Metadata
Title
Matthew Luskin
Category
general
UUID
fe9ceef3e5e04ae092d577f481de3f43
Source URL
https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/26286
Parent URL
https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/1246
Crawl Time
2026-03-11T07:36:57+00:00
Rendered Raw Markdown 
# Matthew Luskin

**Source**: https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/26286
**Parent**: https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/1246

Associate Professor

# Matthew Luskin

Email:
:   [m.luskin@uq.edu.au](mailto:m.luskin@uq.edu.au)

Phone:
:   [+61 7 336 52527](tel:+61 7 336 52527)

## Positions

UQ Amplify Associate Professor
:   School of the Environment
:   Faculty of Science

## Overview

### Background

Matthew heads the **[Ecological Cascades Lab](http://www.ecologicalcascades.com)** [[link](http://www.ecologicalcascades.com)] in the UQ School of the Environment, is a Chief Investigator with the UQ [Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science](https://cbcs.centre.uq.edu.au/), is the Director of the [TERN Wildlife Observatory of Australia](https://www.tern.org.au/wildobs/), and is an ARC DECRA Fellow from 2022-2025.

We are accepting qualified PhD students for domestic and international wildlife projects. Potential PhD topics include: How does the loss of apex predators influence lower trophic levels? How does selective hunting of particular species (e.g. pigs) affect non-hunted competitors (e.g. deer)? How does wildlife influence plant communities and traits? How do invasive predators affect biodiversity? How can we integrate existing camera trap datasets to conduct powerful analyses and for monitoring? How will climate change impact the phenology of trees and thus fruit resources for animals?

Our lab is interested in all aspects of wildlife ecology, including food-web ecology, plant-animal interactions, and applied conservation science. We have experience with tropical forests in Southeast Asia using a variety of flora and fauna sampling techniques (cameras, vegetation surveys, fenced animal exclosures, invasive species, hunting surveys, and before-after zoonotic disease). We also run the largest camera trapping surveys across the Wet Tropics forests of Queensland. Most sampling is geared to assess the impacts of habitat fragmentation, agriculture, hunting, climate change, and invasive species on wildlife communities and plant-animal interactions.

Prior to joining UQ, Matthew worked with the Smithsonian Institute’s Forest Global Earth Observatory (ForestGEO) to coordinate surveys of wildlife communities in Sumatra, Borneo, Peninsular Malaysia, Thailand, and Singapore. These projects link apex predators to herbivores to trees and have revealed how oil palm expansion has restructured ecological communities and triggered trophic cascades. Matthew has now begun a large long-term project in the Dja Faunal Reserve of Cameroon with the Congo Basin Institute and collaborates closely with UCLA on these projects. Matthew obtained his PhD in Environmental Science, Policy and Management from the University of California, Berkeley.

Read more
Read less

### Availability

Associate Professor Matthew Luskin is:
:   Available for supervision

### Qualifications

- Doctor of Philosophy, University of California

## Works

[Search Professor Matthew Luskin’s works on UQ eSpace](http://espace.library.uq.edu.au/list/author_id/6685190)

[All
(73)](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts-publication/26286/all)
[Journal Article
(69)](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts-publication/26286/4748)
[Other Outputs
(2)](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts-publication/26286/4749)
[Conference Publication
(1)](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts-publication/26286/4751)
[Book Chapter
(1)](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts-publication/26286/4752)

Featured

2024

Journal Article

##### CamTrapAsia: A dataset of tropical forest vertebrate communities from 239 camera trapping studies

Mendes, Calebe P., Albert, Wido R., Amir, Zachary, Ancrenaz, Marc, Ash, Eric, Azhar, Badrul, Bernard, Henry, Brodie, Jedediah, Bruce, Tom, Carr, Elliot, Clements, Gopalasamy Reuben, Davies, Glyn, Deere, Nicolas J., Dinata, Yoan, Donnelly, Christl A., Duangchantrasiri, Somphot, Fredriksson, Gabriella, Goossens, Benoit, Granados, Alys, Hearn, Andrew, Hon, Jason, Hughes, Tom, Jansen, Patrick, Kawanishi, Kae, Kinnaird, Margaret, Koh, Sharon, Latinne, Alice, Linkie, Matthew, Loi, Federica ... Luskin, Matthew Scott (2024). CamTrapAsia: A dataset of tropical forest vertebrate communities from 239 camera trapping studies. Ecology, 105 (6) e4299, 1-3. doi: 10.1002/ecy.4299

