Griffith University

B. Env.Sc (Hons) University of Wollongong, PhD Griffith University, Gold Coast

Research Fellow, International Centre for Ecotourism Research

Contact details for Dr Clare Morrison

Research Interests

Clare's primary research interest areas are terrestrial ecology and conservation biology – particularly involving fauna in Australasia and Pacific Island countries.

More specifically:

• Diversity and distribution of terrestrial fauna
• Impacts of tourism on biodiversity
• Tourism as a conservation tool in developing regions
• Conservation management of resources – particularly in developing countries, including identifying alternative and sustainable activities for local communities living in conservation hotspots
• Long-term impacts of climate change on island biodiversity
• Ecological characteristics and habitat requirements of endangered species
• Impacts of invasive alien species on species and ecosystems
• Local capacity building in developing countries
• Natural history of terrestrial fauna species and baseline data collection

Selected publications:

• Morrison, C., Simpkins, C., Castley, J.G. and Buckley, R.C. 2012. Tourism and the Conservation of Critically Endangered Frogs. PLoS ONE 7(9): e43757. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0043757
• Keppel, G., Morrison, C., Rounds, I.A., Hardcastle, J., Hurahura, F. and Shed, P.K. 2012. Conservation in Pacific Island countries: case studies of successful programs. PARKS 18(1), September 2012: 111-123.
• Keppel, G., Morrison, C., Watling, D. Tuiwawa, M. and Rounds, I. 2012. Conservation in tropical Pacific Island countries: why most current approaches are failing. Conservation Letters.doi:10.1111/j.1755-263X.2012.00243.x
  
• Morrison, C. and Pickering, C.M. 2012. Perceptions of Climate Change Impacts, Adaptation and Limits to Adaption in the Australian Alps: the Ski-tourism Industry and Key Stakeholders. Journal of Sustainable Tourism. DOI:10.1080/09669582.2012.681789
  
• Morrison, C. and Pickering, C.M. 2012. Limits to climate change adaptation: case study of the Australian Alps. Geographical Research. doi: 10.1111/j.1745-5871.2012.00758.x
  
• Morrison, C., Rounds, I. and Watling, D.W. 2012. Conservation and management of the endangered Fiji sago palm, Metroxylon vitense, in Fiji. Environmental Management 49: 929-941.
  
• Morrison, C. In press. Impacts of tourism on threatened species in the South Pacific. Pacific Conservation Biology.
  
• Morrison, C. and Buckley, R. 2010. Oceania. In: Conservation Tourism (R. Buckley). CAB Publishing, pp. 78-87.
  
• Thomas, N., Morrison, C., Winder, L. and Morley, C. 2011. Spatial distributions and habitat preferences of co-occurring vertebrate species: Case study of an endangered frog and an introduced toad in Fiji. Pacific Conservation Biology 17: 68-77.
• Osborne, T., Morrison, C. and Morley, C. G. 2008. Habitat selection and phenology of the Fiji Tree Frog, Platymantis vitiensis, implications for conservation. Journal of Herpetology 42(4): 699-707.
• Pikacha, P. Morrison, C. and Richards, S. 2008. Frogs of the Solomon Islands. Institute of Applied Sciences, The University of the South Pacific, Fiji. 73pp.
• Morrison, C., Keppel, G., Thomas, N., Rounds, I., and Harlow, P. S. 2009. Critically endangered Fijian crested iguana shows habitat preference for globally threatened tropical dry forest. Pacific Science 62(2): 223-232.
• Morrison, C., Pikacha, P., Boseto, D. and Pitakia, T. 2007. Herpetofauna, community education and logging on Choiseul Island, Solomon Islands: implications for conservation. Pacific Conservation Biology 13: 250-258.
• Hero, J-M., Morrison, C., Gillespie, G., Roberts, D., Newell, D., Meyer, E., McDonald, K., Lemckert, F., Mahony, M., Osborne, W., Hines, H., Richards, S., Hoskin, C., Clarke, J., Doak, N. and Shoo, L. 2006. Overview of the conservation status of Australian frogs. Pacific Conservation Biology 12: 313-320.
• Morrison, C. 2005. Distribution and diversity of Fiji’s terrestrial herpetofauna: implications for forest conservation. Pacific Science 59(4): 481-490.
• Morrison, C., Naikatini, A., Thomas, N., Rounds, I., Thaman, B. & Niukula, J. 2004. Rediscovery of an endangered frog Platymantis vitianus, on mainland Fiji: implications for conservation and management. Pacific Conservation Biology 10: 237-240.
• Morrison, C., Naikatini, A., Thomas, N., Rounds, I., Thaman, B. & Niukula, J. 2004. Importance of Waisali Reserve, Vanua Levu for herpetofauna conservation in Fiji. South Pacific Journal of Natural Science 22: 71-74.
• Morrison, C., Hero, J-M., & Browning, J. 2004. Altitudinal variation in longevity, age at maturity and reproductive life-span in anurans from subtropical Queensland.  Herpetologica 60(1): 34-44.
• Morrison, C. & Hero, J-M. 2003. Geographic variation in the life-history characteristics of amphibians: a review. Journal of Animal Ecology 72: 270-279.
• Morrison, C. & Hero, J-M.  2003. Altitudinal variation in growth and development rates of Litoria chloris and L. pearsoniana tadpoles in southeast Queensland. Journal of Herpetology 37(1): 59-64.

Current Supervised PhD Projects

Rochelle Steven (Associate Supervisor)