Dr Luke Leung
Associate Professor
School of Agriculture and Food Sciences
+61 7 54601 264
Animal Studies Building 8150, Room 117, Gatton campus
Teaching and Development
- AGRC1020 Applied Animal Biology
- Wildlife research field methods
Researcher biography
I apply ecological theory with extensive field work (I love field work!) to develop and implement humane, ecologically based solutions to the challenges of conserving endangered native wildllife and impacts of invasive species.
If you love field work with wildlife, you may like to join our group. I am always interested in helping energetic and self-motivated students to achieve their goal through an honours, MPhil or PhD project. Check out my honours and postgraduate students' projects under the tab "Supervision" on this web page.
If you are interested in joining our group, please email me: luke.leung@uq.edu.au
Book Chapter
Allen, Benjamin L., Leung, Luke K.-P., Fleming, Peter J. S., Hayward, Matte, Allen, Lee R., Engeman, Richard M. and Ballard, Guy (2012). Top-predators as biodiversity regulators: contemporary issues affecting knowledge and management of dingoes in Australia.. In Gbolagade Akeem Lameed (Ed.), Biodiversity enrichment in a diverse world (pp. 85-132) Rijeka, Croatia: InTech Publishing. doi:10.5772/50246
Journal Articles
Allen, Benjamin L., Fawcett, Alana , Anker, Alison , Engeman, Richard M. , Lisle, Allan and Leung, Luke K.-P. (2018) Environmental effects are stronger than human effects on mammalian predator-prey relationships in arid Australian ecosystems. Science of The Total Environment, 610-611 451-461. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.08.051
Pikacha, Patrick, Morrison, Clare, Filardi, Chris and Leung, Luke (2017) Factors affecting frog species richness in the Solomon Islands. Pacific Conservation Biology, 23 4: 387-398. doi:10.1071/PC17011
Cursino, Marina S., Harriott, Lana, Allen, Benjamin L., Gentle, Matthew and Leung, Luke K. -P. (2017) Do female dingo-dog hybrids breed like dingoes or dogs?. Australian Journal of Zoology, 65 2: 112-119. doi:10.1071/ZO17005
Waller, Natalie L., Gynther, Ian C., Freeman, Alastair B., Lavery, Tyrone H. and Leung, Luke K. -P. (2017) The Bramble Cay melomys Melomys rubicola (Rodentia:Muridae): a first mammalian extinction caused by human-induced climate change?. Wildlife Research, 44 1: 9-21. doi:10.1071/WR16157
Diete, Rebecca L., Meek, Paul D., Dickman, Christopher R., Lisle, Allan and Leung, Luke K.-P. (2017) Diel activity patterns of northern Australian small mammals: variation, fixity, and plasticity. Journal of Mammalogy, 98 3: 848-857. doi:10.1093/jmammal/gyx003
McNeill, Alice T., Leung, Luke K. -P., Goullet, Mark S., Gentle, Matthew N. and Allen, Benjamin L. (2016) Dingoes at the doorstep: home range sizes and activity patterns of dingoes and other wild dogs around urban areas of North-Eastern Australia. Animals, 6 8: . doi:10.3390/ani6080048
Diete, Rebecca L., Meek, Paul D., Dickman, Christopher R. and Leung, Luke K. -P. (2016) Ecology and conservation of the northern hopping-mouse (Notomys aquilo). Australian Journal of Zoology, 64 1: 21-32. doi:10.1071/ZO15082
Behrendorff, Linda , Leung, Luke K.-P., McKinnon, Allan, Hanger, Jon, Belonje, Grant, Tapply, Jenna, Jones, Darryl and Allen, Benjamin L. (2016) Insects for breakfast and whales for dinner: The diet and body condition of dingoes on Fraser Island (K'gari). Scientific Reports, 6 e23469.1-e23469.12. doi:10.1038/srep23469
