Dr Rhiannon Smith

Senior Lecturer in Environmental Management - School of Environmental and Rural Science

Rhiannon Smith

Phone: +61 2 6773 3297

Email: rsmith66@une.edu.au

Biography

Rhiannon is a Senior Lecturer in Environmental Management. Her research interests include biodiversity conservation in production landscapes, ecosystem service provision and natural capital accounting, ecosystem health, sustainable land management, ecosystem restoration, eucalypt dieback, interactions between social and ecological systems in agricultural landscapes, and designing carbon neutral farms. Her research is largely funded by agricultural industries and State and Commonwealth Government agencies. She co-supervises several postgraduate students working on a range of ecological and natural resource management topics, predominantly investigating the interactions between nature and agriculture. She coordinates agriculture and environment units at undergraduate and postgraduate levels.

Qualifications

Bachelor of Natural Resources (Hons) (University of New England)

Doctor of Philosophy (University of New England)

Teaching Areas

COTT202/402 Cotton and the Environment

EM351/551 Ecosystem Rehabilitation

EM510 Natural Resource Management Extension

Primary Research Area/s

Environmental management; Natural resource management; Ecosystem services; Ecosystem restoration; Sustainable agriculture

Research Interests

Smith, R., Kahn, L., Ball, A., Reid, N. and Boshoff, J. (2023) ‘Decision support framework and tool supporting Australian producers to make informed decisions about the relative benefits arising from their actions for production, natural capital, and/or natural capital markets’. AgriFutures Australia ($355 070)

Boshoff, J., Smith, R., Kahn, L., Ball, A., Reid, N. (2023) ‘One stop shop knowledge hub/CoP to build capacity of Australian producers for decision making around soil carbon, carbon farming and emission reduction, sustainability and environmental stewardship’. AgriFutures Australia ($320 080)

Smith, R., Knox, O., Wilson, B. and Reid, N. (2022) ‘Carbon and biodiversity benchmarking in native vegetation on cotton farms’. Cotton Research and Development Corporation ($450 000)

Smith, R., Reid, N. (2021) ‘Causes, projections and reversal of eucalypt decline and dieback on the New England Tablelands’. NSW Environmental Trust Environmental Research Grant ($200 000)

Trindall, J., Vogel, S., Smith, R., Peterson, E., Parsons, S. and Fuller, S. (2018) ‘New technologies to improve natural resources (biodiversity) on Australian cotton farms’. National Landcare Program Smart Farming Partnerships ($1 131 022)

Smith R., Reid N., Lamb D., et al. (2018–21) ‘Increasing Natural Capital (Biodiversity) on Australia Cotton Farms.’ Cotton Research and Development Corporation ($452 500)

Smith R., Ryder D., Reid N., Tongway D. (2015–18) ‘Managing riparian corridors on cotton farms for multiple benefits.’ Cotton Research and Development Corporation research project ($453 000)

Reid N., Smith R., Carr D., Ryder D., et al. (2012–18) ‘Monitoring, evaluation, reporting and improvement activities for the Border Rivers–Gwydir CMA.’ Border Rivers–Gwydir CMA ($531 268)

Smith R., Reid N., Tongway D. (2011–2015)‘Positioning growers to take advantage of future ecosystem service markets’ (Cotton Research and Development Corporation research project ($550 025)

Research Supervision Experience

I supervise honours, masters and PhD students in various areas of natural resource management.

Publications

JOURNAL ARTICLES

Reid, J., Smith, R., Scott, L., Reid, N. (2023) The stability of bird assemblages across time and the reliability of snapshot surveys. Austral Ecology, accepted April 2023.

Kolkert, H., Andrew, R., Smith, R., Rader, R. Reid, N. (2022) Important agricultural pests detected in the diet of two threatened insectivorous bats in a cotton agroecosystem: insights from a molecular study. Journal of Bat Research & Conservation 15, 57–61. https://doi.org/10.14709/BarbJ.15.1.2022.07

Nolan, R., Gauthey, A., Losso, A., Medlyn, B., Smith, R., Chhajed, S., Fuller, K., Song, M., Li, X., Beaumont, L., Boer, M., Wright, I., Choat, B. (2021) Hydraulic failure and tree size linked with canopy die-back in eucalypt forest during extreme drought. New Phytologist 230, 1354–1365.

Kolkert, H.L., Smith, R.S., Rader, R. and Reid, N. (2021) Insectivorous bats provide significant economic value to the Australian cotton industry. Ecosystem Services 49.

Kolkert, H.L., Smith, R.S., Rader, R. and Reid, N. (2021) Prey removal in cotton crops next to woodland reveals periodic diurnal and nocturnal invertebrate predation gradients from the crop edge. Nature Scientific Reports 11.

Kolkert, H.L., Smith, R.S., Rader, R. and Reid, N. (2020) Insectivorous bats foraging in cotton crop interiors is driven by moon illumination and insect abundance, but diversity benefits from woody vegetation cover. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 302, online early: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2020.107068

Kolkert, H.L, Andrew, R., Smith, R., Rader, R. and Reid, N. (2020) Insectivorous bats selectively source moths and eat mostly pest insects on dryland and irrigated cotton farms. Ecology and Evolution 10, 371–388.

McDonald, S., Reid, N., Smith, R., Waters, C., Hunter, J., and Rader, R (2020) Comparison of biodiversity and ground cover between a commercial rotationally grazed property and an adjacent nature reserve in semi-arid rangeland. Austral Ecology 40, 60–69.

