I am a Research Fellow and member of the Aquatic Ecology and Restoration Research Centre at the University of New England. I maintain a lifelong interest in research and creative ideas to understand how manipulation and management of ecosystems influence their structure, functioning, and conservation value. I produce evidence and ideas directly relevant to freshwater, floodplain, riparian and estuarine ecosystems. I am best known for my research identifying mechanisms that link ecological responses to hydrological events in freshwater ecosystems. Examples of my research experience and expertise are:
A snapshot of some of the projects I lead or contribute to:
Ecohydrological mechanisms underpinning environmental flows: Human water use and alteration of hydrological regimes strongly affect freshwater ecosystems, however ecological responses can occur via a whole range of mechanisms. The primary aim of my work in this area is to identify and articulate the ecohydrological mechanisms that underpin outcomes for species populations, multi-species communities, and ecosystems so we can better conceptualise and develop environmental flows in the context of objectives and outcomes.
Disturbance and multi-scale patterns of biodiversity: Environmental disturbances are complex becomes they vary in terms of how much of the landscape they influence and because different parts of the landscape experience disturbances more frequently, more severely, and for different durations than others. This complexity creates a lot of opportunities to test and measure how disturbance structures biodiversity from small to large spatial scales. Forest harvesting, hydrological variability in freshwaters, and fire are different forms of disturbance that have unique spatial and temporal characteristics. My work in this field focusses on how environmental disturbance regimes can be managed across landscapes to preserve and (potentially) restore landscape biodiversity.
Habitat fragmentation and loss for prioritising conservation efforts: Conservation management requires a good understanding of the stressors impacting ecological processes and patterns of biodiversity. Habitat fragmentation and habitat loss are two stressors affecting ecosystems worldwide, however these factors are not always considered together. This is problematic as reversing habitat fragmentation and habitat loss often costs a lot of money, and the ecological benefits of restoring either connectivity or habitat can be limited or negated by the other. My work in this theme focusses on how funds for environmental actions can be prioritised when effects of habitat fragmentation and habitat loss are simultaneously examined.
- Multi-scaled biodiversity responses to human disturbances and restoration scenarios to inform future management interventions and refine ongoing monitoring programs
- Conceptualisation and experimental ecological assessment of implemented environmental flow regimes
- Ecological responses to land use change and contribution to best management practices for timber harvesting practices
- Hydrological connectivity prioritisation based on broad-scale fish community analyses
- Risk assessment and predicting ecological consequences of species invasion under future environmental scenarios
- Trophic dynamics underpinning ecological responses of species population and community responses to climate, species invasions, and hydrological regime
A snapshot of some of the projects I lead or contribute to:
Ecohydrological mechanisms underpinning environmental flows: Human water use and alteration of hydrological regimes strongly affect freshwater ecosystems, however ecological responses can occur via a whole range of mechanisms. The primary aim of my work in this area is to identify and articulate the ecohydrological mechanisms that underpin outcomes for species populations, multi-species communities, and ecosystems so we can better conceptualise and develop environmental flows in the context of objectives and outcomes.
Disturbance and multi-scale patterns of biodiversity: Environmental disturbances are complex becomes they vary in terms of how much of the landscape they influence and because different parts of the landscape experience disturbances more frequently, more severely, and for different durations than others. This complexity creates a lot of opportunities to test and measure how disturbance structures biodiversity from small to large spatial scales. Forest harvesting, hydrological variability in freshwaters, and fire are different forms of disturbance that have unique spatial and temporal characteristics. My work in this field focusses on how environmental disturbance regimes can be managed across landscapes to preserve and (potentially) restore landscape biodiversity.
Habitat fragmentation and loss for prioritising conservation efforts: Conservation management requires a good understanding of the stressors impacting ecological processes and patterns of biodiversity. Habitat fragmentation and habitat loss are two stressors affecting ecosystems worldwide, however these factors are not always considered together. This is problematic as reversing habitat fragmentation and habitat loss often costs a lot of money, and the ecological benefits of restoring either connectivity or habitat can be limited or negated by the other. My work in this theme focusses on how funds for environmental actions can be prioritised when effects of habitat fragmentation and habitat loss are simultaneously examined.