Dr Michael Craig

Qualifications:

• BSc. (Hons.) (Zool.) - University of Western Australia (1992)
• PhD. (Zool.) - University of Western Australia (2001)

Prior Professional Experience:

• 2004 to 2005 Senior Zoologist, Biota Environmental Sciences, Perth, Western Australia.
• 2002 to 2004 Chief Scientist, Michael Craig Consulting Ecologist, Perth, Western Australia.
• 2000 to 2002 Lecturer in Rainforest Ecology, School for Field Studies - Centre for Rainforest Studies, Yungaburra, Queensland.

Research

Research Interests

• Mechanisms behind fragmentation impacts on faunal communities
• Value of restored lands in contributing to maintenance of biodiversity in fragmented landscapes
• Value of animals as bio-indicators of ecosystem functioning in restored habitats
• Innaovative methods of accelerating faunal successional processes in restored lands
• Potential methods of large-scale restoration
• Impacts of Phytophthora on native fauna

Current project/s involved with: (Abstract for each project)

Management of rehabilitated bauxite mines to accelerate the return of vertebrate fauna.
I am currently involved in conducting and co-ordinating research investigating the management of minesites rehabilitated after bauxite mining to accelerate the return of vertebrate fauna. This project is focused primarily on reptiles but will also collect valuable data on mammals and frogs. This project consists of five major parts, outlined below.

Part 1 -The ecology and microhabitat use of reptile species in unmined jarrah forest and rehabilitated bauxite minesites.
This study will examine the ecology of four reptile species, two that occur in young rehabilitated sites and two that do not. The comparison between the two groups will indicate which microhabitats are most critical. It is also planned to investigate the ecology of each species in unmined forest and rehabilitated sites to determine how adaptable each species is to the different structure and floristics in rehabilitated sites. The ecology of each reptile species will be determined through a combination of direct field observations, radio-tracking and spool-tracking. Target species are the Bobtail (Tiliqua rugosa), Napoleon' s Skink (Egernia napoleonis), Burton' s Legless Lizard (Lialis burtonis) and Gould' s Snake (Parasuta gouldii). This experiment will run over two summers (2005/06 and 2006/07).

Part 2 - Recolonisation patterns of terrestrial vertebrates in four, eight, 12 and 17-year old rehabilitation after bauxite mining.
This experiment will examine terrestrial vertebrate communties in rehabilitation to determine patterns of colonisation as well as indentify which species are scarce or absent from rehabilitated sites. The experiment consists of five treatments (unmined forest, 17-year old, 12-year old, eight-year old and four-year old rehabilitation). A total of six sites have been chosen in each treatment, two located at Jarrahdale (45 km SE of Perth) and four located at Huntly (80. All sites selected for the experiment were rehabilitated under current practices (i.e. they were seeded and contain an 80:20 mix of jarrah and marri). A total of four trapping sessions (Oct., Dec., Mar. & Jun.) will be conducted between October 2005 and June 2006.

Part 3 - Effect of thinning and burning operations on terrestrial vertebrate communities in 14 to 17 year old rehabilitation (2002 thin/burn trial).
This experiment will examine the short-term impact of proposed rehabilitation management techniques on terrestrial vertebrate communities. Sites rehabilitated after bauxite mining typically contain a much higher stem density than unmined sites, so some thinning of rehabilitated sites is likely to be necessary if sites are to closely resemble jarrah forest. In 2002, two sites at each of Jarrahdale and huntly were for thinning and burning trials. The expriment was a factorial combination of four thining treatments (400, 625 and 1111 stems ha-1 and control) and two burning treatments (autumn burn and no burn) in a split-split plot design across the four chosen sites. All treatments were imposed in early 2002. A total of four trapping sessions (Jul., Oct., Dec., & Mar.) will be conducted between July 2006 and March 2007 to determine the terrestrial vertebrate communities in each of the treatment levels.

