Dr Simone Blomberg
Dr

Simone Blomberg

Email: 
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

111 works between 1991 and 2024
All (111) Journal Article (103) Book Chapter (2) Conference Publication (5) Other Outputs (1)

81 - 100 of 111 works

2009

Conference Publication

Unreliable signals of strength in male slender crayfish (Cherax dispar): costs of enlarged claws and the importance of resources during disputes

Wilson, RS, Oliver, J, Goldizen, A and Blomberg, S (2009). Unreliable signals of strength in male slender crayfish (Cherax dispar): costs of enlarged claws and the importance of resources during disputes. Annual Meeting of the Society-for-Integrative-and-Comparative-Biology, Boston Ma, Jan 03-07, 2009. CARY: OXFORD UNIV PRESS INC.

Unreliable signals of strength in male slender crayfish (Cherax dispar): costs of enlarged claws and the importance of resources during disputes

2009

Journal Article

Does testis size in cuckoos vary with paternal care?

Maurer, Golo and Blomberg, Simon (2009). Does testis size in cuckoos vary with paternal care?. The Auk, 127 (1), 24-30. doi: 10.1525/auk.2009.07185

Does testis size in cuckoos vary with paternal care?

2009

Conference Publication

Diving and digestion - the effect of an elevated metabolic rate on submergence in an aquatic ectotherm

Pratt, K. L., Wilson, R. S., Blomberg, S. P. and Franklin, C. E. (2009). Diving and digestion - the effect of an elevated metabolic rate on submergence in an aquatic ectotherm. Annual Meeting of the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology, Boston, MA, 3-7 January, 2009. United Kingdom: Oxford University Press. doi: 10.1093/icb/icp002

Diving and digestion - the effect of an elevated metabolic rate on submergence in an aquatic ectotherm

2009

Conference Publication

Diving and digestion - the effect of an elevated metabolic rate on submergence in an aquatic ectotherm

Pratt, KL, Wilson, RS, Blomberg, SP and Franklin, CE (2009). Diving and digestion - the effect of an elevated metabolic rate on submergence in an aquatic ectotherm. Annual Meeting of the Society-for-Integrative-and-Comparative-Biology, Boston Ma, Jan 03-07, 2009. CARY: OXFORD UNIV PRESS INC.

Diving and digestion - the effect of an elevated metabolic rate on submergence in an aquatic ectotherm

2009

Conference Publication

Unreliable signals of strength in male slender crayfish (Cherax dispar): costs of enlarged claws and the importance of resources during disputes

Wilson, R. S., Oliver, J., Goldizen, A. and Blomberg, S. (2009). Unreliable signals of strength in male slender crayfish (Cherax dispar): costs of enlarged claws and the importance of resources during disputes. Annual Meeting of the Society form Integrative and Comparative Biology, Boston, MA, United States, 3-7 January 2009. Oxford, United Kingdom,: Oxford University Press. doi: 10.1093/icb/icp002

Unreliable signals of strength in male slender crayfish (Cherax dispar): costs of enlarged claws and the importance of resources during disputes

2008

Journal Article

Morphometric and ultrastructural comparison of the olfactory system in elasmobranchs: The significance of structure-function relationships based on phylogeny and ecology

Schluessel, V., Bennett, M. B., Bleckmann, H., Blomberg, S. and Collin, S. P. (2008). Morphometric and ultrastructural comparison of the olfactory system in elasmobranchs: The significance of structure-function relationships based on phylogeny and ecology. Journal of Morphology, 269 (11), 1365-1386. doi: 10.1002/jmor.10661

Morphometric and ultrastructural comparison of the olfactory system in elasmobranchs: The significance of structure-function relationships based on phylogeny and ecology

2008

Journal Article

Chemical mediation of reciprocal mother-offspring recognition in the Southern Water Skink (Eulamprus heatwolei)

Head, M. L., Doughty, P. and Blomberg, S. P. (2008). Chemical mediation of reciprocal mother-offspring recognition in the Southern Water Skink (Eulamprus heatwolei). Austral Ecology, 33 (1), 20-28. doi: 10.1111/j.1442-9993.2007.01785.x

Chemical mediation of reciprocal mother-offspring recognition in the Southern Water Skink (Eulamprus heatwolei)

2007

Journal Article

Functional richness and relative resilience of bird communities in regions with different land use intensities

Fischer, J., Lindenmayer, D. B., Blomberg, S. P., Montague-Drake, R., Felton, A. and Stein, J. A. (2007). Functional richness and relative resilience of bird communities in regions with different land use intensities. Ecosystems, 10 (6), 964-974. doi: 10.1007/s10021-007-9064-5

Functional richness and relative resilience of bird communities in regions with different land use intensities

2007

Journal Article

The complementarity of single-species and ecosystem-oriented research in conservation research

Lindenmayer, David B., Fischer, Joern, Felton, Adam, Montague-Drake, Rebecca, Manning, Adrian D., Simberloff, Dan, Youngentob, Kara, Saunders, Debbie, Blomberg, S. P., Wilson, David, Felton, Annika M., Blackmore, Caroline, Lowe, Arianne, Bond, Suzi, Munro, Nicki and Elliott, Carole P. (2007). The complementarity of single-species and ecosystem-oriented research in conservation research. Oikos, 116 (7), 1220-1226. doi: 10.1111/j.2007.0030-1299.15683.x

