Dr Simone Blomberg
Dr

Simone Blomberg

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Phone: 
+61 7 336 52506

Background

Methods and applications of statistics in evolutionary biology and population ecology.

My research involves the application and development of statistical methods in ecology, evolutionary biology, and general whole-organism biology. My two particular research foci are phylogenetic comparative methods and other uses of statistics in ecology, evolution, and systematics. I also have a strong interest in the application of Bayesian methods, and the statistical philosophy of the nature of evidence in whole-organism biology. How and why do scientists agree that certain data are evidence for or against a particular hypothesis?

I also provide a statistical consultation service for staff and students within the School of Biological Sciences

I am interested in taking graduate students at any level who are interested in quantitative methods in biology. Students in my lab will be able to (or be willing to learn) program computers in S (http://www.r-project.org), a compiled language such as C or Fortran, and/or a scripting language such as Python or Scheme in a Unix environment. Students are also encouraged to extend or develop their mathematical skills. A background in biology, statistics, mathematics, or computer science would be valuable. I can also co-supervise students who are interested in using quantitative methods for their thesis work, but for whom such methods are not a primary focus of research.

Availability

Dr Simone Blomberg is:
Available for supervision
Media expert

Fields of research

Ecology Environmental Sciences Zoology

Research interests

  • Models of Quantitative Trait Evolution

    Macroevolution lacks mathematical theory. I am trying to develop new models of evolution and apply them to real data sets in order to bring the study of macroevolution into the 21st century. I concentrate on the use of diffusion processes as evolutionary models. Diffusions are a broad class of processes that have applications in finance, physics, and other quantitative disciplines. Their use in evolutionary studies has been at a fairly basic level, mainly using Brownian motion and the Ornstein-Uhlenbeck process. These two processes are simple but are not very realistic descriptions of how evolution occurs. I aim to provide more, better models together with methods to fit them to real data.

Search Professor Simone Blomberg’s works on UQ eSpace

112 works between 1991 and 2024
All (112) Journal Article (103) Book Chapter (2) Conference Publication (5) Other Outputs (2)

61 - 80 of 112 works

2013

Journal Article

Assessing the vulnerability of an assemblage of subtropical rainforest vertebrate species to climate change in south-east Queensland

Hagger, Valerie, Fisher, Diana, Schmidt, Susanne and Blomberg, Simon (2013). Assessing the vulnerability of an assemblage of subtropical rainforest vertebrate species to climate change in south-east Queensland. Austral Ecology, 38 (4), 465-475. doi: 10.1111/j.1442-9993.2012.02437.x

Assessing the vulnerability of an assemblage of subtropical rainforest vertebrate species to climate change in south-east Queensland

2013

Journal Article

Individual variation in vigilance in female eastern grey kangaroos

Dannock, R. J., Blomberg, S. P. and Goldizen, A. W. (2013). Individual variation in vigilance in female eastern grey kangaroos. Australian Journal of Zoology, 61 (4), 312-319. doi: 10.1071/ZO12122

Individual variation in vigilance in female eastern grey kangaroos

2013

Journal Article

Detrimental influence on performance of high temperature incubation in a tropical reptile: is cooler better in the tropics?

Bell, Kris, Blomberg, Simon and Schwarzkopf, Lin (2013). Detrimental influence on performance of high temperature incubation in a tropical reptile: is cooler better in the tropics?. Oecologia, 171 (1), 83-91. doi: 10.1007/s00442-012-2409-6

Detrimental influence on performance of high temperature incubation in a tropical reptile: is cooler better in the tropics?

2012

Journal Article

The effects of parasites on the early life stages of a damselfish

Sun, D., Blomberg, S. P., Cribb, T. H., McCormick, M. I. and Grutter, A. S. (2012). The effects of parasites on the early life stages of a damselfish. Coral Reefs, 31 (4), 1065-1075. doi: 10.1007/s00338-012-0929-5

The effects of parasites on the early life stages of a damselfish

2012

Journal Article

A novel approach for global mammal extinction risk reduction

Di Marco, Moreno, Cardillo, Marcel, Possingham, Hugh P., Wilson, Kerrie A., Blomberg, Simon P., Boitani, Luigi and Rondinini, Carlo (2012). A novel approach for global mammal extinction risk reduction. Conservation Letters, 5 (2), 134-141. doi: 10.1111/j.1755-263X.2011.00219.x

A novel approach for global mammal extinction risk reduction

2012

Journal Article

Quantum-like non-separability of concept combinations, emergent associates and abduction

