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Jo-Monks

Email jo.monks@otago.ac.nz

Tel +64 27 408 3337

ResearchGate profile

Google Scholar profile

Teaching

Research Interests

I'm a conservation biologist working on a range of applied ecological issues. My background is in herpetology (the study of reptiles and amphibians) and behavioural ecology, but I now work on a range of terrestrial fauna, including bats, birds and invertebrates.

My major projects at present involve:

  • Research to support conservation management in alpine ecosystems (birds, lizards and invertebrates)
  • Understanding the impacts of invasive predators, particularly mice and wasps, on native lizards and large-bodied invertebrates and how to sustainably suppress these predators to benefit terrestrial biodiversity
  • Understanding the impacts of climate change on native terrestrial fauna to inform conservation strategy
  • Developing and validating monitoring techniques for cryptic taxa

Current Students

  • Aaron Bertoia, PhD: The influence of introduced mammalian predators on alpine invertebrate communities
  • Scott Bourke, MSc: Predicting distribution of lizards in Tū Te Rakiwhānoa Drylands
  • Carey Knox, PhD:  Developing and testing drones for surveying lizards in inaccessible terrain
  • Zohara Rafi, PhD: Novel bioacoustic tools for conservation
  • Brodie Abel, MSc: Impacts of vespulid wasps on forest ringlet butterflies
  • Pearl Barry, MSc: Ecology and translocation of green skinks
  • Finn Brittenden, MSc: Impacts of invasive mice on native invertebrates
  • Lachlan Davidge, MSc: Evaluating the efficacy of drones as a survey tool for alpine lizards
  • Katie Gray, MSc: Ecology and movement patterns of banded dotterels and black-fronted terns in Tū Te Rakiwhānoa Drylands
  • Clare Gunton, MSc: Ecology of alpine weka and interactions with translocated Sinbad skinks
  • Shar Mathias, MSc: Mouse impacts on alpine invertebrate communities
  • Manaia Pearmain-Fenton, MSc: Conservation ecology of kakaruai – the role of sanctuaries
  • Tōrea Scott-Fyfe, MSc: Microhabitat use by terrestrial invertebrates and lizards in the New Zealand alpine zone
  • Oscar Thomas, MSc: Movement patterns and genetics of southern New Zealand dotterels
  • Harriet Wills, MSc: Ecology and habitat use of northern striped geckos
  • Arti Wilmshurst, MSc: The impacts of invasive vespulid wasps on native geckos
  • Anna Zrinyi-Morgan, MSc: Distribution and microhabitat use of alpine lizards in Kahurangi National Park

Former Students

  • Samuel Purdie, MSc: Understanding habitat use and optimising monitoring methods for alpine geckos in New Zealand