Part 4 - Effects of harvesting pre-1998 rehabilitation and thinning post-1988 rehabilitation on terrestrial vertebrates in the Banksiadale catchment.
The Banksiadale Dam provides water for dust suppression on mining haul roads. However, as a result f reduced rainfall and the increased water demand from rehabilitated sites, the dam does not contain sufficient water for minesite needs. As a result, some experimental thinning of both pre-1988 (rehabilitated with eastern states or non-local eucalypt species) and post-1988 (rehabilitated with jarrah and marri) sites within the Banksiadale Dam catchment was conducted in early 2003, with the aim of improving water run-off into the dam. This experiment will examine the impacts of this thinning of both types of rehabilitation on the terrestrial vertebrate community and make recommendations for future management practices. A total of four trapping sessions (Oct., Dec., Mar. & Jun.) will be conducted between October 2005 and June 2006.

Part 5 - Response of terrestrial vertebrates to different densities of timber piles used for fauna habitat in rehabilitated areas.
I am currently conducting research within 1 project and I am supervising 3 PhD and 4 Honours student. All of the projects that I am conducting or supervising fall within Programme 3: Conservation, Biodiversity and Ecosystem Restoration.

Funding source of project/s: Australian Research Council, Alcoa World Alumina Australia

Students involved in Projects

Rod Armistead, PhD, Part-time
Project title: Comparative ecology of the Mardo (Antechnius flavipes) healthy jarrah forest and jarrah forest infected with the Phytophthora cinnamomi fungus.
Supervisors: Mark Garkakalis (DEC), Giles Hardy (Murdoch), Michael Craig (Murdoch).

Damien Cancilla, PhD, Full-time
Project title: Ecology of the threatened Heath Mouse (Pseudomys shortridgei).
Supervisors: Keith Morris (DEC), Brent Johnson (DEC), Mark Garkakalis (DEC), Giles Hardy (Murdoch), Michael Craig (Murdoch).
Start date: February 2003.

Christine Davis, Honours, Part-time
Project title: The use of dead trees in rehabilitated and unmined forest by Fence Skinks (Cryptoblepharus plagiocephalus) and Marbled Geckos (Christinus marmoratus).
Supervisors: Trish Fleming (Murdoch), Michael Craig (Murdoch), Giles Hardy (Murdoch).
Start date: February 2005.

Angela Mercier, Honours, Part-time
Project title: Comparative ecology of the Bobtail (Tiliqua rugosa) and Napoleon's Skink (Egernia napoleonis) in unmined forest and forest rehabilitated after bauxite mining.
Supervisors: Michael Craig (Murdoch), Trish Fleming (Murdoch), Richard Hobbs (Murdoch).
Start date: February 2005.

Marie Murphy, PhD, Full-time
Project title: The impact of seed-caching by the Woylie (Bettongia penicillata) the seed dispersal, recruitment and regeneration of native plants.
Supervisors: Mark Garkakalis (DEC), Giles Hardy (Murdoch), Michael Craig (Murdoch).
Start date: February 2003.

Adam Peck, Honours, Part-time
Project title: A comparative study of the tree-dwelling arachnid fauna of dead and live jarrah trees in restored mine sites and surrounding unmined forest.
Supervisors: Michael Craig (Murdoch), Richard Hobbs (Murdoch), Karl Brennan (University of Melbourne).
Start date: February 2005.

Marnie Swinburn, Honours, Part-time
Project title: Grass tree (Xanthorrhoea preisii) selection by Mardo (Antechinus flavipes) in the jarrah forest of Western Australia:
relationship with time since fire.
Supervisors: Trish Fleming (Murdoch), Michael Craig (Murdoch), Giles Hardy (Murdoch).
Start date: February 2005.

Publications

Click here for a full resume and comprehensive list of publications (pdf format)

Centre of Excellence for Climate Change Woodland and Forest Health
School of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology
Murdoch University
Western Australia 6150
Australia

Ph: (61-8) 9360 2605
Mob: +61424465542
[ Email Michael ]

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