[CamTrapAsia: A dataset of tropical forest vertebrate communities from 239 camera trapping studies](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:80cf4b4)

Featured

2023

Journal Article

##### Mesopredators in forest edges

Luskin, Matthew Scott, Arnold, Lindsey, Sovie, Adia, Amir, Zachary, Chua, Marcus Aik Hwee, Dehaudt, Bastien, Dunn, Ashlea, Nursamsi, Ilyas, Moore, Jonathan H. and Mendes, Calebe P. (2023). Mesopredators in forest edges. Wildlife Letters, 1 (3), 107-118. doi: 10.1002/wll2.12023

[Mesopredators in forest edges](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:e1cd0f6)

Featured

2023

Journal Article

##### The rise of hyperabundant native generalists threatens both humans and nature

Moore, Jonathan H., Gibson, Luke, Amir, Zachary, Chanthorn, Wirong, Ahmad, Abdul Hamid, Jansen, Patrick A., Mendes, Calebe P., Onuma, Manabu, Peres, Carlos A. and Luskin, Matthew Scott (2023). The rise of hyperabundant native generalists threatens both humans and nature. Biological Reviews, 98 (5), 1829-1844. doi: 10.1111/brv.12985

[The rise of hyperabundant native generalists threatens both humans and nature](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:3c04462)

Featured

2023

Journal Article

##### Landscape-scale benefits of protected areas for tropical biodiversity

Brodie, Jedediah F., Mohd-Azlan, Jayasilan, Chen, Cheng, Wearn, Oliver R., Deith, Mairin C. M., Ball, James G. C., Slade, Eleanor M., Burslem, David F. R. P., Teoh, Shu Woan, Williams, Peter J., Nguyen, An, Moore, Jonathan H., Goetz, Scott J., Burns, Patrick, Jantz, Patrick, Hakkenberg, Christopher R., Kaszta, Zaneta M., Cushman, Sam, Coomes, David, Helmy, Olga E., Reynolds, Glen, Rodríguez, Jon Paul, Jetz, Walter and Luskin, Matthew Scott (2023). Landscape-scale benefits of protected areas for tropical biodiversity. Nature, 620 (7975), 807-812. doi: 10.1038/s41586-023-06410-z

[Landscape-scale benefits of protected areas for tropical biodiversity](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:73196c9)

Featured

2023

Journal Article

##### Mid-sized felids threatened by habitat degradation in Southeast Asia

Decœur, Henri, Amir, Zachary, Mendes, Calebe P., Moore, Jonathan H. and Luskin, Matthew Scott (2023). Mid-sized felids threatened by habitat degradation in Southeast Asia. Biological Conservation, 283 110103, 1-10. doi: 10.1016/j.biocon.2023.110103

[Mid-sized felids threatened by habitat degradation in Southeast Asia](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:28d01f7)

Featured

2023

Journal Article

##### The mass mortality of Asia's native pigs induced by African swine fever

Luskin, Matthew Scott, Moore, Jonathan H., Mendes, Calebe P., Nasardin, Musalmah Bt, Onuma, Monubu and Davies, Stuart J. (2023). The mass mortality of Asia's native pigs induced by African swine fever. Wildlife Letters, 1 (1), 8-14. doi: 10.1002/wll2.12009

[The mass mortality of Asia's native pigs induced by African swine fever](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:a02a534)

Featured

2023

Journal Article

##### Rewilding in Southeast Asia: Singapore as a case study

Lamperty, Therese, Chiok, Wen Xuan, Khoo, Max D. Y., Amir, Zachary, Baker, Nick, Chua, Marcus A. H., Chung, Yi Fei, Chua, Yen Kheng, Koh, Joshua J.‐M., Lee, Benjamin P. Y.‐H., Lum, Shawn K. Y., Mendes, Calebe P., Ngiam, Jonathan, ODempsey, Anthony, Png, Kenny G. C., Sophie, Adia R., Tan, Lorraine, Teo, Robert, Thomas, Noel, Tianjiao, Li, Tze‐Ming, Bryan Lim, Loo, Adrian H. B., Wardle, David A. and Luskin, Matthew Scott (2023). Rewilding in Southeast Asia: Singapore as a case study. Conservation Science and Practice, 5 (3) e12899, 1-11. doi: 10.1111/csp2.12899

[Rewilding in Southeast Asia: Singapore as a case study](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:a877e88)

