The Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change

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Nicholas Wei Cheng Tan

PhD candidate

Herpetology

Mail: n.tan [at] leibniz-zfmk.de

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Profile

Research interests

I am essentially fascinated by how ecology shapes evolution in animals or vice versa. In particular, I am interested in the evolution of phenotypic diversification in lizards. By using a variety of empirical approaches, I try to understand the functional and adaptive significance of morphological and performance variation in animals. For my PhD, I aim to investigate the effects of habitat fragmentation on reptiles in South East Asia using macroecological approaches combining genetics and natural history information.

Further information

Title of Dissertation project:

Effects of habitat fragmentation on reptiles in tropical forests in South East Asia

Projects

Title of Dissertation project:
Effects of habitat fragmentation on reptiles in tropical forests in South East Asia

Conservation of lizards in South East Asia
Fragmentation of the natural environment has contributed to major biodiversity loss in South East Asia. Reptiles represent a significant biomass and occupy important functions in our ecosystem. However, these organisms are highly sensitive to relatively minor changes in temperature and habitat alteration. In this study we will investigate the effects of habitat fragmentation and potentially climate change on agamids at several sites in Southeast Asia. We will identify the species richness of agamids, their habitat use, and their diet. By using morphometrics, we aim to correlate morphology and habitat use and diet to explore the ecological niches these lizards occupy. We will also test for habitat thermal preferences and optima to understand the ecological impacts on these species caused by forest fragmentation. We hope to use this approach to lay the foundations for macro-ecological modelling proving insights into future distributions and the impact of habitat connectivity.

2020

Effect of habitat fragmentation on reptiles in South East Asia

Fragmentation of the natural environment has contributed to major biodiversity loss in South East Asia. Reptiles represent a significant biomass and occupy important functions in our ecosystem. However, these organisms are highly sensitive to relatively minor changes in temperature and habitat alteration. In this study we will investigate the effects of habitat fragmentation and potentially climate change on agamids at several sites in Southeast Asia. We will identify the species richness of agamids, their habitat use, and their diet.

Unit:

Herpetology

Project lead:

PD Dr. Dennis Rödder

Funding:

German Academic Exchange Service

Publications

Publications:
In revision:
Tan, W. C, Vanhooydonck, B, Measey, J and Herrel, A, Correlations between morphology, locomotor performance, and habitat use in a recent radiation of South African agamids. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society. In revision.
Tan, W. C,Measey, J and Herrel, A, Observations on the feeding ecology of four species of southern African agamids (Agamidae). African Journal of Herpetology. In revision.
Accepted:
Tan, W. C. and Schwanz, L.E. (2015), Thermoregulation across thermal environments in a nocturnal gecko. Journal of Zoology, 296:208–216. doi:10.1111/jzo.12235
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/jzo.12235
Other Writing
Tan, W. C. (2014) Still hanging on vertically: A study on a nocturnal gecko in response to a changing environment (Gehyravariegata). Newsletter of the Australasian Wildlife Management Society 28: 4-6

Published in

2024

Harrer, S., Ginal, P., Tan, W. C., Binaday, J. W., Diesmos, A. C., Manalo, R., Ziegler, T., Rödder, D. (2024): Disappearing archosaurs – an assessment of established protected areas in the Philippines to save the critically endangered, endemic Philippine Crocodile (Crocodylus mindorensis). - Salamandra 60(1): 29–41.

[more]

Documents:

harrer_et_al._2024.pdf

Tan, W. C., Vitalis, V., Sikuim, J., Rödder, D., Rödel, M.-O., Asad, S. (2024): High freshwater turtle occupancy of streams within a sustainably managed tropical forest in Borneo. - Journal of Wildlife Management 2024;e22633; https://doi.org/10.1002/jwmg.22633

[more]

Documents:

tan_et_al._2024.pdf

2023

Mobaraki, A., Erfani, M., Abtin, E., Brito, J. C., Tan, W. C., Ziegler, T., Rödder, D. (2023): Last chance to see? Iran and India as strongholds for the Mugger Crocodile (Crocodylus palustris). - Salamandra 59(4): 327–335.

[more]

Documents:

mobaraki_et_al._2023.pdf

Tan, W. C., Herrel, A., Rödder, D. (2023): A global analysis of habitat fragmentation research in reptiles and amphibians: what have we done so far? - Biodiversity and Conservation (2023) 32: 439–468; https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-022-02530-6

[more]

Documents:

tan_et_al._2023.pdf

2022

Ginal, P., Tan, W. C., Rödder, D. (2022): Invasive risk assessment and expansion of the realized niche of the Oriental Garden Lizard Calotes versicolor species complex (Daudin, 1802). - Frontiers of Biogeography 2022, 14.3, e54299; doi:10.21425/F5FBG542990

[more]

Links:

Frontiers of Biogeography

Documents:

ginal_et_al._2022.pdf

Harrer, S., Tan, W.C., Ginal, P., Binaday, J., Diesmos, A., Manalo, R., ... , T., Rödder, D. (2022): Disappearing archosaurs – an assessment of established protected areas in the Philippines to save the Critically Endangered and endemic philippine crocodile Crocodylus mindorensis. - Abstract of Poster presentation, 21st SEH European Congress of Herpetology, Belgrade/Serbia, September 5 – 9, 2022; Program and Book of Abstracts, p. 75

[more]

Documents:

book_of_abstracts_seh_2022_belgrade.pdf

Tan, N.W.C., Measey, J., Vanhooydonck, B., Herrel, A. (2022): Bite or run? Ecomorphological relationship in African agamas. - Abstract of Oral presentation, 21st SEH European Congress of Herpetology, Belgrade/Serbia, September 5 – 9, 2022; Program and Book of Abstracts, p. 115.

