Director, Otago Palaeogenetics Laboratory
(Co-Director: Professor Jon Waters)
Email nic.rawlence@otago.ac.nz
Phone 64-3-479-5385
Teaching
- GENE 411 Current Topics in Genetics
- GNS Quaternary Techniques Short Course
- ZOOL 222 Evolutionary Biology
- ZOOL 423 From Extinction to De-Extinction
Research Interests
- Ancient DNA (Otago Palaeogenetics Laboratory)
- Evolution and palaeoecology of extinct fauna
- Effects of climate change and human impact on past ecosystems
- Palaeoenvironmental DNA
- Conservation biology
- Fisheries induced evolution
- Conservation Palaeontology/Palaeoecology
Research projects
- Impact of humans and climate change on New Zealand's terrestrial, coastal and marine fauna
- Evolution and phylogeography of New Zealand's extinct avian fauna
- Southern hemisphere biogeography
- Fisheries induced evolution
Research Highlights and Publicity
Chatham Island sea lion
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/308406/extinct-sea-lion-discovery-raises-by-catch-fears
http://www.dunedintv.co.nz/interview/nightly-interview-nic-rawlence
Otago and Foveaux Shag
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11591270
http://www.audubon.org/news/scientists-solve-shag-adelic-bird-mystery
Shag demographics
Penguin turnover
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/ourchangingworld/audio/20171239/waitaha-penguin-out,-yellow-eyed-penguin-in
http://www.livescience.com/50026-waitaha-penguin-replaced-after-extinction.html
Elephant birds
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/ourchangingworld/audio/2598267/kiwi-evolutionary-history
http://phenomena.nationalgeographic.com/2014/05/22/the-surprising-closest-relative-of-the-huge-elephant-birds/
Polynesian chickens
Current student projects in the Otago Palaeogenetics Laboratory
- Afroditi Kardamaki – PhD – ancient DNA of New Zealand waterfowl
- Luke Easton – PhD – ancient DNA of Leiopelmatid frogs
- Megan Askew – MSc – ancient DNA of elephant seals
- Eduard Mas – visiting MSc student – ancient DNA of takahe
Recent student projects in the Otago Palaeogenetics Laboratory
- Afroditi Kardamaki – visiting MSc student – ancient DNA of black swans
- Nick Yeats – BSc Hons – population genetics of blue-eyes shags
- Alex Salis – BSc Hons – ancient DNA of New Zealand fur seals