Allen, Benjamin L., Carmelito, Erin, Amos, Matt, Goullet, Mark S., Allen, Lee R., Speed, James, Gentle, Matt and Leung, Luke K.-P. (2016) Diet of dingoes and other wild dogs in peri-urban areas of north-eastern Australia. Scientific Reports, 6 Art No.: 23028: . doi:10.1038/srep23028
Kaluza, Janina, Donald, R. Lesley, Gynther, Ian C., Leung, Luke K-P. and Allen, Benjamin L. (2016) The distribution and density of water mice (Xeromys myoides) in the Maroochy River of southeast Queensland, Australia. Plos One, 11 1: . doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0146133
Lavery, Tyrone H., Olds, Andrew D., Seddon, Jennifer M. and Leung, Luke K-P. (2016) The mammals of northern Melanesia: speciation, ecology, and biogeography. Mammal Review, 46 1: 60-76. doi:10.1111/mam.12057
Pikacha, Patrick, Filardi, Chris, Morrison, Clare and Leung, Luke (2016) Factors affecting frog density in the Solomon Islands. Pacific Conservation Biology, 22 3: 223-235. doi:10.1071/PC14927
Free, C. L., Baxter, G. S., Dickman, C. R., Lisle, A. and Leung, L. K.-P. (2015) Diversity and community composition of vertebrates in desert river habitat. PLoS One, 10 12: 1-18. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0144258
Pikacha, Patrick, Lavery, Tyrone and Leung, Luke K.-P. (2015) What factors affect the density of cane toads (Rhinella marina) in the Solomon Islands?. Pacific Conservation Biology, 21 3: 200-207. doi:10.1071/PC14918
Millar, Amanda, Gentle, Matthew and Leung, Luke K. -P. (2015) Non-target species interaction with sodium fluoroacetate (1080) meat bait for controlling feral pigs (Sus scrofa). Pacific Conservation Biology, 21 2: 158-162. doi:10.1071/PC14915
Diete, Rebecca L., Adamczyk, Susan M., Meek, Paul D., Dickman, Christopher R. and Leung, Luke K. -P. (2015) Burrowing behaviour of the delicate mouse (Pseudomys delicatulus) and the management implications for a threatened sympatric rodent (Notomys aquilo). Australian Mammalogy, 37 2: 260-263. doi:10.1071/AM14028
Diete, Rebecca L., Meek, Paul D., Dixon, Kelly M., Dickman, Christopher R. and Leung, Luke K.-P. (2015) Best bait for your buck: bait preference for camera trapping north Australian mammals. Australian Journal of Zoology, 63 6: 376-382. doi:10.1071/ZO15050
Allen, Benjamin L. and Leung, Luke K.-P. (2014) The (non)effects of lethal population control on the diet of Australian dingoes. PLoS One, 9 9: e108251.1-e108251.11. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0108251
Lavery, Tyrone H., Leung, Luke K.-P. and Seddon, Jennifer M. (2014) Molecular phylogeny of hipposiderid bats (Chiroptera: Hipposideridae) from Solomon Islands and Cape York Peninsula, Australia. Zoologica Scripta, 43 5: 429-442. doi:10.1111/zsc.12068
Allen, Benjamin L., Lundie-Jenkins, Geoff, Burrows, Neil D., Engeman, Richard M., Fleming, Peter J. S. and Leung, Luke K.-P. (2014) Does lethal control of top-predators release mesopredators? A re-evaluation of three Australian case studies. Ecological Management and Restoration, 15 3: 191-195. doi:10.1111/emr.12118
Allen, Benjamin L., Allen, Lee R. and Leung, Luke K.-P. (2014) Interactions between two naturalised invasive predators in Australia: are feral cats suppressed by dingoes?. Biological Invasions, 17 2: 761-776. doi:10.1007/s10530-014-0767-1
Hughes, Catherine, Broken-Brow, Julie, Parnaby, Harry, Hamilton, Steve and Leung, Luke K.-P. (2014) Rediscovery of the New Guinea Big-eared Bat Pharotis imogene from Central Province, Papua New Guinea. Records of the Australian Museum, 66 4: 225-232. doi:10.3853/j.2201-4349.66.2014.1632
