranston, B. H., Callaway, R. M., Monks, A., & Dickinson, K. J. M. (2012). Gender and abiotic stress affect community-scale intensity of facilitation and its costs. Journal of Ecology, 100(4), 915-922. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2745.2012.01981.x

Journal - Research Article

Freeman, C., Dickinson, K. J. M., Porter, S., & van Heezik, Y. (2012). “My garden is an expression of me”: Exploring householders' relationships with their gardens. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 32(2), 135-143. doi: 10.1016/j.jenvp.2012.01.005

Journal - Research Article

More publications...