John Gould

Dr. John Gould is a Lecturer in the School of Environmental and Life Sciences at the University of Newcastle, Australia. His research focuses on conservation biology, particularly the population dynamics of threatened Australian amphibians and the application of management strategies to reduce extinction risk.

Dr. Gould earned his Doctor of Philosophy in Environmental Science from the University of Newcastle, along with a Bachelor of Science (Biological Science) and a Bachelor of Environmental Science and Management (Honours), also from the University of Newcastle.

Dr. Gould's research explores the intersection of animal behavior, natural history, and conservation. His work has led to several discoveries of unknown or poorly described behaviors and species interactions in the wild across amphibians and invertebrates. His research specifically examines key threatening processes such as emerging infectious diseases and introduced fish, as well as management approaches like habitat construction and exclusion fencing. His PhD focused on the reproductive behavior of an Australian ground frog (Lechriodus), including communal spawning and oviposition site selection, which has implications for conserving amphibians that breed in highly ephemeral waterbodies.

Dr. Gould's recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on amphibian conservation, with particular attention to behavioral ecology, habitat management, and species interactions. His work spans from detailed observations of specific behaviors (like tadpole habitat switching and mosquito feeding strategies) to broader conservation applications (such as fire ecology impacts and exclusion fencing effectiveness). A notable trend is his use of citizen science and innovative identification methods for monitoring threatened species.

Dr. Gould serves as a co-supervisor for graduate students, including a Master's student working on an art-based citizen science project about frogs and a PhD student researching the ecology of the threatened Green and Golden Bell Frog in created habitats. He has held teaching appointments as Course Coordinator for several environmental science courses including "Implementing Environmental Resilience and Addressing Complexity," "Biodiversity, Conservation and Management," and "Sustainability and Ecosystem Health."

His research collaborations span multiple countries, with significant work conducted in Australia, but also including international partnerships with researchers in Germany, the United States, Denmark, the United Kingdom, and other nations.