Allen, Benjamin L., Allen, Lee R., Engeman, Richard M. and Leung, Luke K-P (2014) Sympatric prey responses to lethal top-predator control: predator manipulation experiments. Frontiers in Zoology, 11 1: 56.1-56.30. doi:10.1186/s12983-014-0056-y
Diete, Rebecca L., Meek, Paul D., Dickman, Christopher R. and Leung, Luke K.-P. (2014) Burrowing behaviour of the northern hopping-mouse (Notomys aquilo): field observations. Australian Mammalogy, 36 2: 242-246. doi:10.1071/AM13039
Allen, Benjamin L., Goullet, Mark, Allen, Lee R., Lisle, Allan and Leung, Kui-Po (Luke) (2013) Dingoes at the doorstep: preliminary data on the ecology of dingoes in urban areas. Landscape and Urban Planning, 119 131-135. doi:10.1016/j.landurbplan.2013.07.008
Free, Carissa L., Baxter, Greg S., Dickman, Christopher R. and Leung, Luke K. P. (2013) Resource pulses in desert river habitats: productivity-biodiversity hotspots, or mirages?. PloS One, 8 10: . doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0072690
Cruz, Jennyffer, Sutherland, Duncan R., Anderson, Dean P., Glen, Alistair S., de Tores, Paul J. and Leung, Luke K. -P. (2013) Antipredator responses of koomal (Trichosurus vulpecula hypoleucus) against introduced and native predators. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, 67 8: 1329-1338. doi:10.1007/s00265-013-1561-2
Allen, Benjamin L., Allen, Lee R., Engeman, Richard M. and Leung, Luke K-P (2013) Intraguild relationships between sympatric predators exposed to lethal control: predator manipulation experiments. Frontiers in Zoology, 10 1: 39.1-39.17. doi:10.1186/1742-9994-10-39
Lavery, Tyrone H., Fisher, Diana O., Flannery, Tim F. and Leung, Luke K-P (2013) Higher extinction rates of dasyurids on Australo-Papuan continental shelf islands and the zoogeography of New Guinea mammals. Journal of Biogeography, 40 4: 747-758. doi:10.1111/jbi.12072
Nguyen, Thi My Phung, Brown, Peter R. and Leung, Luke K. P. (2013) Use of computer simulation models to encourage farmers to adopt best rodent management practices in lowland irrigated rice systems in An Giang Province, the Mekong Delta, Vietnam. Agricultural Systems, 116 69-76. doi:10.1016/j.agsy.2012.11.003
Allen, Benjamin L., Fleming, Peter J. S., Allen, Lee R., Engeman, Richard M., Ballard, Guy and Leung, Luke K. -P. (2013) As clear as mud: a critical review of evidence for the ecological roles of Australian dingoes. Biological Conservation, 159 158-174. doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2012.12.004
D'Souza, Joel B., Whittington, Alicia, Dickman, Chris R. and Leung, Luke K.-P. (2013) Perfect storm: Demographic responses of an irruptive desert mammal to prescribed burns following flooding rain. Austral Ecology, 38 7: 765-776. doi:10.1111/aec.12086
Allen, Benjamin L., Engeman, Richard M. and Leung, Luke K–P. (2013) The short-term effects of a routine poisoning campaign on the movements and detectability of a social top-predator. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 21 3: 2178-2190. doi:10.1007/s11356-013-2118-7
Cruz, Jennyffer, Sutherland, Duncan R., Martin, Gary R. and Leung, Luke K-P (2012) Are smaller subspecies of common brushtail possums more omnivorous than larger ones?. Austral Ecology, 37 8: 893-902. doi:10.1111/j.1442-9993.2011.02346.x
Starr, Carly, Nekaris, K. A. I. and Leung, K. P. (2012) A comparison of three survey methods for detecting the elusive pygmy slow loris Nycticebus pygmaeus in Eastern Cambodia. Cambodian Journal of Natural History, 2012 2: 123-130.