Featured

2022

Journal Article

##### Megafauna extinctions produce idiosyncratic Anthropocene assemblages

Amir, Zachary, Moore, Jonathan H., Negret, Pablo Jose and Luskin, Matthew Scott (2022). Megafauna extinctions produce idiosyncratic Anthropocene assemblages. Science Advances, 8 (42) eabq2307, 1-11. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.abq2307

[Megafauna extinctions produce idiosyncratic Anthropocene assemblages](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:7763ba1)

Featured

2021

Journal Article

##### Wildlife disturbances as a source of conspecific negative density-dependent mortality in tropical trees

Luskin, Matthew Scott, Johnson, Daniel J., Ickes, Kalan, Yao, Tze Leong and Davies, Stuart J. (2021). Wildlife disturbances as a source of conspecific negative density-dependent mortality in tropical trees. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 288 (1946) 20210001, 1-10. doi: 10.1098/rspb.2021.0001

[Wildlife disturbances as a source of conspecific negative density-dependent mortality in tropical trees](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:43bb12c)

Featured

2020

Journal Article

##### When do Janzen–Connell effects matter? A phylogenetic meta‐analysis of conspecific negative distance and density dependence experiments

Song, Xiaoyang, Lim, Jun Ying, Yang, Jie and Luskin, Matthew Scott (2020). When do Janzen–Connell effects matter? A phylogenetic meta‐analysis of conspecific negative distance and density dependence experiments. Ecology Letters, 24 (3) ele.13665, 608-620. doi: 10.1111/ele.13665

[When do Janzen–Connell effects matter? A phylogenetic meta‐analysis of conspecific negative distance and density dependence experiments](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:f6bcd3c)

2025

Journal Article

##### The use, misuse and opportunities for structural equation modelling ( SEM ) in wildlife ecology

Mendes, Calebe Pereira and Luskin, Matthew Scott (2025). The use, misuse and opportunities for structural equation modelling ( SEM ) in wildlife ecology. Journal of Applied Ecology, 62 (12), 3210-3226. doi: 10.1111/1365-2664.70189

[The use, misuse and opportunities for structural equation modelling ( SEM ) in wildlife ecology](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:8ae3c01)

2025

Journal Article

##### Thirty years of arboreal wildlife trends in an African rainforest under evolving threats and researchers' presence

Dehaudt, Bastien, Bose, Ruksan, Avoto, Jean Jacques, Brittain, Stephanie, Bruce, Tom, Chen, Emily K., Forzi, Francis A., Hardesty, Britta D., Holbrook, Kimberly M., Lamperti, Aaron M., Parker, V. Thomas, Poulsen, John R., Russo, Nicholas J., Simpoh, Ernest, Wang, Benjamin C., Whitney, Kenneth D., Smith, Thomas B. and Luskin, Matthew Scott (2025). Thirty years of arboreal wildlife trends in an African rainforest under evolving threats and researchers' presence. Biological Conservation, 312 111475, 111475. doi: 10.1016/j.biocon.2025.111475

[Thirty years of arboreal wildlife trends in an African rainforest under evolving threats and researchers' presence](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:161bfff)

2025

Other Outputs

##### Shared loss and potential recovery of large carnivores and vultures

Fester, Karl Sebastian M., Luskin, Matthew Scott, Wolf, Christopher, Ripple, William J. and Maron, Martine (2025). Shared loss and potential recovery of large carnivores and vultures. The University of Queensland. (Dataset) doi: 10.48610/7d20cdc

[Shared loss and potential recovery of large carnivores and vultures](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:7d20cdc)

2025

Journal Article

##### Species characteristics modulate tropical mammal responses to forest quality in Southeast Asia

Joshi, Pradeep Raj, Semper-Pascual, Asunción, Vallejo-Vargas, Andrea F., Sheil, Douglas, Luskin, Matthew S., Moore, Jonathan and Bischof, Richard (2025). Species characteristics modulate tropical mammal responses to forest quality in Southeast Asia. Biological Conservation, 310 111388, 1-9. doi: 10.1016/j.biocon.2025.111388

[Species characteristics modulate tropical mammal responses to forest quality in Southeast Asia](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:cad2d79)

2025

Journal Article

##### Fungicide effects on wild plants: insights from a global meta‐analysis

Song, Xiaoyang, Corlett, Richard T., Yang, Jie and Luskin, Matthew Scott (2025). Fungicide effects on wild plants: insights from a global meta‐analysis. New Phytologist, 248 (3) nph.70530, 1491-1500. doi: 10.1111/nph.70530

[Fungicide effects on wild plants: insights from a global meta‐analysis](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:1fd5ad2)

