JULIEN LOUYS - PhD STUDENT
EDUCATION
- 1999-2003: Bachelor of Science/Bachelor of Mathematics University of Newcastle, Australia
- 2004: Bachelor of Science (Honours 1st Class), UNSW, Australia (Cranial descriptions of archaic koalas and an examination of vombatiform phylogeny based on cranial characters.)
- 2005- Current: PhD Thesis, UNSW, Australia (Ecology and extinction of Southeast Asia's Pleistocene megafauna)
RESEARCH
My thesis involves looking at the ecology and extinction of the large-bodied fauna from Southeast Asia. The extinction of the megafauna is examined in the tradition of other megafaunal extinction studies (e.g. those of North America, Australia). In particular, the respective roles of humans and climate in the extinctions are examined.
In addition, other natural causes for extinction are examined; in particular the role of the Toba super-eruption, the Quaternary's largest volcanic eruption. Palaeoecological studies for the region center on multivariate analyses of the fossil fauna, using modern habitats and ecosystems as a model. In particular, faunal lists from natural reserves and protected parks are utilized.
These palaeoecological studies should shed additional light on extinctions in the region.
AWARDS
2007 Australasian Quaternary Association Postgraduate Travel Prize
2007 UNSW Postgraduate Research Student Support Award
2007 CAVEPS 2007 Best Poster Award
2005 CAVEPS 2005 Student Scholarship
2003 University of Newcastle Student Exchange Scholarship
1999 University Foundation Undergraduate Scholarship
FIELD EXPERIENCE
2003 Vertebrate palaeontology of the Oligo-Miocene deposits of Riversleigh, Australia
2007 Vertebrate palaeontology of the Miocene deposits of St Bathans, New Zealand
CONTACT DETAILS
PUBLICATIONS
Louys, J. (Accepted). Limited effect of the Quaternary’s largest super-eruption (Toba) on land mammals from Southeast Asia. Quaternary Science Reviews.
Louys, J. (Accepted). Quaternary extinctions in Southeast Asia ’s megafauna. In Elewa AMT (ed) Mass extinction - the danger around us. Springer-Verlag, Heidelberg, Germany.
Louys, J., Curnoe, D., Tong, H. (2007). Characteristics of Pleistocene megafauna extinctions in Southeast Asia. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 243: 152-173.
Louys, J., Black, K., Archer, M., Hand, S. & Godthelp, H. (2007). Descriptions of koala material from the Miocene of Riversleigh, northwestern Queensland and its implications for Litokoala (Marsupialia, Phascolarctidae). Alcheringa 31: 99-110.
West, J. A. & Louys, J. (2007). Differentiating bamboo from stone tool cut marks in the zooarchaeological record, with a discussion on the use of bamboo knives. Journal of Archaeological Science 34: 512-518.
Archer, M., Arena, D. A., Bassarova, M., Beck, R., Black, K., Boles, W.E., Brewer, P., Cooke, B.N., Crosby, K., Gillespie, A., Godthelp, H., Hand, S.J., Kear, B., Louys, J, Morrell, A., Muirhead, J., Roberts, K. K., Scanlon, J. D., Travouillon, K.T, and Wroe, S. (2006). Current status of species-level representation in faunas from selected fossil localities in the Riversleigh World Heritage Area, northwestern Queensland. Alcheringa Special Issue 1: 1-17.
Louys, J. (2005). Riversleigh koalas. Riversleigh Notes 60: 1-6.
Louys, J., Tong, H., Bassarova, M., Travouillon, K. J. (Submitted). Palaeoecology and zoogeographic identity of the Gongwangling hominid site: implications for early hominids in China. Journal of Human Evolution.
CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS
Louys, J., Aplin, K., & Archer, M. (2005). A description of Oligo-Miocene koala skulls (Marsupialia: Phascolarctidae) and their functional interpretation. Abstract in 10th Conference on Australasian Evolution, Palaeontology & Systematics and Quaternary Extinctions Symposium 29th March – 2nd April 2005. Pp 46-47.
Louys, J. & Curnoe, D. (2006). Characteristics of Pleistocene megafauna extinctions in Southeast Asia. American Journal of Physical Anthropology 129 (S42): 122.
Louys, J. & Bassarova, M. (2006). Community structure of rainforest mammals: implications for fossil deposits. Riversleigh Symposium 20th -22nd November 2006.
Louys, J. (2007). Super-eruptions, fluctuating seas and marauding humans: exploring the role of extrinsic factors in the extinction of Southeast Asia’s megafauna. Quaternary International 167-168: 251.
Louys, J. (2007). Limited effect of the Quaternary’s largest super-eruption (Toba) on land mammals from Southeast Asia . 11th Conference on Australasian Evolution, Palaeontology & Systematics.
Louys, J.(2007) Quaternary extinctions of Southeast Asia’s megafauna. Selwyn Conference 28th September 2007.
