Research Areas in Ecosystem Management
At Ecosystem Management our multi-disciplinary team of researchers provides a unique opportunity for postgraduate students to undertake meaningful research that tackles real world problems. Our focus on the management, conservation and rehabilitation of the environment allows students to undertake projects in diverse topics such as mine site rehabilitation, river restoration, threatened species management and natural resources policy development. Postgraduate students benefit from industry partnerships with State Government Agencies, Large Corporations (eg. X-Strata, Country Energy, SKM, CRCs), Community Groups and small environmental consulting companies.
Our main research areas are:
• Wildlife Ecology
• Geographical Information Science
• Plant and Soil
• Aquatic Ecology
• Policy Development
Our Published Papers and Citations
Thomson ISI Researcher ID: http://www.researcherid.com/rid/C-2259-2011
Interested in doing PhD? There are three PhD scholarships in Restoration Ecology available.
Wildlife Ecology
Wildlife Ecology is an exciting and challenging research area at UNE. Not only does the Northern Tableland bioregion boast a diversity of charismatic fauna such as quolls, rock-wallabies and koalas, it also has its fair share of introduced and feral species like foxes, deer and horses.
Our research interests therefore include conservation and management of the region’s rare and threatened fauna on the one hand, and understanding ways to mitigate the impacts of exotic species on the other. Through our research we have developed strong links with fauna agencies in north eastern NSW and southeastern Queensland.
Our postgraduate students are involved in projects as diverse as wetland bird ecology, wild horse management and turtle conservation; and our undergraduates experience the region’s wildlife first hand on overnight field trips to remote wilderness areas that include spectacular gorges, waterfalls, high-altitude woodlands and cool temperate rainforest.
Our field research station ‘Newholme’ has lab facilities and accommodation, and supports populations of New England’s wildlife.On-campus facilities include an extensive teaching museum of skulls and skins; live animal housing; wildlife autopsy room and modern wildlife laboratories. Research students can access specialist field gear including mammal traps, mist-nets, anabats, telemetry equipment, night-vision googles and tranquillizer guns.
People involved in this research area:
Staff
- Dr Karl Vernes
- Emeritus Professor Peter Jarman
- Stuart Green
Postgraduate Students
- Guy Ballard (PhD) “Human dimensions of wildlife management”
- Kim Downs (PhD) “Conservation of small mammals within a fragmented pastoral landscape: the effects of land use on habitat quality”
- Adam Smith (PhD) “Waterbird Community Dynamics in Floodgated Wetlands of the Clarence Floodplain”
- Joanne Lenehan (PhD) “Environmental Impacts of Wild Horses in the Guy Fawkes Wilderness”
- Darren Fielder (M. Res. Sci.) “The Queensland Bald Rock Creek Short-Necked Turtle (Elseya cf belli): its population status, distribution, habitat requirements and genetic identity”
Geographical Information Science
GIS is a core research area within Ecosystem Management. Our research is focused in three main areas: wetland mapping and assessment, precision agriculture and native vegetation assessment. However, we are always investigating new uses of spatial information science for natural resources management. We have a sophisticated research laboratory that includes: Dell and silicon graphics workstations; a broad range spectro-radiometer; industry standard software (ArcGIS, ERMapper, ENVI and Erdas); 2 airborne video systems; a differential GPS and many hand held gps; and has access to proximal sensing equipment such as EM38 and on-vehicle optical sensors.
People involved in this research area:
Staff
• Dr Lalit Kumar (Senior Lecturer) Thomson ISI Researcher ID: http://www.researcherid.com/rid/A-6397-2011
• Dr Canran Liu (Postdoctoral Research Fellow)
• Ms Cate MacGregor (Senior Technical Officer)
Postgraduate Students
- Nicole White (PhD) "Modelling changes in water quality following wetland restoration"
- Bilal Hossain (PhD) "precision soil mapping"
- Justine Graham (M. Env. Sci) '"Monitoring vegetation response to tidal resotration in coastal wetlands"
- Katryna Specht (M. Env. Sci) 'Managing wetland restoration - improving the existing methods"
Plant & Soil
The Australian vegetation and soil resources are very old, complex and integral components of our biodiversity. The link between plants and the nutrient deficient soils of Australia is delicately balanced and vitally important for the viability of Australian ecosystems. In Ecosystem Management, research and teaching focuses on soil health and land degradation, vegetation management and biodiversity conservation. A common theme is to understand the processes that cause decline in vegetation and soil health, isolating indicators of decline and developing threat abatement strategies. There are a myriad of current and potential projects in these areas with excellent research facilities and funding support. Researchers and students work with a diverse network that includes government agencies (e.g. DEC, DEH, EPA, SF-NSW, DIPNR), NGOs (e.g. WWF) community groups (Landcare, farmers) and private companies (environmental consultants, mining organizations). More details on current projects and research opportunities can be found below at each academic's homepage.
