Adam is currently employed in a postdoctoral research position at Macquarie University
Cunningham’s skink Egernia cunninghami is a large diurnal lizard from eastern Australia, the species is largely
confined to rocky areas where it utilises rock crevices as retreat sites. In these sites, the skink is often abundant
and cohorts of different ages reside together. Although widespread and relatively common, the species has suffered
contraction and fragmentation of its habitat. Adam used microsatellite analysis to examine the effects of habitat fragmentation
on population processes such as the mating system and interactions between relatives.
Three main data papers (Stow et al. 2001; Stow & Sunnucks 2004 a,b) together present a fascinating and
complex picture of the impacts that habitat alteration has had on Cunningham’s skinks. A few key highlights include:
Even naturally fragmented species can be impacted by fragmentation
Even though Cunningham’s skinks naturally live in family groups in isolated rocky outcrops, removing vegetation from
around the outcrops reduces dispersal to the extent that mean pedigree relatedness between individuals has risen by an
order of magnitude. Artificial sex difference created by fragmentation. The impacts of fragmentation are greater for
females than males, creating an artificial sex difference.
Interaction of fragmentation with mating system
Despite elevated relatedness among interacting individuals, Cunningham’s skinks have such acute inbreeding avoidance
mechanisms that, so far, inbred matings have remained relatively rare.
The ‘sglass effect’
Male Cunningham&s skinks avoid inbreeding so assiduously that males in patches have lower reproductive success than those
in natural areas.
