
Overview
Background
Professor Salit Kark is a conservation and environmental scientist, with international experience examining the processes shaping biodiversity and their implications for conservation, ecology, environmental decisions, practice and management. Kark and her group provide international leadership in the areas of conservation science, prioritization, invasive species, urban ecology, spatial planning, island conservation, terrestrial, marine and coastal conservation, human-wildlife conflict, and cross-boundary collaboration, working across land-based, coastal and marine environments and collaborating with a wide range of stakeholders and partners in Australia and internationally. The Biodiversity Research Group is a dynamic research team led by Professor Salit Kark at The University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia with interests in conservation science, ecology and biodiversity. The Kark Group works on a range of conservation, environmental and ecological aspects and collaborates with multiple groups worldwide across terrestrial, coastal and marine ecosystems and across spatial scales, ranging from regional to global to help solve key environmental questions, ecological, sustainability and conservation challenges around the Planet. We mentor and train future generations of conservation scientists and practitioners, working with local communities and partners internationally to enhance conservation that supports livelihoods and communities.
Kark and her Biodiversity Research Group students and fellows work on addressing environmental and conservation challenges using advanced approaches and tools across multiple spatial scales, from global to local (examining latitudinal and altitudinal gradients), and in both terrestrial (birds and mammals mostly) and marine ecosystems. This includes work across both natural and human-dominated landscapes, examining the generality of spatial patterns and processes. Kark's work integrates socio-economic and historical factors as well as biological and ecological drivers in disentangling the role of the multiple factors that shape biodiversity and its conservation and management. In this framework, Kark's work advances the links between science, practice and policy and in leading actions that allow us to improve science-based conservation. Our group works to enhance close collaboration in conservation with Indigenous and local communities.
Kark is currently serving as a member of UQ's Cultural Inclusion Council and one of UQ's Senate committees and has served on the Promotions and the Confirmation Committee of the Faculty of Science (LCPC), as well as the School of Biological Science's Equity and Diversity Committee (ongoing), the research committee and the the First Nations Engagament committee (ongoing).
Professor Kark served as Deputy Director of UQ's Faculty of Science Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science. Kark was an Australian Research Council (ARC) Future Fellow and is currently teaching and research academic and Professor at the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Queensland, Brisbane (Australia) and was a Chief Investigator at the Australian Research Council (ARC) Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions (CEED; 2011-2018) and CEED's Theme A (Environmental Policy and Management) Leader. Kark was Chief Investigator of the Commonwealth-supported NESP Threatened Species hub (2015-2021). In this hub, Kark has initiated and led the national-scale Australian islands conservation project (Saving Species on Australian Islands), which aims to examine and prioritize the conservation of threatened species and actions for native and invasive species across Australia's 9000+ islands.
Kark's Biodiversity Research Group is very international, enhancing gender equity, cultural diversity, and Indigenous engagement, and includes students and fellows from over 20 countries. Kar's graduates are now based across continents in key positions in a broad range of governmental organizations, NGOs, academic organizations, industry, the private sector, and diverse conservation, management and policy roles.
Kark completed her PhD in 1999. She was a post-doctoral fellow at the Department of Biological Sciences, Stanford University (between 1999-2002) working with Prof. Harold Mooney, Prof. Gretchen Daily and Prof. Paul Ehrlich at the Center for Conservation Biology at Stanford.
Between 2002 and June 2013, Kark was a full-time research and teaching faculty member (Senior Lecturer) where she established and led the Biodiversity Research Group, which she currently leads at the University of Queensland.
