Kerrie Wechmann

Kerry with the final product: her honours thesis!

I did my honours from mid-2010-mid-2011. My research project focused on how behaviour and social interactions influence reproductive success in Eastern Water Skinks (Eulamprus quoyii)

Specifically, I attempted to answer the following questions:

1. Do males that win more interactions/contests have higher reproductive success?

2. Do males that spend more time interacting with females have higher rates of paternity? (I.e. lower levels of multiple paternity within clutches).

3. Do male that have established territories have higher levels of reproductive success? (Activity levels/movement around enclosure and how this impacts on fitness).

We acknowledge the traditional custodians of the Macquarie University land, the Wattamattagal clan of the Darug nation, whose cultures and customs have nurtured, and continue to nurture, this land, since the Dreamtime.  We pay our respects to Elders past, present and future.