Publications

Bertoia, A., Murray, T., Robertson, B. C., & Monks, J. M. (2023). Pitfall trapping outperforms other methods for surveying ground-dwelling large-bodied alpine invertebrates [Review]. Journal of Insect Conservation. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1007/s10841-023-00498-4
Journal - Research Article
McAulay, J., & Monks, J. (2023). Interspecific variation in predation patterns of stoats and weasels in an alpine conservation programme. New Zealand Journal of Ecology, 47(1), 3520. doi: 10.20417/nzjecol.47.3520
Journal - Research Article
Bertoia, A., Cree, A., & Monks, J. (2023). Trail cameras enhance understanding of lizard behaviour in a remote alpine environment. New Zealand Journal of Ecology, 47(1), 3519. doi: 10.20417/nzjecol.47.3519
Journal - Research Article
Chukwuka, C. O., Monks, J. M., & Cree, A. (2023). Extreme tolerance for nocturnal emergence at low body temperatures in a high-latitude lizard: Implications for future climate warming. Conservation Physiology, 11(1), coac082. doi: 10.1093/conphys/coac082
Journal - Research Article
Monks, J. M., Wills, H. P., & Knox, C. D. (2022). Testing drones as a tool for surveying lizards. Drones, 6, 199. doi: 10.3390/drones6080199
Journal - Research Article
Nelson, N. J., Romijn, R. L., Dumont, T., Reardon, J. T., Monks, J. M., Hitchmough, R. A., … Briskie, J. V. (2016). Lizard conservation in mainland sanctuaries. In D. G. Chapple (Ed.), New Zealand lizards. (pp. 321-339). Switzerland: Springer. doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-41674-8_12
Chapter in Book - Research
Nelson, N. J., Hitchmough, R., & Monks, J. M. (2015). New Zealand reptiles and their conservation. In A. Stow, N. McLean & G. I. Holwell (Eds.), Austral ark: The state of wildlife in Australia and New Zealand. (pp. 382-404). Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. doi: 10.1017/CBO9781139519960.020
Chapter in Book - Research
Bertoia, A., Cree, A., & Monks, J. (2023). Trail cameras enhance understanding of lizard behaviour in a remote alpine environment. New Zealand Journal of Ecology, 47(1), 3519. doi: 10.20417/nzjecol.47.3519
Journal - Research Article
Bertoia, A., Murray, T., Robertson, B. C., & Monks, J. M. (2023). Pitfall trapping outperforms other methods for surveying ground-dwelling large-bodied alpine invertebrates [Review]. Journal of Insect Conservation. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1007/s10841-023-00498-4
Journal - Research Article
Chukwuka, C. O., Monks, J. M., & Cree, A. (2023). Extreme tolerance for nocturnal emergence at low body temperatures in a high-latitude lizard: Implications for future climate warming. Conservation Physiology, 11(1), coac082. doi: 10.1093/conphys/coac082
Journal - Research Article
McAulay, J., & Monks, J. (2023). Interspecific variation in predation patterns of stoats and weasels in an alpine conservation programme. New Zealand Journal of Ecology, 47(1), 3520. doi: 10.20417/nzjecol.47.3520
Journal - Research Article
Jarvie, S., Ingram, T., Chapple, D. G., Hitchmough, R. A., Nielsen, S. V., & Monks, J. M. (2022). Variable vulnerability to climate change in New Zealand lizards. Journal of Biogeography, 49, 431-442. doi: 10.1111/jbi.14314
Journal - Research Article
Lettink, M., Young, J., & Monks, J. M. (2022). Comparison of footprint tracking and pitfall trapping for detecting skinks. New Zealand Journal of Ecology, 46(2), 3478.
Journal - Research Article
Monks, J. M., Wills, H. P., & Knox, C. D. (2022). Testing drones as a tool for surveying lizards. Drones, 6, 199. doi: 10.3390/drones6080199
Journal - Research Article
Yee, G. E., Monks, J. M., & Bell, T. (2022). Spatial patterns and habitat use of penned and hard-released arboreal geckos translocated to an offshore island free of introduced mammals. New Zealand Journal of Ecology, 46(2), 3477. doi: 10.20417/nzjecol.46.27
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., 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
Elangovan, V., Bovill, L., Cree, A., Monks, J. M., & Godfrey, S. S. (2021). Social networks and social stability in a translocated population of Otago skinks (Oligosoma otagense). New Zealand Journal of Ecology, 45(1), 3434. doi: 10.20417/nzjecol.45.19
Journal - Research Article
Grace, M. K., Akçakaya, H. R., Bennett, E. L., Brooks, T. M., Heath, A., Hedges, S., … Elangovan, V., … Godfrey, S. S., … Monks, J. M., … Virens, J., … Young, S. (2021). Testing a global standard for quantifying species recovery and assessing conservation impact. Conservation Biology, 35, e13756. doi: 10.1111/cobi.13756
Journal - Research Article
McAulay, J., Monks, J. M., Wilson, D. J., & Seddon, P. J. (2021). Individual specialists within a generalist niche: Variable diet of stoats and implications for conservation. New Zealand Journal of Ecology, 45(2), 3443. doi: 10.20420/nzjecol.45.29
Journal - Research Article
Monks, J. M., O'Donnell, C. F. J., Greene, T. C., & Weston, K. A. (2021). Evaluation of counting methods for monitoring populations of a cryptic alpine passerine, the rock wren (Passeriformes, Acanthisittidae, Xenicus gilviventris). PLoS ONE, 16(3), e0247873. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0247873
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
McAulay, J., Seddon, P. J., Wilson, D. J., & Monks, J. M. (2020). Stable isotope analysis reveals variable diets of stoats (Mustela erminea) in the alpine zone of New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Ecology, 44(2), 3409. doi: 10.20417/nzjecol.44.16
Journal - Research Article
O'Donnell, C. F. J., & Monks, J. M. (2020). Distribution, long term population trends and conservation status of banded dotterels (Charadrius bicinctus bicinctus) on braided rivers in New Zealand. Notornis, 67, 733-753. Retrieved from https://www.birdsnz.org.nz
Journal - Research Article
Schlesselmann, A.-K. V., Dussex, N., Cooper, J., Monks, J. M., O'Donnell, C. F. J., & Robertson, B. C. (2020). Contrasting patterns of population structure at large and fine geographical scales in a migratory avian disturbance specialist of braided river ecosystems. Diversity & Distributions, 26, 16-33. doi: 10.1111/ddi.12994
Journal - Research Article
Knox, C. D., Jewell, T. R., & Monks, J. M. (2019). Ecology of orange-spotted geckos (Mokopirirakau “Roys Peak”) in Central Otago and Queenstown-Lakes districts. New Zealand Journal of Ecology, 43(2), 3365. doi: 10.20417/nzjecol.43.14
Journal - Research Article
Lettink, M., & Monks, J. M. (2019). Ecology of scree skinks (Oligosoma waimatense) in O Tu Wharekai Wetland, mid-Canterbury high country, New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Ecology, 43(1), 3354. doi: 10.20417/nzjecol.43.6
Journal - Research Article
Monks, J. M., Nelson, N. J., Daugherty, C. H., Brunton, D. H., & Shine, R. (2019). Does evolution in isolation from mammalian predators have behavioural and chemosensory consequences for New Zealand lizards? New Zealand Journal of Ecology, 43(1), 3359. doi: 10.20417/nzjecol.43.10
Journal - Research Article
Nelson, N. J., Briskie, J. V., Constantine, R., Monks, J., Wallis, G. P., Watts, C., & Wotton, D. M. (2019). The winners: Species that have benefited from 30 years of conservation action. Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand, 49(3), 281-300. doi: 10.1080/03036758.2018.1518249
Journal - Research Article
Schlesselmann, A.-K. V., O'Donnell, C. F. J., Monks, J. M., & Robertson, B. C. (2018). Clearing islands as refugia for black-fronted tern (Chlidonias albostriatus) breeding colonies in braided rivers. New Zealand Journal of Ecology, 42(2), 137-148. doi: 10.20417/nzjecol.42.23
Journal - Research Article
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