Availability
- Professor Salit Kark is:
- Available for supervision
- Media expert
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Doctor of Philosophy, University
Research interests
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Biodiversity, global change and conservation science
Research Interests My research group studies the processes shaping biodiversity and their implications for conservation in a changing world. We work on both native and alien invasive species across different continents and at multiple spatial scales, from global to local. We work across environmental gradients ranging from native to human-dominated ecosystems, including urban and agricultural landscapes. We combine in our research fieldwork, field experiments, spatial and temporal analyses of large databases using geographic information systems, remote sensing, and other advanced tools. We collaborate widely internationally. We are interested in how we can wisely and efficiently prioritize biodiversity conservation actions and efforts to manage native and invasive species in both terrestrial and marine environments in the face of global change. Current main projects Conservation planning and prioritization at local, regional and global scales. Incorporating socio-political and human-related drivers into biodiversity conservation. The role of cross-boundary collaboration and conflicts in conservation. Invasive alien species – spatial patterns, processes, establishment, traits, impacts and prioritization of action How do interactions between alien species shape establishment success, spatial patterns and introduction outcomes? (with focus on birds and mammals). Urban ecology – spatial, temporal trends and conservation of urban biodiversity. The factors shaping the success of species in urban environments. Biodiversity changes along species distribution ranges and particularly across environmental and ecological gradients (such as altitudinal, latitudinal, urban-rural, land-sea, and bathymetric gradients). Island conservation Our group leads research on island conservation, ecosystems and threatened species across Australia's islands and the Indo-Pacific, as well as globally. Developing tools and approaches for 3D marine and terrestrial conservation Conservation planning and prioritization in the Mediterranean Basin and Sea at the regional scale in the face of new challenges, such as oil and gas operations. Examination of approaches that can be used to close the gap between managers, policymakers, and scientists (such as horizon scanning). The role of cross-boundary collaboration and conflicts in conservation.
Research impacts
Leadership – Science-policy: Professor Salit Kark has taken an important leading role in high-rank science-policy national projects, which I have initiated and have been leading. She established and led a large national project aimed at identifying the gaps between scientists, policy-makers and practitioners in the areas of biodiversity and conservation and proposing a national plan for narrowing these gaps. In this framework, she led via dedicated research grants I won a consortium of ±25 partners from governmental, non-governmental and academic organizations have organized international workshops. Kark wrote and published a national report entitled: Promoting science-based conservation in the Mediterranean: Identification of gaps and proposed action plan (http://www.sciencebasedconservation.org/default.aspx?pageid=14), which I presented to the Parliament Science and Technology Committee and which was widely distributed to parliament members, government offices, NGO's, the industry, a range of stakeholders and scientists worldwide. The report proposes a plan to establish the National Natural Resources and Biodiversity Institute (http://www.sciencebasedconservation.org/).
Leading of international and national workshops: In recent years, Kark has organised and chaired over 25 workshops and conferences, including international conferences/workshops. In 2012 and 2013, I chaired three international workshops on Conservation Planning in the Mediterranean Sea, which lead to new successful collaborations among multiple leading scientists working in the region on conservation prioritisation and planning. Management of alien invasive species also requires collaboration and coordination among different states and regions. In 2010, I coordinated and chaired an International Expert Workshop: Science-based Conservation: Achievements, Gaps and Challenges, to which I invited experts from 5 continents (http://www.sciencebasedconservation.org/default.aspx?pageid=15). During 2009-2011, I lead a working group and of monthly workshops on the links between science, policy and practice in biodiversity conservation (science-based conservation).
Policy advice: Kark has participated in academic and national policy committees and advisory boards, including the steering committee on invasive species (The Nature and Parks Authority); the National Biodiversity Plan, The Ministry of Environment; the Annual Backyard Bird Survey; Curriculum development in science teaching for the Ministry of Education; the Society for Protection of Nature and the Nature and Parks Authority and the National Ecological Monitoring Program. she an invited Steering Committee member for the Municipality (Local Action for Biodiversity) and was invited to The Nature Conservancy’s Global Mediterranean Action Network (Global NGO).
Outreach impact: Professor Salit Kark's scientific work and many of her papers have received substantial press, being covered in hundreds of national and international newspapers, magazines, online venues and Internet articles, such as Science Magazine news (ScienceNOW Daily News), ABC (Australian Broadcasting corporation), BBC news, BBC Science & Environment Earth News, United Press International (UPI), National Geographic (printed edition and on-line), Sigma Xi and Public Radio International, Globes, The Post, CBC Radio (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation), on TV and other media sources.
