History
I am currently based in the Netherlands, doing an Endeavour Fellowship at the Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW) with Marcel Visser. I am working on a meta-analysis that seeks to understand how climate is impacting survival and reproduction in birds all over the world.
Before moving to the Netherlands, I was working with Janet Gardner and Loeske Kruuk on a short postdoc looking at the effects of humidity, temperature and rainfall on honeyeaters in Northern Australia.
My PhD (2014-2017) with the van de Pol lab at the Australian National University focused on climate change ecology. My research looked at how animals are responding to climate change, and what different responses mean for population trends. I focused on birds, mainly in Europe, and looked at what changes in phenology or physiology meant for demographic rates and population trends. My advisors are Martijn van de Pol and Loeske Kruuk. My chapters include:
Chapter 1: Predicting when climate-driven phenotypic change affects population dynamics.
Chapter 2: High intra-specific variation in avian body mass responses to climate limits generalisation across species.
Chapter 3: Reduced body condition due to global warming has little demographic or population consequences in European birds.
Chapter 4: Temperature or time? Climate warming only partly explains temporal trends in bird traits.
I completed my Bachelor of Science in Zoology and Marine Biology in 2010 at James Cook University in Townsville. I completed my Honours project with the Estuary and Tidal Wetland Ecosystems Research Group at JCU in 2011 with a first class award. My project looked at how patterns of connectivity in fish assemblages from subtidal to intertidal regions. After my Honours year I worked as a research assistant in the same lab, getting valuable hands on experience with a range of field, lab and statistical techniques. While working in this role I was involved in a number of projects, including the:
- National Climate Change Adaptation Research Plan (NARP) for Estuaries & Coasts from as a part of the National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility (NCCARF).
- expansion of Redmap (Range extension database and mapping project) into Queensland, see www.redmap.org.au.
- Impact of excess freshwater flow on upper estuarine habitats of Barratta Creek in Queensland as part of the NQ Dry Tropics
- Mangrove Ecosystems for Climate Change and Livelihood (MESCAL) as part of the IUCN.
Publications/Reports/Chapters/Theses
McLean, N.M., van der Jeugd, H.P., Van Turnhout, C.A.M., Lefcheck, J.S., van de Pol, M. (In review) Reduced body condition due to global warming has little demographic or population consequences in birds. Animal Ecology.
Nina McLean, Henk P. van der Jeugd, Martijn van de Pol (2018). High intra-specific variation in avian body mass responses to climate limits generalisation across species. PLOS ONE 13(2): e0192401.
McLean, N., Lawson, C. R., Leech, D. I. and van de Pol, M. (2016), Predicting when climate-driven phenotypic change affects population dynamics. Ecology Letters, 19: 595–608. doi:10.1111/ele.12599
van de Pol, M., Bailey, L. D., McLean, N., Rijsdijk, L., Lawson, C. R. and Brouwer, L. (2016), Identifying the best climatic predictors in ecology and evolution. Methods in Ecology & Evolution. Accepted Author Manuscript. doi:10.1111/2041-210X.12590
Sheaves, M., Dichmont, C., Bustamante, R., Dale, P., Sporne, I., Deng, R., Dutra, L., van Putten, I., Savina-Rolland, M., Hindell, J., Brians, M.,
McLean, N. (2014) Climate Change Adaptation Strategies to Support Australia’s Estuarine and Coastal Marine Ecosystems. James Cook University, Townsville, April.
Nina McLean & Marcus Sheaves (2012). Mangrove-dependent fish survey methods: A technical review. MESCAL (Mangrove Ecosystems for Climate Change Adaptation and Livelihoods) Milestone 3. IUCN.
Marcus Sheaves et al. (2012). Assessing Alternative Adaptive Management Strategies for Estuarine and Coastal Ecosystems Milestone 2 - Strategies for Adaptation to Climate Change Impacts on Estuaries: a Review. FRDC-DCCEE Project 2011/040.
