
Matthijs Hollanders
Qualifications
BSc Biology
MSc Biology
​
Position
PhD Candidate
​
Contact details
Address:
Forest Research Centre
Southern Cross University, Lismore Campus
Military Rd, East Lismore, New South Wales, Australia, 2480
Email: m.hollanders.24"at"student.scu.edu.au
Twitter: @realHollanders
​
Overview
​
I am a PhD candidate at Southern Cross University working under the supervision of Dr. David Newell, Dr. Cathy Nock, Dr. Laura Grogan and Prof. Hamish McCallum. I am investigating chytridiomycosis in Fleay’s barred frogs (Mixophyes fleayi) and will attempt to unravel the factors that allow some populations to persist in the face of this detrimental disease.
​
My passion for amphibians and reptiles led me to study biology at Wageningen University & Research (WUR) in the Netherlands, where I majored in Ecology & Biodiversity. I studied fire salamanders in Belgium for my thesis and used capture-mark-recapture data to investigate population sizes and analysed environmental factors influencing salamander activity. During my Bachelor’s, I also spent 4 months working with lacertid lizards of the Iberian Peninsula for the Miguel B. Araújo Lab and the University of Évora.
After receiving my Bachelor’s, I decided I wanted to dedicate my professional life to conservation—I enrolled in the Master’s programme in Biology at WUR and specialised in Conservation & Systems Ecology. I had the amazing opportunity to intern with Tropical Herping in Ecuador where I surveyed many types of forests and even collected new species of snakes and frogs. Additionally, I developed my scientific photography skills, which I then integrated into my Master’s thesis investigating the value of standardised, scientific photography of amphibians and reptiles.
​
Research Overview
​
I am interested in a wide variety of topics and am excited to develop my skills. During my PhD, I focus on frog ecology and life history, disease epidemiology, and modelling. I will apply next-generation models to hopefully answer some important questions about frog survival and their response to chytridiomycosis.
​

Research Keywords
​
Disease ecology, wildlife conservation, epidemiological modelling, herpetology, systems ecology, chytridiomycosis
Publications & Conferences
​2022
-
Hollanders, M., Grogan, L. F., Nock, C. J., McCallum, H. I., Newell, D. A. (accepted 23 Jun 2022) Recovered frog populations coexist with endemic Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis despite load-dependent mortality. Ecological Applications. (IF 4.657).
​2020
-
Brannelly L. A., McCallum H. I., Grogan L. F., Briggs C. J., Ribas M. P., Hollanders M., Sasso T., Familiar López M., Newell D. A. & Kilpatrick A. M. (early view) Mechanisms underlying host persistence following amphibian disease emergence determine appropriate management strategies. Ecology Letters (link​) (IF 8.699).
​2018
-
Hollanders M, Serrano F, Leerschool T, Beukema W. 2018. New and recent herpetological records from Soria, Spain. Boletín de la Asociación Herpetológica Española 29(1).
2017
-
Arteaga A, Vieira-Fernandes JL, Bustamante L, Di Doménico S, Hollanders M, Pichardo F, Aguiar G. 2017. Reptiles of the Ecuadorian Amazon – Rapid identification guide. Quito: Tropical Herping.
-
Arteaga A, Vieira-Fernandes JL, Bustamante L, Di Doménico S, Hollanders M, Pichardo F, Aguiar G. 2017. Reptiles of the Ecuadorian Choco – Rapid identification guide. Quito: Tropical Herping.
2014
-
Sillero N, Leerschool T, Hollanders M, Beukema W. 2014. Decline of Podarcis carbonelli in its type locality, Laguna de San Marcos, Spain? Herpetology Notes 7: 751-4.
​