Faculty of Science, Engineering and Built Environment

School of Life and Environmental Sciences

Dr Lee Rollins
  Phone   +61 3 522 72084
Email   lee.rollins@deakin.edu.au
Position   Research Fellow
Campus   Geelong
Research grouping   Wildlife and Conservation Biology
Ecophysiology, Sensory Ecology and Behaviour
Centre for Integrative Ecology

I am broadly interested in the molecular ecology of invasive species, conservation genetics, avian
behaviour, the genetics of social systems and how genes behave at a population level. Much of my work
has focused on the role of dispersal in range expansions and the use of genetic analyses to understand
contemporary population dynamics including rates of exchange between genetically separated populations.
I am now investigating genes important to dispersal in order to examine the role of genetics in range
expansion of invasive species.

Honours and PhD projects are available in the following areas: the genetics of dispersal in invasive
cane toad populations, spatial and social genetics in Dunatothrips, evaluation of effective population
size estimators as a tool for management and conservation, and genetic versus genomic approaches to
understanding population structure in a cooperative breeder. Please contact me directly to discuss these
opportunities.

Research interests

  1. Molecular ecology of invasive species
  2. Conservation genetics
  3. Avian behavioural ecology

Career

Macquarie University, Research Fellow (2011-2012)
University of New South Wales, Research Associate (2010-2011)
Macquarie University, Research Fellow (2009-2010)
University of New South Wales, PhD (Conservation Genetics), Awarded 2009
University of New South Wales, Master (Marine Science), Awarded 2000

Key publications

Rollins L.A., Svedin N., Pryke S.R., and Griffith S.C. (2012) The role of the Ord Arid Intrusion in the historical and contemporary genetic division of long-tailed finch subspecies in northern Australia. Ecology and Evolution DOI: 10.1002/ece3.259.

Rollins L.A., Browning L.E., Holleley C.E., Savage J.L., Russell A.R. and Griffith S.C. (2012) Building genetic networks using relatedness information: a novel approach for the estimation of dispersal and characterisation of group structure in social animals. Molecular Ecology 21, 1727-1740.

Rollins L.A., Woolnough A.P., Sinclair R., Mooney N., and Sherwin W.B. (2011) Mitochondrial DNA offers unique insights into invasion history. Molecular Ecology 20, 2307-2317.

Pryke S.R., Rollins L.A., and Griffith S.C. (2010) Females use multiple mating and genetically loaded sperm competition to target compatible genes. Science 329, 964-967.

Rollins L.A., Woolnough A.P., Wilton A., Sinclair R., and Sherwin W.B. (2009) Invasive species can’t cover their tracks: Using microsatellites to assist management of starling (Sturnus vulgaris) populations in Western Australia. Molecular Ecology 18, 1560-1573.

View entire list of audited publications

Professional activities

Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour, Membership Officer, Member of Grants Committee
Australasian Evolution Society, Treasurer
Genetics Society of Australasia, Member

 

PhD students

Student nameThesis title
Adam CardiliniDetermining genetic and phenotypic variation of a successful invasive species within Australia, the common starling, Sturnus vulgaris (with Craig Sherman and Kate Buchanan) Peri BoltonGenetics of a colour polymorphism in the Gouldian finch (Macquaire University, with Simon Griffith)  

 

Honours students

Student nameThesis title Ashleigh ButlerIs there molecular evidence for selection in invasive starling populations?  


Deakin University acknowledges the traditional land owners of present campus sites.

8th February 2013