Works
Search Professor Salit Kark’s works on UQ eSpace
2024
Journal Article
Bird Utilisation of Vertical Space in Urban Environments
Re, Annalise J., Rogers, Andrew M., Possingham, Hugh P. and Kark, Salit (2024). Bird Utilisation of Vertical Space in Urban Environments. Diversity, 17 (1) 16, 16-1. doi: 10.3390/d17010016
2024
Journal Article
Quantifying Night Sky Brightness as a Stressor for Coastal Ecosystems in Moreton Bay, Queensland
Levin, Noam, Cooper, Rachel Madeleine and Kark, Salit (2024). Quantifying Night Sky Brightness as a Stressor for Coastal Ecosystems in Moreton Bay, Queensland. Remote Sensing, 16 (20) 3828, 3828. doi: 10.3390/rs16203828
2024
Journal Article
The initial impact of a predator exclosure sanctuary on small vertebrates in semi-arid Western Australia
Hungerford, Joshua and Kark, Salit (2024). The initial impact of a predator exclosure sanctuary on small vertebrates in semi-arid Western Australia. Austral Ecology, 49 (10) e13593. doi: 10.1111/aec.13593
2024
Journal Article
Reducing nest box entrance diameter impacts mammal occupancy
Hendry, Alexander, Rogers, Andrew M. and Kark, Salit (2024). Reducing nest box entrance diameter impacts mammal occupancy. Restoration Ecology, 32 (7) e14211, 7. doi: 10.1111/rec.14211
2024
Journal Article
Comparative study reveals management of a dominant invasive plant facilitates subtropical forest regeneration
Dann, Leah E., Guja, Lydia, Kark, Salit and Dwyer, John (2024). Comparative study reveals management of a dominant invasive plant facilitates subtropical forest regeneration. Biological Invasions, 26 (1), 299-313. doi: 10.1007/s10530-023-03174-5
2024
Book Chapter
Effects of ecotones on biodiversity
Kark, Salit (2024). Effects of ecotones on biodiversity. Encyclopedia of biodiversity. (pp. 263-271) edited by Samuel M. Scheiner. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/b978-0-12-822562-2.00394-7
2023
Journal Article
Alien vs. predator: Impacts of invasive species and native predators on urban nest box use by native birds
Rogers, Andrew M., Lermite, Françoise, Griffin, Andrea S., van Rensburg, Berndt J. and Kark, Salit (2023). Alien vs. predator: Impacts of invasive species and native predators on urban nest box use by native birds. Animals, 13 (11) 1807, 1-14. doi: 10.3390/ani13111807
2023
Journal Article
From historical maps to remote sensing: reconstructing land use changes on Norfolk Island over the past 250 years
Levin, Noam and Kark, Salit (2023). From historical maps to remote sensing: reconstructing land use changes on Norfolk Island over the past 250 years. The Cartographic Journal, 60 (3), 194-215. doi: 10.1080/00087041.2022.2150367
2023
Journal Article
Quantifying and mapping the human footprint across Earth's coastal areas
Allan, Hannah, Levin, Noam and Kark, Salit (2023). Quantifying and mapping the human footprint across Earth's coastal areas. Ocean and Coastal Management, 236 106476, 106476. doi: 10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2023.106476
2023
Other Outputs
Coastal human footprint
Levin, Noam, Allan, Hannah and Kark, Salit (2023). Coastal human footprint. The University of Queensland. (Dataset) doi: 10.48610/ad36436
2023
Journal Article
Backyard conservation in traditionally owned lands
Novera, Junior and Kark, Salit (2023). Backyard conservation in traditionally owned lands. Trends in Ecology and Evolution, 38 (1), 3-7. doi: 10.1016/j.tree.2022.08.006
2023
Other Outputs
Nest box monitoring data
Rogers, Andrew and Kark, Salit (2023). Nest box monitoring data. The University of Queensland. (Dataset) doi: 10.48610/e5d3e78
2022
Journal Article
Multinational coordination required for conservation of over 90% of marine species (vol 27, pg 6206, 2021)
Roberson, L. A., Beyer, H. L., O'Hara, C., Watson, J. E. M., Dunn, D. C., Halpern, B. S., Klein, C. J., Frazier, M. R., Kuempel, C. D., Williams, B., Grantham, H. S., Montgomery, J. C., Kark, S. and Runting, R. K. (2022). Multinational coordination required for conservation of over 90% of marine species (vol 27, pg 6206, 2021). Global Change Biology, 28 (22), 6834-6834. doi: 10.1111/gcb.16401
2022
Journal Article