Bruza, P. D., Kitto, K., Ramm, R., Sitbon, L., Song, D. and Blomberg, S. (2012). Quantum-like non-separability of concept combinations, emergent associates and abduction. Logic Journal of IGPL, 20 (2) jzq049, 445-457. doi: 10.1093/jigpal/jzq049

Quantum-like non-separability of concept combinations, emergent associates and abduction

2012

Journal Article

Differential expression of neuropeptides correlates with growth rate in cultivated Haliotis asinina (Vetigastropoda: Mollusca)

York, Patrick S., Cummins, Scott F., Lucas, Tim, Blomberg, Simon P., Degnan, Sandie M. and Degnan, Bernard M. (2012). Differential expression of neuropeptides correlates with growth rate in cultivated Haliotis asinina (Vetigastropoda: Mollusca). Aquaculture, 334-337, 159-168. doi: 10.1016/j.aquaculture.2011.12.019

Differential expression of neuropeptides correlates with growth rate in cultivated Haliotis asinina (Vetigastropoda: Mollusca)

2012

Journal Article

Inferring extinction of mammals from sighting records, threats, and biological traits

Fisher, Diana O. and Blomberg, Simon P. (2012). Inferring extinction of mammals from sighting records, threats, and biological traits. Conservation Biology, 26 (1), 57-67. doi: 10.1111/j.1523-1739.2011.01797.x

Inferring extinction of mammals from sighting records, threats, and biological traits

2011

Journal Article

Long-term effects of the cleaner fish Labroides dimidiatus on coral reef fish communities

Waldie, Peter A., Blomberg, Simon P., Cheney, Karen L., Goldizen, Anne W. and Grutter, Alexandra S. (2011). Long-term effects of the cleaner fish Labroides dimidiatus on coral reef fish communities. PLoS One, 6 (6) e21201, e21201-1-e21201-7. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0021201

Long-term effects of the cleaner fish Labroides dimidiatus on coral reef fish communities

2011

Journal Article

Correlates of rediscovery and the detectability of extinction in mammals

Fisher, D. O. and Blomberg, S. P. (2011). Correlates of rediscovery and the detectability of extinction in mammals. Proceedings of The Royal Society of London B: Biological Sciences, 278 (1708), 1090-1097. doi: 10.1098/rspb.2010.1579

Correlates of rediscovery and the detectability of extinction in mammals

2011

Journal Article

Costs of reproduction and terminal investment by females in a semelparous marsupial

Fisher, Diana O. and Blomberg, Simon P. (2011). Costs of reproduction and terminal investment by females in a semelparous marsupial. PLoS One, 6 (1 Article # e15226) e15226, e15226. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0015226

Costs of reproduction and terminal investment by females in a semelparous marsupial

2010

Journal Article

Homosexual behavior in birds: Frequency of expression is related to parental care disparity between the sexes

MacFarlane, Geoff R., Blomberg, Simon P. and Vasey, Paul L. (2010). Homosexual behavior in birds: Frequency of expression is related to parental care disparity between the sexes. Animal Behaviour, 80 (3), 375-390. doi: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2010.05.009

Homosexual behavior in birds: Frequency of expression is related to parental care disparity between the sexes

2010

Journal Article

Causes and consequences of variation in plant population growth rate: a synthesis of matrix population models in a phylogenetic context

Buckley, Yvonne M., Ramula, Satu, Blomberg, Simon. P., Burns, Jean H., Crone, Elizabeth E., Herlen, Johan, Knight, Tiffany M., Pichancourt, Jean-Baptiste, Quested, Helen and Wardle, Glenda M. (2010). Causes and consequences of variation in plant population growth rate: a synthesis of matrix population models in a phylogenetic context. Ecology Letters, 13 (9), 1182-1197. doi: 10.1111/j.1461-0248.2010.01506.x

Causes and consequences of variation in plant population growth rate: a synthesis of matrix population models in a phylogenetic context

2010

Journal Article

Nitrogen and phosphorus additions negatively affect tree species diversity in tropical forest regrowth trajectories

Siddique, Ilyas, Vieira, Ima Celia Guimaraes, Schmidt, Susanne, Lamb, David, Carvalho, Claudio Jose Reis, Figueiredo, Ricardo De, Blomberg, Simon and Davidson, Eric A. (2010). Nitrogen and phosphorus additions negatively affect tree species diversity in tropical forest regrowth trajectories. Ecology, 91 (7), 2121-2131. doi: 10.1890/09-0636.1

Nitrogen and phosphorus additions negatively affect tree species diversity in tropical forest regrowth trajectories

2010

Journal Article

Empirical tests of life-history evolution theory using phylogenetic analysis of plant demography

Burns, Jean H., Blomberg, Simon P., Crone, Elizabeth E., Ehrlen, Johan, Knight, Tiffany M., Pichancourt, Jean-Baptiste, Ramula, Satu, Wardle, Glenda M. and Buckley, Yvonne M. (2010). Empirical tests of life-history evolution theory using phylogenetic analysis of plant demography. Journal of Ecology, 98 (2), 334-344. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2745.2009.01634.x

Empirical tests of life-history evolution theory using phylogenetic analysis of plant demography

2010

Journal Article

How unpredictable is the individual scanning process in socially foraging mammals?

