Welcome!I am a PhD candidate at the University of Canberra's Centre for Conservation, Ecology, and Genetics within the Institute for Applied Ecology. I am studying the reproductive ecology and phenotypic responses to incubation temperature in the Central Bearded Dragon (Pogona vitticeps), which undergoes sex-reversal under high incubation temperatures. I received Master's of Science graduate from Auburn University where I studied the effects of phenological changes during incubation in the Brown Anole (Anolis sagrei). I am interested mostly in thermal developmental environments, thermal adaptations to climate change, developmental and phenotypic plasticity, shifts in phenology, and invasive species. I'm also trying to be more involved in science communications, so follow me on twitter (@pr_pearson)!
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Recent NewsNew Warner Lab Paper! 10 Feb 2022We recently go our paper "Propagule size and sex ratio influence colonisation dynamics after introduction of a non-native lizard" accepted into the Journal of Animal Ecology! Dr. Amelie Fargeville lead the analysis and writing of this great paper, which comprised of 4 years of mark recapture data (with almost 6000 descendants excluding founders!). The work involved in this project was my first foray into the field of ecology, and its so amazing to see all of this hard work come to fruition!
Back to work! June 2020After a 3 month stent of working from home, I am finally back into the office and ready to actually get work done!
Good news in times of crisis, April 2020I've been awarded the prestigious Holsworth Endowment Fellowship by the Ecological Society of Australia to look at differences in dragon egg yolk hormones and nutrient content! I'm looking forward to getting back to the labs to start this work.
COVID-19 Effects: April 2020My research had a quick wrap up due to the global pandemic this year. However, I was able to collect most of the necessary data to analyse the dragon's sprint performance. Excited to see my preliminary results!
2020 off to a good start!
I've been incubating Bearded Dragon eggs under varied temperatures to see how offspring of regular and sex reversed females differ in morphology and performance. Let the races begin!
Exciting news for 2018!
I have been accepted to the University of Canberra and awarded the Australian Government Research Training Program scholarship to work with Dr. Stephen Sarre! I will be studying the nesting behaviors and effects of temperature on offspring of Central Bearded Dragons (Pogona vitticeps). This species has sex chromosomes but when exposed to high temperatures during development, genetically male individuals develop as females (sex reversal). More information on the project can be found here.
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