Marcus Sheaves, Ross Johnston, Nina McLean (2012). Impact of excess freshwater flow on upper estuarine habitats of Barratta Creek. Milestone 2 - Survey of Barratta Creek Estuarine Reaches.
Marcus Sheaves, Ross Johnston, Nina McLean, Carlo Mattone, Ron Baker & Kátya Abrantes (2012). The life-cycle habitat requirements of coastal fisheries species: identifying key knowledge gaps and research needs. Fisheries Research & Development Corporation, FRDC, 2012/037.
Nina Mclean (2011). The influence of connectivity on organisms: Complex spatiotemporal responses in fish (Honours Thesis). Department of Marine and Tropical Biology, James Cook University.
Nina McLean, Henk P. van der Jeugd, Martijn van de Pol (2018). High intra-specific variation in avian body mass responses to climate limits generalisation across species. PLOS ONE 13(2): e0192401.
McLean, N., Lawson, C. R., Leech, D. I. and van de Pol, M. (2016), Predicting when climate-driven phenotypic change affects population dynamics. Ecology Letters, 19: 595–608. doi:10.1111/ele.12599
van de Pol, M., Bailey, L. D., McLean, N., Rijsdijk, L., Lawson, C. R. and Brouwer, L. (2016), Identifying the best climatic predictors in ecology and evolution. Methods in Ecology & Evolution. Accepted Author Manuscript. doi:10.1111/2041-210X.12590
Sheaves, M., Dichmont, C., Bustamante, R., Dale, P., Sporne, I., Deng, R., Dutra, L., van Putten, I., Savina-Rolland, M., Hindell, J., Brians, M.,
McLean, N. (2014) Climate Change Adaptation Strategies to Support Australia’s Estuarine and Coastal Marine Ecosystems. James Cook University, Townsville, April.
Nina McLean & Marcus Sheaves (2012). Mangrove-dependent fish survey methods: A technical review. MESCAL (Mangrove Ecosystems for Climate Change Adaptation and Livelihoods) Milestone 3. IUCN.
Marcus Sheaves et al. (2012). Assessing Alternative Adaptive Management Strategies for Estuarine and Coastal Ecosystems Milestone 2 - Strategies for Adaptation to Climate Change Impacts on Estuaries: a Review. FRDC-DCCEE Project 2011/040.
Marcus Sheaves, Ross Johnston, Nina McLean (2012). Impact of excess freshwater flow on upper estuarine habitats of Barratta Creek. Milestone 2 - Survey of Barratta Creek Estuarine Reaches.
Marcus Sheaves, Ross Johnston, Nina McLean, Carlo Mattone, Ron Baker & Kátya Abrantes (2012). The life-cycle habitat requirements of coastal fisheries species: identifying key knowledge gaps and research needs. Fisheries Research & Development Corporation, FRDC, 2012/037.
Nina Mclean (2011). The influence of connectivity on organisms: Complex spatiotemporal responses in fish (Honours Thesis). Department of Marine and Tropical Biology, James Cook University.