Kaboodvandpour, Shahram and Leung, Luke K. -P. (2012) Modelling density thresholds for managing mouse damage to maturing wheat. Crop Protection, 42 134-140. doi:10.1016/j.cropro.2012.07.013
Allen, Benjamin L. and Leung, Luke K. -P. (2012) Assessing predation risk to threatened fauna from their prevalence in predator scats: dingoes and rodents in arid Australia. PLoS One, 7 5: e36426.1-e36426.9. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0036426
Starr, Carly, Nekaris, K. A. I. and Leung, Luke (2012) Hiding from the moonlight: luminosity and temperature affect activity of Asian nocturnal primates in a highly seasonal forest. PLoS One, 7 4: e36396.1-e36396.8. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0036396
Lavery, Tyrone H., Watson, Justin J. and Leung, Luke K. -P. (2012) Terrestrial vertebrate richness of the inhabited Torres Strait Islands, Australia. Australian Journal of Zoology, 60 3: 180-191. doi:10.1071/ZO12043
Cruz, Jennyffer, Sutherland, Duncan R. and Leung, Luke K. -P. (2012) Den use, home range and territoriality of the koomal (Trichosurus vulpecula hypoleucus) with implications for current forest management strategies. Australian Journal of Zoology, 60 3: 141-151. doi:10.1071/ZO12051
Nguyen, Thi My Phung, Brown, Peter R. and Leung, Luke K.-P. (2012) Changes in population abundance, reproduction and habitat use of the rice-field rat, Rattus argentiventer, in relation to rice-crop growth stage in a lowland rice agroecosystem in Vietnam. Wildlife Research, 39 3: 250-257. doi:10.1071/WR11153
Bengsen, Andrew, Leung, Luke, Lapidge, Steven and Gordon, Iain (2011) Testing target-specific bait delivery for controlling feral pigs in a tropical rainforest. Ecological Management and Restoration, 12 3: 226-229. doi:10.1111/j.1442-8903.2011.00614.x
Bengsen, Andrew J., Leung, Luke K.-P., Lapidge, Steven J. and Gordon, Iain J. (2011) Using a general index approach to analyze camera-trap abundance indices. Journal of Wildlife Management, 75 5: 1222-1227. doi:10.1002/jwmg.132
Starr, Carly, Nekaris, K. A. I., Streicher, Ulrike and Leung, Luke K. P. (2011) Field surveys of the vulnerable pygmy slow loris Nycticebus pygmaeus using local knowledge in Mondulkiri Province, Cambodia. Oryx, 45 1: 135-142. doi:10.1017/S0030605310001316
Nguyen, Thi My Phung, Brown, Peter R. and Leung, Luke K. P. (2011) The diet of the female ricefield rat, Rattus argentiventer, influences their breeding performance in a mixed rice cropping ecosystem in An Giang province, the Mekong Delta, Vietnam. Wildlife Research, 38 7: 610-616. doi:10.1071/WR10180
Tulsiani, S. M., Cobbold, R. N., Graham, G. C., Dohnt, M. F., Burns, M. -A., Leung, L. K.-P., Field, H. E., Smythe, L. D. and Craig, S. B. (2011) The role of fruit bats in the transmission of pathogenic leptospires in Australia. Annals of Tropical Medicine and Parasitology, 105 1: 71-84. doi:10.1179/136485911X12899838413501
Taylor, D. L., Leung, L. K.-P. and Gordon, I. J. (2011) The impact of feral pigs (Sus scrofa) on an Australian lowland tropical rainforest. Wildlife Research, 38 5: 437-445. doi:10.1071/WR08138
Bengsen, Andrew J., Leung, Luke K.-P., Lapidge, Steven J. and Gordon, Iain J. (2011) Target-specificity of feral pig baits under different conditions in a tropical rainforest. Wildlife Research, 38 5: 370-379. doi:10.1071/WR11023
Nguyen, Thi My Phung, Brown, Peter R., K.-P. Leung, Luke and Luu, Minh Tuan (2010) The effect of simulated rat damage on irrigated rice yield and compensation. Crop Protection, 29 12: 1466-1471. doi:10.1016/j.cropro.2010.08.006
Bengsen, Andrew J., Leung, Luke K.-P., Lapidge, Steven J. and Gordon, Iain J. (2010) Artificial illumination reduces bait-take by small rainforest mammals. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 127 1-2: 66-72. doi:10.1016/j.applanim.2010.08.006