Spatially explicit risk assessment of marine megafauna vulnerability to Indian Ocean tuna fisheries
Roberson, Leslie, Wilcox, Chris, Boussarie, Germain, Dugan, Emma, Garilao, Cristina, Gonzalez, Kristofer, Green, Madeline, Kark, Salit, Kaschner, Kristin, Klein, Carissa J., Rousseau, Yannick, Vallentyne, Dan, Watson, James E. M. and Kiszka, Jeremy J. (2022). Spatially explicit risk assessment of marine megafauna vulnerability to Indian Ocean tuna fisheries. Fish and Fisheries, 23 (5), 1180-1201. doi: 10.1111/faf.12676
2022
Journal Article
Multinational coordination required for conservation of over 90% of marine species
Roberson, Leslie A., Beyer, Hawthorne L., O’Hara, Casey, Watson, James E. M., Dunn, Daniel C., Halpern, Benjamin S., Klein, Carissa J., Frazier, Melanie R., Kuempel, Caitlin D., Williams, Brooke, Grantham, Hedley S., Montgomery, Jamie C., Kark, Salit and Runting, Rebecca K. (2022). Multinational coordination required for conservation of over 90% of marine species. Global Change Biology, 27 (23), 6206-6216. doi: 10.1111/gcb.15844
2022
Journal Article
Towards a national platform for Australia’s islands
Kark, Salit, Rogers, Andrew M. and Moro, Dorian (2022). Towards a national platform for Australia’s islands. Pacific Conservation Biology, 28 (4), 362-371. doi: 10.1071/pc21062
2022
Journal Article
Accelerated shifts in terrestrial life zones under rapid climate change
Elsen, Paul R., Saxon, Earl C., Simmons, B. Alexander, Ward, Michelle, Williams, Brooke A., Grantham, Hedley S., Kark, Salit, Levin, Noam, Perez‐Hammerle, Katharina‐Victoria, Reside, April E. and Watson, James E. M. (2022). Accelerated shifts in terrestrial life zones under rapid climate change. Global Change Biology, 28 (3), 918-935. doi: 10.1111/gcb.15962
2022
Other Outputs
Saving species on Australian islands
Baxter, Peter, Rogers, Andrew and Kark, Salit (2022). Saving species on Australian islands. Brisbane, QLD, Australia: The University of Queensland.
2021
Book
A guide to propagating Norfolk Island’s native plants and seeds
Dann, Leah, Scott, Mark, Guja, Lydia, Wilson, Melinda, Greenup, Nigel and Kark, Salit (2021). A guide to propagating Norfolk Island’s native plants and seeds. Australia: NESP Threatened Species Hub.
2021
Journal Article
Protecting an icon: Javan rhinoceros frontline management and conservation
Wilson, Steven Graham, Biggs, Duan and Kark, Salit (2021). Protecting an icon: Javan rhinoceros frontline management and conservation. Oryx, 56 (1), 101-107. doi: 10.1017/S003060531900139X
Funding
Current funding
Past funding
Supervision
Availability
- Professor Salit Kark is:
- Available for supervision
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Available projects
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Incorporating Indigenous Ecological Knowledge into conservation
Incorporating Indigenous Ecological Knowledge, language and culture into biodiversity and ecosystem conservation
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Conservation planning and prioritization in marine and coastal systems
Systematic conservation planning and prioirtisation in the Mediterranean Basin and Sea at the regional scale in the face of new challenges, such as oil and gas operations.
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The role of collaboration and conflict in conservation
The role of cross boundary collaboration and conflicts in conservation in terrestrial, marine and freshwater systems
Land-sea interactions and conservation prioirtization in the world's largest rivers
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Biodiversity along environmental gradients and ecotone in the face of global change
Biodiversity changes along species distribution ranges and particularly across environmental and ecological gradients (such as altitudinal, latitudinal, urban-rural, land-sea and bathymetric gradients).
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Science-policy gaps in biodiversity conservation
Examination of approaches that can be used to close the gap between managers, policy makers and scientists (such as horizon scanning).
