Dr Geoffrey Heard
Project Manager
Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network
Affiliate of Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science
Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science
+61 7 336 59097
Researcher biography
I am a Science Advisor for the Threatened Species Index (TSX) at the Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network (TERN) and an Affiliated Researcher with the Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science. The TSX integrates long-term monitoring data for Australia's threatened and near-threatened species to estimate abundance trends. A key focus of my role is assisting to get the hard-won data of Australia's ecologists into the TSX, including working with data providers to generate reliable time-series of abundance or occurrence rate from their data. Ultimately, I help to ensure that the TSX continues to provide accurate and up-to-date information on population trends for Australia's imperilled species.
Outside of the TSX, I continue to pursue research on the spatial and temporal dynamics of declining species, seeking insights into population processes that can guide conservation planning. My projects usually lie at the intersection of applied ecology and herpetology, because I've been fascinated by reptiles and amphibians since I was a boy, and the obsession shows no sign of abating. Whatever the taxa, my aim is to provide insights and tools that can support practical, on-ground conservation decision-making.
Book Chapter
Waudby, Helen P., Burns, Phoebe A., Jensen, Melissa A., Hampton, Jordan O., Hunter, David, McKnight, Donald T., Pestell, Angela J. L., Bengsen, Andrew J., Bower, Deborah, Coulson, Graeme, Heard, Geoffrey, de Laive, Alana, Jolly, Chris J., Hale, Susannah, Fancourt, Bronwyn A., Kelleher, Shannon R., Petit, Sophie, Behrendorff, Linda, Lumsden, Lindy F. and McGregor, Mel (2022). Wildlife marking methods. Wildlife research in Australia: practical and applied methods. (pp. 150-179) Clayton South, VIC, Australia: CSIRO Publishing. doi: 10.1071/9781486313457
Journal Articles
Bruce, Tom, Amir, Zachary, Allen, Benjamin L, Alting, Brendan F., Amos, Matt, Augusteyn, John, Ballard, Guy‐Anthony, Behrendorff, Linda M., Bell, Kristian, Bengsen, Andrew J., Bennett, Ami, Benshemesh, Joe S., Bentley, Joss, Blackmore, Caroline J., Boscarino‐Gaetano, Remo, Bourke, Lachlan A., Brewster, Rob, Brook, Barry W., Broughton, Colin, Buettel, Jessie C., Carter, Andrew, Chiu‐Werner, Antje, Claridge, Andrew W., Comer, Sarah, Comte, Sebastien, Connolly, Rod M., Cowan, Mitchell A., Cross, Sophie L., Cunningham, Calum X. ... Luskin, Matthew S. (2025). Large‐scale and long‐term wildlife research and monitoring using camera traps: a continental synthesis. Biological Reviews, 100 (2), 530-555. doi: 10.1111/brv.13152
Scheele, Ben C., Heard, Geoffrey W., Duncan, Richard P., Clulow, Simon and Sopniewski, Jarrod (2025). An invasive pathogen generally contracts species to their niche cores, not margins. Ecography, 2025 (5). doi: 10.1111/ecog.07612
Heard, Geoffrey W., Scroggie, Michael P., Hollanders, Matthijs and Scheele, Ben C. (2024). Age truncation due to disease shrinks metapopulation viability for amphibians. Journal of Animal Ecology, 93 (11), 1670-1683. doi: 10.1111/1365-2656.14177
Mathwin, Rupert, Wassens, Skye, Turner, Anna, Heard, Geoffrey W., Hall, Andrew and Bradshaw, Corey J. A. (2024). Modelling the sustainable harvest of wild populations for the conservation of a threatened amphibian. Austral Ecology, 49 (2) e13492. doi: 10.1111/aec.13492
