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
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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
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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
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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
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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.
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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
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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.