Teaching Experience
- Evolution. Second year and postgraduate subject. Australian National University 2017
- Experimental Design and Analysis in Biology. Second year subject. Australian National University, 2014 & 2016
- Design and Analyses in Ecological Studies (Advanced). Third year subject and postgraduate subject. James Cook University, 2012
- Coastal and Estuarine Ecosystems (Advanced). Third year subject and postgraduate subject. James Cook University, 2012
Oral Presentations
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Funding, Awards and Academic Achievements
Endeavour Research Fellowship $23 000 (2018)
Selected participant of Homeward Bound, a leadership and strategic initiative for women in STEM (2016)
ANU Research School of Biology Contingency Fund $1 000 (2016)
ANU Evolution, Ecology and Genetics division Contingency Fund $1 000 (2016)
ANU Gender Institute grant award $500 (2016)
Vice-Chancellor's HDR Travel Grant $1 000 (2015)
Australian Postgraduate Award (2014-2017)
Honourable Mention for Oral Presentation at 2011 ANNIMS Conference (2011)
First Class Honours (High Distinction) James Cook University (2011)
B.Sc. Medal of Academic Achievement James Cook University (2011)
Grade Point Average 6.44 (out of 7) James Cook University (2010)
Western Courts Bursary in recognition of academic excellence and an outstanding contribution as a resident of Western Courts valued at AUD$5,600 (2009)
Member of Golden Key Honours Society (2008)
Selected participant of Homeward Bound, a leadership and strategic initiative for women in STEM (2016)
ANU Research School of Biology Contingency Fund $1 000 (2016)
ANU Evolution, Ecology and Genetics division Contingency Fund $1 000 (2016)
ANU Gender Institute grant award $500 (2016)
Vice-Chancellor's HDR Travel Grant $1 000 (2015)
Australian Postgraduate Award (2014-2017)
Honourable Mention for Oral Presentation at 2011 ANNIMS Conference (2011)
First Class Honours (High Distinction) James Cook University (2011)
B.Sc. Medal of Academic Achievement James Cook University (2011)
Grade Point Average 6.44 (out of 7) James Cook University (2010)
Western Courts Bursary in recognition of academic excellence and an outstanding contribution as a resident of Western Courts valued at AUD$5,600 (2009)
Member of Golden Key Honours Society (2008)
Media Coverage
Workshops and Specialist Training
Homeward Bound: 3 week leadership and strategic initiative for women in STEM in Antarctica (2016)
Introduction to MCMC, Linear mixed effects models and GLMM with R. Highland statistics Ltd. Five day course (2016)
ANU Course in Science Communication. Three day course (2015)
Model Selection and Multimodel Inference with David Anderson. Two day course (2014)
Introduction to MCMC, Linear mixed effects models and GLMM with R. Highland statistics Ltd. Five day course (2016)
ANU Course in Science Communication. Three day course (2015)
Model Selection and Multimodel Inference with David Anderson. Two day course (2014)
Academic and Professional Service
Reviewer for Journal of Animal Ecology
Reviewer for Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B: Biological Sciences
Organise “chit chats” every 6 weeks for the postgraduate students within the Ecology, Evolution and Genetics division at the ANU. These are informal discussions among the PhD students, Postdocs and Lab Leaders to discuss important topics for academia and are followed by a barbeque to promote socialising among students and staff members (2015 – 2017)
Organise frequent “Shut up and write” sessions for Ecology & Evolution division (2016-2017)
Mentor an Honours and an undergraduate student in the Australian National
University’s Women in Science mentoring program (2016)
One of the organisers of the Research School of Biology HDR conference (2014)
Reviewer for Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B: Biological Sciences
Organise “chit chats” every 6 weeks for the postgraduate students within the Ecology, Evolution and Genetics division at the ANU. These are informal discussions among the PhD students, Postdocs and Lab Leaders to discuss important topics for academia and are followed by a barbeque to promote socialising among students and staff members (2015 – 2017)
Organise frequent “Shut up and write” sessions for Ecology & Evolution division (2016-2017)
Mentor an Honours and an undergraduate student in the Australian National
University’s Women in Science mentoring program (2016)
One of the organisers of the Research School of Biology HDR conference (2014)
Web resources
Blog on the impacts of climate change on animals and plants.
http://www.animalsandtheclimate.com/
Introduction to quantitative skills for scientists.
https://prezi.com/-lgdslbyvlgk/introduction-to-quantitative-skills-for-scientists/
http://www.animalsandtheclimate.com/
Introduction to quantitative skills for scientists.
https://prezi.com/-lgdslbyvlgk/introduction-to-quantitative-skills-for-scientists/
Volunteer Experience
Interpretive
Volunteer, Reef HQ Townsville (2010-2012)
Interpretive Volunteer, Tidbinbinbilla Nature Reserve Canberra (2013-current)
Interpretive Volunteer, Tidbinbinbilla Nature Reserve Canberra (2013-current)