Pays, O, Blomberg, SP, Renaud, PC, Favreau, FR and Jarman, PJ (2010). How unpredictable is the individual scanning process in socially foraging mammals?. Behavioral Ecology And Sociobiology, 64 (3), 443-454. doi: 10.1007/s00265-009-0860-0

How unpredictable is the individual scanning process in socially foraging mammals?

2009

Journal Article

Toe-bud clipping of juvenile small marsupials for ecological field research: No detectable negative effects on growth or survival

Fisher, D.O. and Blomberg, S.P. (2009). Toe-bud clipping of juvenile small marsupials for ecological field research: No detectable negative effects on growth or survival. Austral Ecology, 34 (8), 858-865. doi: 10.1111/j.1442-9993.2009.01991.x

Toe-bud clipping of juvenile small marsupials for ecological field research: No detectable negative effects on growth or survival

2009

Journal Article

Strategic (adaptive) hypothermia in bull dromedary camels during rut; could it increase reproductive success?

Grigg, Gordon, Beard, Lyn, Dorges, Birgit, Heucke, Jurgen, Coventry, Jocelyn, Coppock, Alex and Blomberg, Simon (2009). Strategic (adaptive) hypothermia in bull dromedary camels during rut; could it increase reproductive success?. Biology Letters, 5 (6), 853-856. doi: 10.1098/rsbl.2009.0450

Strategic (adaptive) hypothermia in bull dromedary camels during rut; could it increase reproductive success?

2009

Journal Article

Interaction between plate make and protein in protein crystallisation screening

King, Gordon J., Chen, Kai-En, Robin, Gautier, Forwood, Jade K., Heras, Begoña, Thakur, Anil S., Kobe, Bostjan, Blomberg, Simon P. and Martin, Jennifer L. (2009). Interaction between plate make and protein in protein crystallisation screening. PLoS One, 4 (11) e7851, x-x. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0007851

Interaction between plate make and protein in protein crystallisation screening

2009

Journal Article

Blue and yellow signal cleaning behaviour in coral reef fishes

Cheney, Karen L., Grutter, Alexandra S., Blomberg, Simon P. and Marshall, N. Justin (2009). Blue and yellow signal cleaning behaviour in coral reef fishes. Current Biology, 19 (15), 1283-1287. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2009.06.028

Blue and yellow signal cleaning behaviour in coral reef fishes

Past funding

  • 2022 - 2025
    Ancestral state reconstruction and the evolution of Australian marsupials (ARC Discovery Project administered by Queensland University of Technology)
    Queensland University of Technology
    Open grant
  • 2020
    A new molecular/morphological view of animal evolution based on marsupials (ARC Discovery Project administered by Flinders University)
    Flinders University
    Open grant
  • 2017 - 2020
    A new molecular/morphological view of animal evolution based on marsupials
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2016 - 2019
    The ecology of trace metal contamination in native Australian mammals
    ARC Linkage Projects
    Open grant
  • 2014 - 2019
    Fitting non-Gaussian diffusion models to evolutionary data: towards a generalized framework for phylogenetic comparative analyses.
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2012 - 2017
    Population fluctuations: models, mechanisms and management
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2008 - 2010
    Advances in Phylogenetic Comparative Methods.
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant

Availability

Dr Simone Blomberg is:
Available for supervision

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Available projects

  • Models of Evolution and the Fossil Record

    Current theory suggests that including fossils in macroevolutionary studies greatly improves the identifiability of models. However, it is not known how many fossils are necessary, where they should be placed in the tree (near the tips or near the root?), and how this interacts with tree shape and tree size. Also, are the fossils more important for ancestral character recosntruction, hypothesis testing, or model selection? This project will examine these factors in detail using simulations, with the possibility of examining case studies of taxa with good fossil records.

Supervision history

Current supervision

Completed supervision

Enquiries

Contact Dr Simone Blomberg directly for media enquiries about:

  • Ecology - statistics
  • Evolution - statistics
  • Statistics - ecology, evolution

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