Tal is interested in applied conservation management, broad spectrum decision making and optimization of resource allocation. She is mainly interested in finding ways to mitigate the conflict in the areas of human-nature interactions with a focus on ecosystem conservation. Her thesis examined changes in the cost-effectiveness of the conservation outcomes with the use of different fine- and coarse-scale biodiversity features as target and trade-offs between biodiversity benefit and conservation costs when applying fine- and coarse-scale conservation efforts. Her PhD was supervised by Dr Kerrie Wilson and Professor Hugh Possingham

PhD Candidate, University of Queensland, December 2011 – June 2016

Email: t.polak@uq.edu.au

Publications

Berger-Tal*, O., Polak*, T., Ben Zvi, A., Saltz, D., Lubin, Y. and Kotler, B.P. 2011. Integrating animal behavior and conservation biology: a conceptual framework. Behavioral Ecology. doi:10.1093/beheco/arq224. * Equal contribution.

Polak, T., Korine, C., Yair. S. and Holderied, M.W. 2011. Differential effects of artificial lighting on flight and foraging behaviour of two sympatric bat species in a desert. Journal of Zoology. doi:10.1111/j.1469-7998.2011.00808.x

Polak, T and Saltz, D. 2011. Reintroduction as an ecosystem-restoration technique. Conservation Biology. 25(3):424-425. DOI: 10.1111/j.1523-1739.2011.01669.x.

Polak, T., Gutterman, Y., Hoffman, I and Saltz, D. Reintroduction as an ecosystem restoration tool: Enhancing ecosystem health by ungulates as vectors for seed-dispersal. Biodiversity and Conservation. Submitted