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People involved in this research area:
Staff
Postgraduate Students
- Dean Carter (PhD). Population viability of the endangered shrub Grevillea beadleana
- Simone Simpson (PhD). A comparative approach to species responses to fragmentation: plant fitness and the small population paradigm
- Jodi Neal (PhD). Phylogenetics and Evolutionary Dynamics of the tremandroid Elaeocarpaceae
- Hannah Macpherson (M. Env Sci). Phylogenetics and Evolutionary Dynamics of the tremandroid Elaeocarpaceae
- Azadeh Haddadchi (PhD). Evolution of monoecy : plasticity in sex allocation patterns versus inbreeding avoidance
- Melinda McNaught (PhD)
Aquatic Ecology & Management
Aquatic ecology and management at UNE is a stimulating and challenging discipline, with research projects that span swamps, lakes, rivers and estuaries. Our location in the North Coast region of NSW means we have a wide diversity of aquatic systems at our doorstep.
Upland swamps, cobble streams and huge waterfalls in pristine National Parks lead to populated lowland rivers and estuaries in one of Australia's fastest developing regions. Heading west we find the expanse of the Murray-Darling Basin, and its regulated lowland rivers and semi-arid climate.
Our research interests mirror this diversity and foster research partnerships with agencies, businesses and community groups.
Established laboratories for environmental and analytical chemistry, aquatic microbiology, and algal and macroinvertebrate ecology and taxonomy allows us to examine how physical, chemical, and biological components of aquatic ecosystems function and interact, and understand linkages between habitats, rivers and catchments to underpin the effective management of aquatic systems.
People involved in this research area:
Staff
- Professor Andrew Boulton
- Dr Darren Ryder
- Dr Kim Jenkins
- Dr Peter Hancock
- Paul Lisle
- Marion Costigan
Postgraduate Students
- Ben Wolfenden (PhD) "The role of woody debris in riverine organic matter cycles"
- Sarah Mika (PhD) "Recovering hyporheic exchange in riffles using wood"
- Emilie Warner (PhD) "Developing a Biological Monitoring Program for the Nymboida River, Northern NSW"
- Ruth Harlow (PhD) "Developing macroinvertebrates as indicators of flow extraction in the Nymboida River, NSW"
- Phil Morris (PhD) "Floodplain wetland foodwebs in habitats with varying water regimes"
- Marcus Finn (PhD) "Ecological responses to low flow and drying in two subcatchments with different levels of water extraction in the Hastings Catchment, NSW"
- Wendy Miller (PhD) "Functional ecology of urban streams on the Northern tablelands of New South Wales, Australia"
- Imogen Edmunds (M. Sci. Res.)
- Bill Johnson (M. Sci. Res.)
Policy Development
Policy research in Ecosystem management aims to foster effective public policy and professional practice in Environmental Dispute Resolution through research, education, training, consultancy and facilitating academic and professional discourse. In particular, our research is concerned with advising government and industry groups in the development of appropriate Environmental Dispute Resolution policies and strategies. Our multi-disciplinary team consists of professionals across a wide range of disciplines that includes natural resource management and environmental science, environmental engineering, geography and planning, rural science, peace studies, law and economics.
Our research focuses upon:
- Applying an Environmental Dispute Resolution framework to new policy initiatives
- Incorporating Environmental Dispute Resolution clauses into new legislation or legal instruments such as environmental or natural resource management plans
- Incorporating consensus building and mutual gains approaches into policy frameworks
- Undertaking staff training in mediation, negotiation and consensus building strategies appropriate to environmental disputes.
People involved in this research area:
Staff
- Julian Prior - Senior Lecturer
- Lisa Lobry de Bruyn - Senior Lecturer