2025

Journal Article

##### Declines of ebony and ivory are inextricably linked in an African rainforest

Deblauwe, Vincent, Luskin, Matthew Scott, Assola, Serge Désiré, Hardy, Olivier J., Jansen, Simon, Loubières, Céline, Mempong, Gaston Guy, Ntsihe, Jean Mathurin, Oum Ndjock, Gilbert, Onguene Kwecheu, Eric Rostand, Powell, Luke L., Sonké, Bonaventure and Smith, Thomas B. (2025). Declines of ebony and ivory are inextricably linked in an African rainforest. Science Advances, 11 (35) eady4392, eady4392. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.ady4392

[Declines of ebony and ivory are inextricably linked in an African rainforest](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:f18572d)

2025

Journal Article

##### Range-wide camera trapping for the Australian cassowary reveals habitat associations with rainfall and forest quality

Anderson, Skye Elise, Amir, Zachary, Bruce, Tom and Luskin, Matthew Scott (2025). Range-wide camera trapping for the Australian cassowary reveals habitat associations with rainfall and forest quality. Ecology and Evolution, 15 (6) e71464, 1-12. doi: 10.1002/ece3.71464

[Range-wide camera trapping for the Australian cassowary reveals habitat associations with rainfall and forest quality](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:cbbd917)

2025

Journal Article

##### The utility of dynamic forest structure from GEDI lidar fusion in tropical mammal species distribution models

Burns, Patrick, Kaszta, Zaneta, Cushman, Samuel A., Brodie, Jedediah F., Hakkenberg, Christopher R., Jantz, Patrick, Deith, Mairin, Luskin, Matthew Scott, Ball, James G. C., Mohd-Azlan, Jayasilan, Burslem, David F. R. P., Cheyne, Susan M., Haidir, Iding, Hearn, Andrew James, Slade, Eleanor, Williams, Peter J., Macdonald, David W. and Goetz, Scott J. (2025). The utility of dynamic forest structure from GEDI lidar fusion in tropical mammal species distribution models. Frontiers in Remote Sensing, 6 1563430. doi: 10.3389/frsen.2025.1563430

[The utility of dynamic forest structure from GEDI lidar fusion in tropical mammal species distribution models](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:cb48bde)

2025

Journal Article

##### Mapping Multiple Wild Pig Species’ Population Dynamics in Southeast Asia During the African Swine Fever Outbreak (2018–2024)

Lieb, Zoë E., Meijaard, Erik, Brodie, Jedediah F., Shabrani, Adi, Mohd‐Azlan, Jayasilan, Supriatna, Jatna, Struebig, Matthew John, Deere, Nicolas J., Spencer, Katie L., Heon, Suipeng, Wong, Lok‐Jinn, Juiling, Suzika, Hearn, Andrew, Coudrat, Camille N. Z., Jati, Agus Sudibyo, Linkie, Matthew, Ngoprasert, Dusit, Das, Dhritiman, Wearn, Oliver R., Gray, Russell J., Cabanas, Al John C., Chankhao, Andaman, Saisamorn, Apinya, Azhar, Badrul, Lee, Benjamin P. Y.‐H., Goossens, Benoit, Traeholt, Carl, MacDonald, David W., Lastica‐Ternura, Emilia A. ... Luskin, Matthew Scott (2025). Mapping Multiple Wild Pig Species’ Population Dynamics in Southeast Asia During the African Swine Fever Outbreak (2018–2024). Conservation Letters, 18 (3) e13105, 3. doi: 10.1111/conl.13105

[Mapping Multiple Wild Pig Species’ Population Dynamics in Southeast Asia During the African Swine Fever Outbreak (2018–2024)](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:a3ec826)

2025

Journal Article

##### Correction: Identifying remnant biodiversity hotspots in Southern Asia reveals disequilibrium in mammalian communities

Sartor, Caroline Charão, Kaszta, Zaneta, Kamler, Jan, Hearn, Andrew J., Ash, Eric, Bolongon, Gilmoore, Can, Özgün Emre, Channa, Phan, Cheyne, Susan, Fitzmaurice, Amy, Haidir, Iding Achmad, Kyaw, Pyae Phyoe, Luskin, Matthew Scott, Singh, Priya, Rasphone, Akchousanh, Tan, Cedric Kai Wei, Yadav, Bhupendra Prasad, Rostro-García, Susana, Cushman, Samuel A. and Macdonald, David W. (2025). Correction: Identifying remnant biodiversity hotspots in Southern Asia reveals disequilibrium in mammalian communities. Biodiversity and Conservation, 34 (6), 2259-2260. doi: 10.1007/s10531-025-03067-0