[more]

Documents:

book_of_abstracts_seh_2022_belgrade.pdf

Tan, W. C., Ginal, P., Rhodin, A. G. J., Iverson, J. B., Rödder, D. (2022): A present and future assessment of the effectiveness of existing reserves in preserving three critically endangered freshwater turtles in Southeast Asia and South Asia. - Frontiers of Biogeography 2022, 13.4, e50928; https://doi.org/10.21425/F5FBG50928

[more]

Documents:

tan_et_al._2022_small.pdf

2021

Tan, W. C., Measey, J., Vanhooydonck, B., Herrel, A. (2021): The relationship between bite force, morphology, and diet in southern African agamids. - BMC Ecology and Evolution (2021) 21:126; https://doi.org/10.1186/s12862-021-01859-w

[more]

Documents:

tan_et_al._bmc_ecol._evol._s12862-021-01859-w.pdf

2020

Tan, W. C., Herrel, A., Measey, J. (in press): Dietary observations of four southern African lizards (Agamidae). - Herpetological Conservation and Biology

[more]

Tan, W. C., Vanhooydonck, B., Measey, J., Herrel, A. (2020): Morphology, locomotor performance, and habitat use in southern African agamids. - Biological Journal of the Linnean Society; doi: 10.1093/biolinnean/blaa024

[more]

Presentations

Talks

Invited Conferences
Australasian Wildlife Management Society (AWMS) Annual Conference 2014
- Presentation of summer intern project: “Thermoregulation across thermal environments in a nocturnal gecko”

Education

PhD 2019- :
Zoologisches Forschungsmuseum Alexander Koenig, Universität Bonn & Universiti Sains Malaysia

• Project title: Effects of habitat fragmentation on reptiles in tropical forests in South East Asia.

International Master in Applied Ecology (IMAE) 2015-17:
Université de Poitiers (France), Universidade de Coimbra (Portugal)

• Thesis title: “Is the radiation of South Africa Agamids non-adaptive?” (MNHN and Stellenbosch University), Supervisor: Dr. Anthony Herrel & Dr. John Measey

Bachelor of Science 2011-13:
Australian National University

• Major in Zoology and Natural Resource Management

Employment

2018:
Research assistant (volunteer) for acoustic survey for populations estimates of the Agile and Lar gibbons in peninsular Malaysia

2018:
Research assistant a socio-ecological and socio-economical study in mangrove management.

2014-15:
Centre coordinator at the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre (BSBCC) in Sabah, Malaysia Borneo.

2014:
Team Leader of a community conservation project with Ecoteer at Perhentian Island, Malaysia

2013-14:
Summer intern at Australian National University and University of New South Wales.
• Published article on Journal of Zoology entitled “ Thermoregulation across thermal environments in a nocturnal gecko”

Individual short research projects:
2016: Consistency of different syllable types in the European Serin
2014: Thermoregulation across thermal environments in a nocturnal gecko, funded by ANU summer research scholarship and AWMS student travel award.
2013: Visual display response in Jacky dragons
2013: Does size matter? Flathead mullet reduces the oddity effect by shoaling with size-matched group
2013: Effects of Glucose and Octopamine in cricket singing
2013: Ectoparasite dispersal by an aquatic bird: A Phylogenetic approach

Attended Conferences:

• 13th African Herpetological Association 2017
• Australasian Wildlife Management Society (AWMS) Annual Conference 2014

Funding and Academic awards

• 2019- : DAAD PhD research scholarship
• 2015-17: EMMC-IMAE University of Poitiers master scholarship worth 48k Euros and Thesis Fund worth 2k Euros
• 2014: Honours and Undergraduate Student Travel Award (AWMS) worth 3k AUD
• 2014: ANU Summer research scholarship
• 2013: State forests of NSW prize for forest mensuration

Workshop

• 2019: The Zoological Society of London Early Careers Event
• 2018: Community-Based Conservation Management International Workshop

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Nicholas Wei Cheng Tan

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Research interests

Further information

2020

Effect of habitat fragmentation on reptiles in South East Asia

2024

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2022

2021

2020

Talks

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Nicholas Wei Cheng Tan

Tabs

Research interests

Further information

2020

Effect of habitat fragmentation on reptiles in South East Asia

2024

2023

2022

2021

2020

Talks

Staff search