Tulsiani, SM, Craig, SB, Graham, GC, Cobbold, RC, Dohnt, MF, Burns, MA, Jansen, CC, Leung, LKP, Field, HE and Smythe, LD (2010) High-resolution melt-curve analysis of random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD-HRM) for the characterisation of pathogenic leptospires: Intra-serovar divergence, interserovar convergence, and evidence of attenuation in Leptospira reference collections. Annals of Tropical Medicine and Parasitology, 104 5: 427-437. doi:10.1179/136485910X12786389891047
Tulsiani, S. M., Craig, S. B., Graham, G. C., Cobbold, R. N., Dohnt, M. F., Burns, M-A., Leung, L. K-P., Field, H. E. and Smythe, L. D. (2010) High-resolution melt-curve analysis of Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD-HRM)for the characterisation of pathogenic Leptospira.. Annals of Tropical Medicine & Parasitology, 104 2: 151-161. doi:10.1179/136485910X12607012374037
Kaboodvandpour, Shahram and Leung, Luke K.-P. (2010) Managing crop damage caused by house mice (Mus domesticus) in Australia. Integrative Zoology, 5 1: 2-14. doi:10.1111/j.1749-4877.2010.00188.x
Kaboodvandpour, Shahram, Free, Carissa and Leung, Luke K.-P. (2010) Comparison of population estimators and indices for monitoring house mice in sorghum crops. Integrative Zoology, 5 1: 53-62. doi:10.1111/j.1749-4877.2010.00189.x
Starr, Carly, Nekaris, K. A. I., Streicher, Ulrike and Leung, Luke (2010) Traditional use of slow lorises Nycticebus bengalensis and N. pygmaeus in Cambodia: an impediment to their conservation. Endangered Species Research: International and multidisciplinary journal, 12 1: 17-23. doi:10.3354/esr00285
Dario F. Rivera and Luke K.-P Leung (2008) A rare autosomal recessive condition, congenital erythropoietic porphyria, found in the canefield rat Rattus sordidus Gould 1858. Integrative Zoology, 3 3: 216-218. doi:10.1111/j.1749-4877.2008.00088.x
Kaboodvandpour, Shahram and Leung, Luke K.-P. (2008) Does the house mouse self-regulate its density in maturing sorghum and wheat crops?. Journal of Animal Ecology, 77 5: 1030-1037. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2656.2008.01423.x
Cruz, Jennyffer, Leung, Luke K.-P, Lisle, Allan, Rivera, Dario F., Staples, Linton and Smith, Michelle (2008) Grain, pellet and wax block bait take by the house mouse (Mus musculus) and non-target species: implications for mouse eradications on coral cay islands. Integrative Zoology, 3 3: 227-234. doi:10.1111/j.1749-4877.2008.00087.x
Elledge, Amanda E., Allen, Lee R., Carlsson, Britt-Louise, Wilton, Alan N. and Leung, Luke K.-P. (2008) An evaluation of genetic analyses, skull morphology and visual appearance for assessing dingo purity: implications for dingo conservation. Wildlife Research, 35 8: 812-820. doi:10.1071/WR07056
Andrew Bengsen, Leung, Kui-Po, Steven J. Lapidge and Iain J. Gordon (2008) The development of target-specific vertebrate pest management tools for complex faunal communities. Ecological Management & Restoration, 9 3: 209-216. doi:10.1111/j.1442-8903.2008.00420.x
Dario F. Rivera, Smith, Michelle, Staples, Linton and Leung, Luke K.-P. (2008) Effect of zinc phosphide baiting on canefield rat populations in teak. Crop Protection, 27 3-5: 877-881. doi:10.1016/j.cropro.2007.10.010
Carissa L. Free and Luke K.-P. Leung (2008) How effective are grid trapping, oil cards and track boards in monitoring bush rat populations?. Australian Mammalogy, 29 2: 149-156. doi:10.1071/AM07019
Kaboodvandpour, S. and Leung, L. K. P (2007) Does streptobacillary arthritis reduce house mouse population density, activity and damage to sorghum crops?. Journal of Pest Science, 80 3: 167-174. doi:10.1007/s10340-007-0169-6
Leung, K-P., Seth, S., Starr, C., El, S., Russell, I. W., King, C. A., Vong, T. R. and Chan, P. (2007) Selecting bait base to increase uptake of zinc phosphide and warfarin rodenticide baits. Crop Protection, 26 8: 1281-1286. doi:10.1016/j.cropro.2006.11.002
van der Straten, Kaye M., Collette, Bruce B., Leung, Luke K. -P. and Johnston, Stephen D. (2006) Sperm morphology of the black marlin (Makaira indica) differs from scombroid sperm. Bulletin of Marine Science, 79 3: 839-845.