Driscoll, Don A., Macdonald, Kristina J., Gibson, Rebecca K., Doherty, Tim S., Nimmo, Dale G., Nolan, Rachael H., Ritchie, Euan G., Williamson, Grant J., Heard, Geoffrey W., Tasker, Elizabeth M., Bilney, Rohan, Porch, Nick, Collett, Rachael A., Crates, Ross A., Hewitt, Alison C., Pendall, Elise, Boer, Matthias M., Gates, Jody, Boulton, Rebecca L., Mclean, Christopher M., Groffen, Heidi, Maisey, Alex C., Beranek, Chad T., Ryan, Shelby A., Callen, Alex, Hamer, Andrew J., Stauber, Andrew, Daly, Garry J., Gould, John ... Phillips, Ryan D. (2024). Biodiversity impacts of the 2019–2020 Australian megafires. Nature, 635 (8040), 898-905. doi: 10.1038/s41586-024-08174-6
Campbell Grant, Evan H., Amburgey, Staci M., Gratwicke, Brian, Acosta-Chaves, Victor, Belasen, Anat M., Bickford, David, Brühl, Carsten A., Calatayud, Natalie E., Clemann, Nick, Clulow, Simon, Crnobrnja-Isailovic, Jelka, Dawson, Jeff, De Angelis, David A., Dodd, C. Kenneth, Evans, Annette, Ficetola, Gentile Francesco, Falaschi, Mattia, González-Mollinedo, Sergio, Green, David M., Gamlen-Greene, Roseanna, Griffiths, Richard A., Halstead, Brian J., Hassapakis, Craig, Heard, Geoffrey, Karlsson, Catharina, Kirschey, Tom, Klocke, Blake, Kosch, Tiffany A., Novaes, Sophia Kusterko ... Muths, Erin (2023). Priority research needs to inform amphibian conservation in the Anthropocene. Conservation Science and Practice, 5 (9) e12988. doi: 10.1111/csp2.12988
Parris, Kirsten M., Heard, Geoffrey W. and McKnight, Donald T. (2023). Declaration of frogs' recovery ignores key data: A response to Woinarski et al. 2023. Biological Conservation, 283 110127, 1-2. doi: 10.1016/j.biocon.2023.110127
Heard, Geoffrey W., Bolitho, Liam J., Newell, David, Hines, Harry B., Norman, Patrick, Willacy, Rosalie J. and Scheele, Ben C. (2023). Drought, fire, and rainforest endemics: A case study of two threatened frogs impacted by Australia's “Black Summer”. Ecology and Evolution, 13 (5) e10069, 1-16. doi: 10.1002/ece3.10069
Scheele, Ben C., Heard, Geoffrey W., Cardillo, Marcel, Duncan, Richard P., Gillespie, Graeme R., Hoskin, Conrad J., Mahony, Michael, Newell, David, Rowley, Jodi J. L. and Sopniewski, Jarrod (2023). An invasive pathogen drives directional niche contractions in amphibians. Nature Ecology and Evolution, 7 (10), 1682-1692. doi: 10.1038/s41559-023-02155-0
Turner, Anna, Heard, Geoffrey, Hall, Andrew and Wassens, Skye (2022). Age structure of amphibian populations with endemic chytridiomycosis, across climatic regions with markedly different infection risk. Ecology and Evolution, 12 (7) e9123, 1-13. doi: 10.1002/ece3.9123
Turner, Anna, Wassens, Skye and Heard, Geoffrey (2021). Chytrid infection dynamics in frog populations from climatically disparate regions. Biological Conservation, 264 109391, 1-11. doi: 10.1016/j.biocon.2021.109391
Geyle, Hayley M., Hoskin, Conrad J., Bower, Deborah S., Catullo, Renee, Clulow, Simon, Driessen, Michael, Daniels, Katrina, Garnett, Stephen T., Gilbert, Deon, Heard, Geoffrey W., Hero, Jean-Marc, Hines, Harry B., Hoffmann, Emily P., Hollis, Greg, Hunter, David A., Lemckert, Frank, Mahony, Michael, Marantelli, Gerry, McDonald, Keith R., Mitchell, Nicola J., Newell, David, Roberts, J. Dale, Scheele, Ben C., Scroggie, Michael, Vanderduys, Eric, Wassens, Skye, West, Matt, Woinarski, John C. Z. and Gillespie, Graeme R. (2021). Red hot frogs: identifying the Australian frogs most at risk of extinction. Pacific Conservation Biology, 28 (3), 211-223. doi: 10.1071/pc21019
Turner, Anna, Wassens, Skye, Heard, Geoffrey and Peters, Andrew (2021). Temperature As A Driver Of The Pathogenicity And Virulence Of Amphibian Chytrid Fungus Batrachochytrium Dendrobatidis: A Systematic Review. Journal of Wildlife Diseases, 57 (3), 477-494. doi: 10.7589/jwd-d-20-00105
Bell, Sara C., Heard, Geoffrey W., Berger, Lee and Skerratt, Lee F. (2020). Connectivity over a disease risk gradient enables recovery of rainforest frogs. Ecological Applications, 30 (7). doi: 10.1002/eap.2152