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Island biodiversity and conservation
Shaping conservation and management prioritiies on Australian and global islands
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Urban biodiversity and ecology of urban birds
Urban ecology – spatial, temporal trends and conservation of urban biodiversity. The factors shaping success of species in urban environments.
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Prioritization of action for confronting invasive alien mammals and birds in Australia
Invasive alien species – spatial patterns, processes, establishment, traits, impacts and prioritization of action
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The role of interactions between invasive alien species in shaping introduction success
How do interactions between alien species shape establishment success, spatial patterns and introduction outcomes? (with focus on birds and mammals).
-
Incorporating socio-political drivers into conservation prioritization
Conservation planning and prioritisation at local, regional and global scales. Incorporating socio-political and human-related drivers into biodiversity conservation.
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Coastal conservation and spatial mapping of biodiversity, threats and conservation actions
We are studying coastal ecosystem conservation at global, regional and local scales using spatial approaches and tools. We are also interested in the interactions between humans and wildlife and at local and Indigenous knowledge and its key roles in conservation.
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New Caledonia, Pacific Islands and Norfolk Island conservation
Conservation of island biodiversity, threatened species, introduced species across islands in the region
Supervision history
Current supervision
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Doctor Philosophy
Barriers to the recruitment of endemic and threatened plant species on Norfolk Island
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr John Dwyer, Dr Noam Levin
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Doctor Philosophy
Integrating Ecosystem Services in Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) for planning the Blue Economy of Bangladesh
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Noam Levin, Dr Md. Ali Akber
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Doctor Philosophy
Can honey help save large threatened animals?
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Dibesh Karmacharya
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Doctor Philosophy
From the UK to Australia: when a native species becomes an invader
Principal Advisor
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Doctor Philosophy
Can honey help save large threatened animals?
Principal Advisor
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Doctor Philosophy
Factors shaping butterfly conservation on Australian islands
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Emeritus Professor Myron Zalucki
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Doctor Philosophy
Can honey help save large threatened animals?
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Dibesh Karmacharya
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Doctor Philosophy
The Distribution and Invasiveness of the Common myna (Acridotheres tristis) along Gradients
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Richard Fuller
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Master Philosophy
The Potential of Syntropic Agroforestry for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Conservation
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Tyron Venn
Completed supervision
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2024
Master Philosophy
Bird utilization of vertical space in urban environments and its implications for conservation planning
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Hugh Possingham, Dr Noam Levin
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2024
Doctor Philosophy
Conservation of mammals in a biodiversity hotspot on Bougainville Island, Papua New Guinea
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Diana Fisher
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2021
Doctor Philosophy
Factors shaping the conservation of the critically endangered Javan Rhinoceros
Principal Advisor
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2019
Doctor Philosophy
The role of habitat variability and interactions around nesting cavities in shaping urban bird communities
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Berndt Janse Van Rensburg
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2019
Doctor Philosophy
Ecology of biotic invasions on mainland Australia and its islands
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Hugh Possingham
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2019
Doctor Philosophy
Invasive species management under uncertainty: A participatory and modelling approach
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Hugh Possingham, Professor Eve McDonald-Madden
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2019
Doctor Philosophy
Advancing marine conservation prioritisation in an increasingly threatened ocean
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Hugh Possingham, Dr Noam Levin
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2015
Doctor Philosophy
Advancing systematic conservation planning in the Mediterranean Sea
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Anthony Richardson, Professor Hugh Possingham
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2023
Master Philosophy
Coexistence and niche differentiation in a hyperdiverse mesopredator guild
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Karlina Indraswari, Associate Professor Matthew Luskin
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2021
Doctor Philosophy
Global environmental governance for conserving migratory birds
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Richard Fuller
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2021
Doctor Philosophy
Reducing fishing impacts on species of conservation concern at multiple scales
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor James Watson, Associate Professor Carissa Klein
Media
Enquiries
Contact Professor Salit Kark directly for media enquiries about:
- biodiversity
- collaboration in conservation
- conservation
- conservation prioritization
- cross-boundary collaboration in conservation
- ecological gradients
- invasive birds
- island conservation
- marine conservation
- Mediterranean conservation
- Mediterranean Sea
- urban biodiversity
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