The complementarity of single-species and ecosystem-oriented research in conservation research

2007

Journal Article

Accumulation and partitioning of heavy metals in mangroves: A synthesis of field-based studies

MacFarlane, Geoff R., Koller, Claudia E. and Blomberg, Simon P. (2007). Accumulation and partitioning of heavy metals in mangroves: A synthesis of field-based studies. Chemsphere, 69 (9), 1454-1464. doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2007.04.059

Accumulation and partitioning of heavy metals in mangroves: A synthesis of field-based studies

2007

Journal Article

Same-sex sexual behavior in birds: Expression is related to social mating system and state of development at hatching

MacFarlane, Geoff R., Blomberg, Simon P., Kaplan, Gisela and Rogers, Lesley J. (2007). Same-sex sexual behavior in birds: Expression is related to social mating system and state of development at hatching. Behavioral Ecology, 18 (1), 21-33. doi: 10.1093/beheco/arl065

Same-sex sexual behavior in birds: Expression is related to social mating system and state of development at hatching

2006

Journal Article

Post-mating sexual selection increases lifetime fitness of polyandrous females in the wild

Fisher, Diana O., Double, Michael C., Blomberg, Simon P., Jennions, Michael D. and Cockburn, Andrew (2006). Post-mating sexual selection increases lifetime fitness of polyandrous females in the wild. Nature, 444 (7115), 89-92. doi: 10.1038/nature05206

Post-mating sexual selection increases lifetime fitness of polyandrous females in the wild

2006

Journal Article

Ultraviolet signals ultra-aggression in a lizard

Whiting, Martin J., Stuart-Fox, Devi M., O'Connor, David, Firth, David, Bennett, Nigel C. and Blomberg, Simon P. (2006). Ultraviolet signals ultra-aggression in a lizard. Animal Behaviour, 72 (2), 353-363. doi: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2005.10.018

Ultraviolet signals ultra-aggression in a lizard

2006

Book Chapter

Reptiles

Blomberg, Simon and Shine, Richard (2006). Reptiles. Ecological census techniques: a handbook. (pp. 297-307) edited by William J. Sutherland. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. doi: 10.1017/CBO9780511790508.009

Reptiles

2003

Journal Article

Extrinsic versus intrinsic factors in the decline and extinction of Australian marsupials

Fisher, Diana O., Blomberg, Simon P. and Owens, Ian P. F. (2003). Extrinsic versus intrinsic factors in the decline and extinction of Australian marsupials. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London Series B, 270 (1526), 1801-1808. doi: 10.1098/rspb.2003.2447

Extrinsic versus intrinsic factors in the decline and extinction of Australian marsupials

2003

Journal Article

Morphological shifts in island-dwelling birds: The roles of generalist foraging and niche expansion

Scott, S. N., Clegg, S. M., Blomberg, S. P., Kikkawa, J. and Owens, I. P. (2003). Morphological shifts in island-dwelling birds: The roles of generalist foraging and niche expansion. Evolution, 57 (9), 2147-2156. doi: 10.1554/03-021

Morphological shifts in island-dwelling birds: The roles of generalist foraging and niche expansion

2002

Journal Article

Thermal ecology and structural habitat use of two sympatric lizards (Carlia vivax and Lygisaurus foliorum) in subtropical Australia

Singh, Sarinda, Smyth, Anita K. and Blomberg, Simon P. (2002). Thermal ecology and structural habitat use of two sympatric lizards (Carlia vivax and Lygisaurus foliorum) in subtropical Australia. Austral Ecology, 27 (6), 616-623. doi: 10.1046/j.1442-9993.2002.01222.x

Thermal ecology and structural habitat use of two sympatric lizards (Carlia vivax and Lygisaurus foliorum) in subtropical Australia

2002

Journal Article

Convergent maternal care strategies in ungulates and macropods

Fisher, D. O., Blomberg, S. P. and Owens, I. P. (2002). Convergent maternal care strategies in ungulates and macropods. Evolution, 56 (1), 167-176. doi: 10.1554/0014-3820(2002)056[0167:CMCSIU]2.0.CO;2

Convergent maternal care strategies in ungulates and macropods

2002

Journal Article

Effect of a control burn on lizards and their structural environment in a eucalypt open-forest

Singh, S., Smyth, A. K. and Blomberg, S. P. (2002). Effect of a control burn on lizards and their structural environment in a eucalypt open-forest. Wildlife Research, 29 (5), 447-454. doi: 10.1071/WR01015

Effect of a control burn on lizards and their structural environment in a eucalypt open-forest

2002

Journal Article

Thermal ecology and structural habitat use of two sympatric lizards (Carlia vivax and Lygisaurus foliorum) in subtropical Australia

Singh, Sarinda, Smyth, Anita K. and Blomberg, Simon P. (2002). Thermal ecology and structural habitat use of two sympatric lizards (Carlia vivax and Lygisaurus foliorum) in subtropical Australia. Austral Ecology, 27 (6), 616-623. doi: 10.1046/j.1442-9993.2002.01222.x

Thermal ecology and structural habitat use of two sympatric lizards (Carlia vivax and Lygisaurus foliorum) in subtropical Australia

Current 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

Past funding

  • 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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