Gillespie, Graeme R., Roberts, J. Dale, Hunter, David, Hoskin, Conrad J., Alford, Ross A., Heard, Geoffrey W., Hines, Harry, Lemckert, Frank, Newell, David and Scheele, Benjamin C. (2020). Status and priority conservation actions for Australian frog species. Biological Conservation, 247 108543. doi: 10.1016/j.biocon.2020.108543
Scroggie, Michael P., Peterson, Garry N. L., Rohr, Detlef H., Nicholson, Evelyn and Heard, Geoffrey W. (2019). Disturbance has benefits as well as costs for fragmented populations of a cryptic grassland reptile. Landscape Ecology, 34 (8), 1949-1965. doi: 10.1007/s10980-019-00865-0
Scheele, Ben C., Foster, Claire N., Hunter, David A., Lindenmayer, David B., Schmidt, Benedikt R. and Heard, Geoffrey W. (2019). Living with the enemy: facilitating amphibian coexistence with disease. Biological Conservation, 236, 52-59. doi: 10.1016/j.biocon.2019.05.032
Scroggie, Michael P., Preece, Kathy, Nicholson, Emily, McCarthy, Michael A., Parris, Kirsten M. and Heard, Geoffrey W. (2019). Optimizing habitat management for amphibians: from simple models to complex decisions. Biological Conservation, 236, 60-69. doi: 10.1016/j.biocon.2019.05.022
Southwell, Darren M., Heard, Geoffrey W. and McCarthy, Michael A. (2018). Optimal timing of biodiversity offsetting for metapopulations. Ecological Applications, 28 (2), 508-521. doi: 10.1002/eap.1666
Heard, Geoffrey W., Scroggie, Michael P., Ramsey, David S. L., Clemann, Nick, Hodgson, Jenny A. and Thomas, Chris D. (2018). Can habitat management mitigate disease impacts on threatened amphibians?. Conservation Letters, 11 (2) e12375, 1-10. doi: 10.1111/conl.12375
Scheele, Ben C., Skerratt, Lee F., Grogan, Laura F., Hunter, David A., Clemann, Nick, McFadden, Michael, Newell, David, Hoskin, Conrad J., Gillespie, Graeme R., Heard, Geoffrey W., Brannelly, Laura, Roberts, Alexandra A. and Berger, Lee (2017). After the epidemic: ongoing declines, stabilizations and recoveries in amphibians afflicted by chytridiomycosis. Biological Conservation, 206, 37-46. doi: 10.1016/j.biocon.2016.12.010
Hamer, Andrew J., Heard, Geoffrey W., Urlus, Jake, Ricciardello, Jonathon, Schmidt, Bernadette, Quin, Darren and Steele, William K. (2016). Manipulating wetland hydroperiod to improve occupancy rates by an endangered amphibian: modelling management scenarios. Journal of Applied Ecology, 53 (6), 1842-1851. doi: 10.1111/1365-2664.12729
Rose, Lucy E., Heard, Geoffrey W., Chee, Yung En and Wintle, Brendan A. (2016). Cost-effective conservation of an endangered frog under uncertainty. Conservation Biology, 30 (2), 350-361. doi: 10.1111/cobi.12626
Heard, Geoffrey W., Canessa, Stefano and Parris, Kirsten M. (2015). Interspecific variation in the phenology of advertisement calling in a temperate Australian frog community. Ecology and Evolution, 5 (18), 3927-3938. doi: 10.1002/ece3.1666
Keely, Claire C., Hale, Joshua M., Heard, Geoffrey W., Parris, Kirsten M., Sumner, Joanna, Hamer, Andrew J. and Melville, Jane (2015). Genetic structure and diversity of the endangered growling grass frog in a rapidly urbanizing region. Royal Society Open Science, 2 (8) 140255, 1-13. doi: 10.1098/rsos.140255
Heard, Geoffrey W., Thomas, Chris D., Hodgson, Jenny A., Scroggie, Michael P., Ramsey, David S. L. and Clemann, Nick (2015). Refugia and connectivity sustain amphibian metapopulations afflicted by disease. Ecology Letters, 18 (8), 853-863. doi: 10.1111/ele.12463
Canessa, Stefano, Heard, Geoffrey W., Robertson, Peter and Sluiter, Ian R. K. (2015). Dealing with Trade-Offs in Destructive Sampling Designs for Occupancy Surveys. PLoS One, 10 (3) e0120340, 1-11. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0120340
Keith, David A., Mahony, Michael, Hines, Harry, Elith, Jane, Regan, Tracey J., Baumgartner, John B., Hunter, David, Heard, Geoffrey W., Mitchell, Nicola J., Parris, Kirsten M., Penman, Trent, Scheele, Ben, Simpson, Christopher C., Tingley, Reid, Tracy, Christopher R., West, Matt and Akcakaya, H. Resit (2014). Detecting extinction risk from climate change by IUCN Red List criteria. Conservation Biology, 28 (3), 810-819. doi: 10.1111/cobi.12234