van der Straten, K. M., Leung, L. K. P., Rossini, R. and Johnston, S. D. (2006) Cryopreservation of spermatozoa of black marlin, Makaira indica (Teleostei : Istiophoredae). Cryoletters, 27 4: 203-209.
Elledge, Amanda E., Leung, Luke K.-P., Allen, Lee R., Firestone, Karen and Wilton, Alan N. (2006) Assessing the taxonomic status of dingoes Canis familiaris dingo for conservation. Mammal Review, 36 2: 142-156. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2907.2006.00086.x
Starr, C. R. and Leung, K. (2006) Habitat use by Darling Downs population of the grassland earless dragon: implications for conservation.. Journal of Wildlife Management, 70 4: 897-903. doi:10.2193/0022-541X(2006)70[897:HUBTDD]2.0.CO;2
Hooke, Amber L., Allen, Lee and Leung, Luke K. P. (2006) Clinical signs and duration of cyanide toxicosis delivered by the M-44 ejector in wild dogs. Wildlife Research, 33 3: 181-185. doi:10.1071/WR05020
Leung, LKP and Clark, NM (2005) Bait avoidance and habitat use by the roof rat, Rattus rattus, in a piggery. International Biodeterioration & Biodegradation, 55 2: 77-84. doi:10.1016/j.ibiod.2004.07.004
Cox, T. E., Smythe L. D. and Leung, L. K.-P. (2005) Flying foxes as carriers of pathogenic leptospira species. Journal of Wildlife Diseases, 41 4: 753-757.
Brown, P.R., Leung, L.K.P. and Singleton, G.R. (2003) Movements of the ricefield rat, Rattus argentiventer, near a trap-barrier system in rice crops in West Java, Indonesia. International Journal of Pest Management, 49 2: 123-129. doi:10.1080/0967087021000038144
Leung, L. K. -P., Chhorn, N., Jahn, G. C., Nugent, R. and Cox, P. G. (2002) Evaluating Rodent Management with Cambodian Rice Farmers. Cambodian Journal of Agriculture, 5 21-26.
Smith, E. G., Leung, L., Phaloeun, C. and Sopheap, U. (2002) Rice Field Fish Farming Integrated with Rodent Pest Management in Cambodia. Cambodian Journal of Agriculture, 6 9-14.
Conference Papers
Bengsen, Andrew J., Leung, Luke K.-P., Lapidge, Steven J. and Gordon, Iain J. (2010). Developing target-specific baiting methods for feral pigs in an omnivore-rich community. In: R. M. Timm and K. A. Fagerstone, Proceedings of the 24th Vertebrate Pest Conference. 24th Vertebrate Pest Conference, Sacramento, California, United States, (53-58). 22-25 February 2010.
Joseph, S. D., Leung, K. and Berman, McK. (2006). Heart rate response of restrained domesticated horses to potential feral horse repellents. In: , , (). .
Frost, Angela, King, Christine, Leung, Luke, Phaloeun, Chan, Russell, Iean, Sotheary, EI and Vong, Tea Rithy (2003). Adaptive Management: A Methodology for Ecosystem and Community-based Rodent Management in Cambodia. In: ACIAR Monograph Series: Rats, Mice and People: Rodent Biology and Management. 2nd International Conference on Rodent Biology and Management (ICRBM), Canberra, ACT, Australia, (403-409). 10-14 February, 2003.
Leung, L. K. (2000). Wildlife conservation in the Lockyer Catchment. In: Proceedings of the 2000 South-East Queensland Biodiversity Recovery Conference - Biodiversity Conservation "From Vision to Reality". Biodiversity Conservation From Vision to Reality, The University of Queensland, Gatton, (23-24). 21-26 October 2000.