[Correction: Identifying remnant biodiversity hotspots in Southern Asia reveals disequilibrium in mammalian communities](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:515acb6)

## Funding

### Current funding

- 2025 - 2028

  Airborne eDNA for northern bettongs

  ARC Linkage Projects

  [Open grant](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/project/67765)

### Past funding

- 2021 - 2025

  Using big data to untangle ecological cascades in tropical forests

  ARC Discovery Early Career Researcher Award

  [Open grant](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/project/49043)

## Supervision

### Availability

Associate Professor Matthew Luskin is:
:   Available for supervision

Looking for a supervisor? Read our advice on [how to choose a supervisor](https://study.uq.edu.au/study-options/phd-mphil-professional-doctorate/how-to-choose-a-supervisor).

### Supervision history

#### Current supervision

- Doctor Philosophy

  ##### Plant traits and plant-animal interactions in tropical

  Principal Advisor

  Other advisors:
  [Dr John Dwyer](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/1246)
- Doctor Philosophy

  ##### Leveraging large camera-trapping datasets to untangle multiple threats to terrestrial and understory bird communities in tropical forests

  Principal Advisor

  Other advisors:
  [Professor Richard Fuller](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/1992)
- Doctor Philosophy

  ##### Impacts of Ecosystem and Habitat Dynamics on Wildlife Conservation

  Principal Advisor
- Doctor Philosophy

  ##### Volatile synchrony: Pulse reproductive events of giant canopy trees, and the fauna they impact.

  Principal Advisor

  Other advisors:
  [Dr Andrew Letten](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/25690)
- Doctor Philosophy

  ##### Human impacts on wildlife sociality

  Principal Advisor

  Other advisors:
  [Professor Robbie Wilson](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/470)
- Doctor Philosophy

  ##### Drivers of declining apex predator trends in Asian counties

  Principal Advisor

  Other advisors:
  [Dr Simon Hart](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/25887)
- Doctor Philosophy

  ##### Improving biodiversity outcomes in West African cocoa

  Associate Advisor

  Other advisors:
  [Professor Richard Fuller](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/1992), [Dr Wilma J. Blaser Hart](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/27450), [Dr Simon Hart](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/25887)
- Doctor Philosophy

  ##### Assessing links between declines in large carnivores and vultures

  Associate Advisor

  Other advisors:
  [Professor Martine Maron](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/2024)
- Doctor Philosophy

  ##### Investigation into prevalence of carnivore viruses with a focus on Canine distemper virus in domestic and wild carnivores in Mondulkiri Province, Cambodia.

  Associate Advisor

  Other advisors:
  [Professor Ricardo Soares Magalhaes](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/1991)
- Doctor Philosophy

  ##### Towards a Holistic Understanding of Artisanal Small-Scale Mining Impacts on Wet-Tropical Forest: A Regional Analysis, Kalimantan, Indonesia

  Associate Advisor

  Other advisors:
  [Associate Professor Laura Sonter](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/18170), [Professor Stuart Phinn](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/56)

View all 10 current supervisions
View less

#### Completed supervision

- 2025

  Doctor Philosophy

  ##### [Seed disperser populations and plant-animal interactions in tropical forests of the Anthropocene](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:2c10ca9)

  Principal Advisor

  Other advisors:
  [Dr John Dwyer](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/1246)
- 2024

  Doctor Philosophy

  ##### [Megafauna losses and predatory interactions in tropical forests](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:2f2f18f)

  Principal Advisor

  Other advisors:
  [Professor James Watson](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/5735)
- 2023

  Master Philosophy

  ##### [Coexistence and niche differentiation in a hyperdiverse mesopredator guild](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:e38b892)

  Principal Advisor

  Other advisors:
  [Professor Salit Kark](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/1793), [Dr Karlina Indraswari](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/38693)

## Media

### Enquiries

For media enquiries about Associate Professor Matthew Luskin's areas of expertise, story ideas and help finding experts, contact our Media team:

[communications@uq.edu.au](mailto:communications@uq.edu.au)

## External profiles

- [ORCID](https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5236-7096)
- [Scopus](https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=35812162200)

## Personal links

- [Personal profile](https://www.ecologicalcascades.com/)
- [Google Scholar](https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=gGOHYTYAAAAJ&hl=en)
- [Lab Website](https://www.ecologicalcascades.com/)
- [CBCS](https://cbcs.centre.uq.edu.au/)

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