Heard, Geoffrey W., Scroggie, Michael P., Clemann, Nick and Ramsey, David S. L. (2014). Wetland characteristics influence disease risk for a threatened amphibian. Ecological Applications, 24 (4), 650-662. doi: 10.1890/13-0389.1
Karavarsamis, Natalie, Robinson, Andrew P., Hepworth, Graham, Hamilton, Andrew J. and Heard, Geoffrey W. (2013). Comparison Of Four Bootstrap-based Interval Estimators Of Species Occupancy And Detection Probabilities. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Statistics, 55 (3), 235-252. doi: 10.1111/anzs.12044
Heard, Geoffrey W., McCarthy, Michael A., Scroggie, Michael P., Baumgartner, John B. and Parris, Kirsten M. (2013). A Bayesian model of metapopulation viability, with application to an endangered amphibian. Diversity and Distributions, 19 (5-6), 555-566. doi: 10.1111/ddi.12052
Hale, Joshua M., Heard, Geoffrey W., Smith, Katie L., Parris, Kirsten M., Austin, Jeremy J., Kearney, Michael and Melville, Jane (2013). Structure and fragmentation of growling grass frog metapopulations. Conservation Genetics, 14 (2), 313-322. doi: 10.1007/s10592-012-0428-9
Wilson, Joab N., Bekessy, Sarah, Parris, Kirsten M., Gordon, Ascelin, Heard, Geoffrey W. and Wintle, Brendan A. (2013). Impacts of climate change and urban development on the spotted marsh frog (Limnodynastes tasmaniensis). Austral Ecology, 38 (1), 11-22. doi: 10.1111/j.1442-9993.2012.02365.x
Heard, Geoffrey W., Scroggie, Michael P. and Malone, Brian S. (2012). Classical metapopulation theory as a useful paradigm for the conservation of an endangered amphibian. Biological Conservation, 148 (1), 156-166. doi: 10.1016/j.biocon.2012.01.018
Heard, Geoffrey W., Scroggie, Michael P. and Malone, Brian S. (2012). The life history and decline of the threatened Australian frog, Litoria raniformis. Austral Ecology, 37 (2), 276-284. doi: 10.1111/j.1442-9993.2011.02275.x
Canessa, Stefano, Heard, Geoffrey W., Parris, Kirsten M. and McCarthy, Michael A. (2012). Integrating variability in detection probabilities when designing wildlife surveys: a case study of amphibians from south-eastern Australia. Biodiversity and Conservation, 21 (3), 729-744. doi: 10.1007/s10531-011-0211-0
Hale, Joshua M., Heard, Geoffrey W., Smith, Katie L., Blacket, Mark J., Austin, Jeremy J. and Melville, Jane (2011). Microsatellite loci for the endangered growling grass frog (Litoria raniformis), with cross amplification in other Australian frog species. Conservation Genetics Resources, 3 (3), 593-595. doi: 10.1007/s12686-011-9412-9
Heard, Geoffrey W., Scroggie, Michael P. and Malone, Brian (2008). Visible Implant Alphanumeric tags as an alternative to toe-clipping for marking amphibians - a case study. Wildlife Research, 35 (8), 747-759. doi: 10.1071/wr08060
Heard, Geoffrey W., Robertson, Peter and Scroggie, Michael P. (2008). Microhabitat preferences of the endangered Growling Grass Frog Litoria raniformis in southern Victoria. Australian Zoologist, 34 (3), 414-425. doi: 10.7882/az.2008.019
Heard, Geoffrey W., Robertson, Peter and Scroggie, Michael P. (2006). Assessing detection probabilities for the endangered growling grass frog (Litoria raniformis) in southern Victoria. Wildlife Research, 33 (7), 557-564. doi: 10.1071/wr04080
Heard, Geoffrey W., Black, Dennis and Robertson, Peter (2004). Habitat use by the inland carpet python (Morelia spilota metcalfei: Pythonidae):: Seasonal relationships with habitat structure and prey distribution in a rural landscape. Austral Ecology, 29 (4), 446-460. doi: 10.1111/j.1442-9993.2004.01383.x
Newspaper Article
Ritchie, Euan, Nimmo, Dale, Driscoll, Don, Heard, Geoffrey, Watson, James, Evans, Megan C. and Doherty, Tim (2017, 10 12). Australia’s species need an independent champion The Conversation