Smith, R., Reid, J., Scott-Morales, L., Green, S. and Reid, N.C.H. (2019) A baseline survey of birds in native vegetation on cotton farms in inland eastern Australia. Wildlife Research 46, 304–316.

McDonald, S., Reid, N., Smith, R., Waters, C., Hunter, J., Rader, R. (2019) Rotational grazing management achieves similar plant diversity outcomes to areas managed for conservation in a semi-arid rangeland. The Rangeland Journal 41, 135–145.

Ruiz-Talonia, L., Carr, D., Smith, R., Whalley, R.D.B., Reid, N. (2018) Effect of temperature and light on germination of 10 species of Eucalyptus from north-western NSW. Australian Journal of Botany 66, 657–666.

McDonald, S., Reid, N., Waters, C., Smith, R. and Hunter, J. (2018) Improving ground cover and landscape function in a semi-arid rangeland through alternative grazing management. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 268, 8–14.

Reid, N., Smith, R., Whalley, R.D.B., Norton, D., Ryder, D. (2018) Restore, regenerate, revegetate: Restoring ecological processes, ecosystems and landscapes in a changing world. Ecological Management and Restoration 19, 3–5.

Smith, R. and Watson, A. (2018) Working with nature to improve the environment and farm profitability at ‘Kilmarnock’. Ecological Management and Restoration 19, 63–72.

Brown, S., Reid, J., Reid, N., Smith, R. (2018) Differences in tree and shrub establishment due to tree guard type in a temperate upland pasture. Ecological Management and Restoration.

Whalley, R.D.B. (Wal), Smith, R. (2017) Restore, regenerate, revegetate; restoring ecological processes, ecosystems and landscapes in a changing world. The Rangeland Journal 39 (5 & 6), i–v.

Brown, S., Reid, N., Reid, J., Smith, R., Whalley, R.D.B. and Carr, D. (2017) Topsoil removal and carbon addition for weed control and native grass recruitment in a temperate-derived grassland in northern New South Wales. The Rangeland Journal 39, 355–361.

Smith, R., Renton, M., Reid, N. (2017) Growth and carbon sequestration by remnant Eucalyptus camaldulensis woodlands in semi-arid Australia during La Niña conditions. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 232, 704–710.

Smith, R., Tongway, D., Tighe, M., Reid, N. (2015) When does organic carbon induce aggregate stability in vertosols? Agriculture Ecosystems and Environment 201, 92–100.

Kelly, B.F.J., Timms, W.A., Andersen, S.M., McCallum, A.M., Blakers, R., Smith, R., Badenhop, A., Ludowici, K. and Acworth, R.I. (2013) Aquifer heterogeneity and response time – the challenge for groundwater management. Crop and Pasture Science 64 (12), 1141–1154.

Smith, R. and Reid, N. (2013) Carbon storage value of native vegetation on a subhumid–semi-arid floodplain. Crop and Pasture Science 64 (12), 1209–1216.

Smith, R.,Tighe, M., Reid, N., Briggs, S. and Wilson, B. (2013) Patch and soil characteristics of pastures with water-spreading banks and woody encroachment in semi-arid Australia. Ecological Management and Restoration 14(2), 120–126.

Smith, R.,Tighe, M., Reid, N., Briggs, S. and Wilson, B. (2013) Effects of grazing, trenching and surface soil disturbance on ground cover in woody encroachment on the Cobar Pediplain, south-eastern Australia. Journal of Arid Environments 96, 80–86.

OPINION PIECES

Nolan, R., Medway, B., Choat, B. and Smith, R. (2020) Entire hillsides of trees turned brown this summer: is this the start of ecosystem collapse? The Conversation, 09/03/20.

Williams, J., Smith, R., Ball, A., Reid, N. and Kahn, L. (2019) Harmonisation of on-farm metrics for sustainability assessment of Australian agricultural industries. Farm Policy Journal 16:3 Spring 2019.

REFEREED CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS AND BOOK CHAPTERS

Reid, N., Dickinson, Y., Smith, R., Taylor, M., Norton, D. (2023) Temperate Forest Restoration. In Florentine, S., Gibson-Roy, P., Dixon, K., Broadhurst, L. Ecological Restoration: Moving Forward using Lessons Learned. Springer.

Smith, R. (Editor) (2018) Proceedings of Restore, Regenerate, Revegetate: A Conference on Restoring Ecological Processes, Ecosystems and Landscapes in a Changing World. Held at the University of New England, Armidale, from 5–9 February 2017 (Ecosystem Management, School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, New South Wales, Australia).

Good, M., Smith, R., Pettit, N. (2017) Forests and woodlands of Australia’s rivers and floodplains. In Keith, D. Australian Vegetation 3rd Edition, Cambridge University Press.

McDonald, S., Reid, N., Smith, R., Waters, C., Hunter, J., Rader, R. (2016) Grazing management for biodiversity conservation and landscape function in semi-arid New South Wales. Proceedings of the 10th International Rangelands Congress held at Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, July.

Smith, R., Visser, F., Welsh, J., Vogel, S., Trindall, J. (2014) Carbon neutral cotton farms. Proceedings of the 17th Biennial Australian Cotton Conference held at Broadbeach, Queensland, Australia, August.

Memberships

Australasia Pacific Extension Network

Australian Rangelands Society

Community and Advocacy Organisation Collaborations

Associate Editor of The Rangeland Journal (CSIRO Publishing)