A5021883482- Hydrology and Watershed Management Studies
- Flood Risk Assessment and Management
- Urban Stormwater Management Solutions
- Hydrology and Sediment Transport Processes
- Freshwater macroinvertebrate diversity and ecology
- Fish Ecology and Management Studies
- Soil and Water Nutrient Dynamics
- Soil erosion and sediment transport
- Land Use and Ecosystem Services
- Marine and coastal ecosystems
- Urban Heat Island Mitigation
- Urban Green Space and Health
- Aquatic Invertebrate Ecology and Behavior
- Coastal and Marine Management
- Environmental Philosophy and Ethics
- Coral and Marine Ecosystems Studies
Ecosystem Sciences
2024
The University of Melbourne
2013-2024
Monash University
2008-2013
Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research
2011-2013
An experiment in >1000 river and riparian sites found spatial patterns controls of carbon processing at the global scale.
Cities tend to be built in areas of high biodiversity, and the accelerating pace urbanization threatens persistence many species ecological communities globally. However, urban environments also offer unique prospects for biological conservation, with multiple benefits humans other species. We present seven principles conserve increase biodiversity cities, using metaphors bridge gap between languages built-environment conservation professionals. draw upon John Ruskin's famous essay on lamps...
Restoration of ecological structure and function urban streams probably requires catchment-scale modification drainage infrastructure, but such restoration attempts their assessment are rare. They require stream ecologists to embrace the interdisciplinary challenges studying social–ecological systems that catchments. We designed monitored a experiment involved retrofit stormwater infrastructure throughout an catchment restore more natural hydrology, water quality, consequently, condition in...
Rivers and streams contribute to global carbon cycling by decomposing immense quantities of terrestrial plant matter. However, decomposition rates are highly variable large-scale patterns drivers this process remain poorly understood. Using a cellulose-based assay reflect the primary constituent detritus, we generated predictive model (81% variance explained) for cellulose across 514 globally distributed streams. A large number variables were important predicting decomposition, highlighting...
Urban land use degrades stream ecosystems, but the nature and mechanisms of its effects on ecological processes, such as leaf breakdown, are poorly understood. Leaf litter breakdown has pivotal energy nutrient flows in ecosystems. Our goals were to test effect catchment urbanization rates leaves 2 common riparian species southeastern Australia identify responsible for changes rates. Catchment was quantified percentage covered by impervious surfaces with connection streams via stormwater...
Summary 1. Urbanisation and landuse changes threaten the ecological integrity of rivers streams globally. A major challenge in such impacted environments is to develop functional indicators for use by waterway managers. We first reviewed cellulose decomposition potential (CDP) as one indicator, here present current understanding highlight knowledge gaps which hinder its widespread incorporation into programmes monitoring stream health. In a field study, we also evaluated two differing...
Abstract Traditional urban drainage degrades receiving waters. Alternative approaches have potential to protect downstream waters, but widespread adoption requires robust demonstration of their feasibility and effectiveness. We conducted a catchment‐scale experiment over 19 years assess the effect dispersed stormwater control measures (SCMs), measured as reduction in effective imperviousness ( EI ) on stream water quality six sites two streams. compared changes those 7 decreased, 12...
Summary Organic matter provides energy and nutrients to aquatic systems. Alterations its sources processing have repercussions for water quality food‐web stability structure. Despite worldwide recognition of the impacts urbanisation, there is limited understanding relative importance catchment‐scale urban stormwater drainage connection reach‐scale riparian vegetation on organic sources. We investigated effects cover in small streams. Using stable isotopes elemental ratios (i.e. δ 13 C, 15 N...
1. Urbanisation severely affects stream hydrology, biotic integrity and water quality, but relatively little is known about effects on organic matter dynamics. Coarse particulate (CPOM) a source of energy nutrients in aquatic systems, its availability has implications for ecosystem productivity communities. In undisturbed environments, allochthonous inputs from riparian zones provide critical subsidies, the extent to which this occurs urbanised streams poorly understood. 2. We investigated...
Stormwater control measures, such as raingardens, tanks, or wetlands, are often employed to mitigate the deleterious effects of urban stormwater drainage on stream ecosystems. However, performance metrics for most commonly pollutant-load reduction, have not permitted prediction how they will change ecosystems downstream. Stream ecosystem responses more been predicted by catchment-scale measures effective imperviousness (percentage catchment with impervious cover draining sealed drains). We...
Improving instream habitat complexity is a common stream restoration approach despite often limited improvements to biota with catchment-scale stressors such as altered hydrology thought be more important. Instream vegetation critical component of lowland ecosystems, providing multiple ecological benefits. Thus, we asked: How does respond (1) geomorphic complexity; (2) different flow regime components; and (3) what the relationship between in driving vegetation? We surveyed geomorphology...
Abstract Plants in streams act as physical ecosystem engineers, both influencing and responding to hydrogeomorphic processes such fine sediment retention. Instream vegetation may also influence propagule dispersal retention, shaping plant community dynamics. These plant‐sediment interactions result synergistic feedback promoting complexity biogeomorphic succession. However, the role of aquatic plants (submerged or mostly submerged) trapping propagules, organic matter degraded lowland is...
<title>Abstract</title> Urban stormwater drainage alters stream flow regimes. Even small rainfall events produce higher quickflow volumes and peak flows from catchments drained using traditional management, degrading ecosystems. Stormwater Control Measures (SCMs) aim to mitigate such impacts. However, the cumulative effect of SCMs across a catchment on regimes has been little studied. We assessed storm-event-quickflow volume peak-flow response dispersed retrofitted into existing urban 5...
Traditional urban drainage degrades receiving waters. Alternative approaches have potential to protect downstream waters, but widespread adoption requires robust demonstration of their feasibility and effectiveness. We conducted a catchment-scale experiment over 19 years assess the effect dispersed stormwater control measures (SCMs), measured as reduction in effective imperviousness (EI) on stream water quality 6 sites 2 streams. compared changes those 7 EI decreased, 12 preceding years, 3...
Stormwater control measures, such as raingardens, tanks, or wetlands, are often employed to mitigate the deleterious effects of urban stormwater drainage on stream ecosystems. However, performance metrics for most commonly pollutant-load reduction, have not permitted prediction how they will change ecosystems downstream. Stream ecosystem responses more been predicted by catchment-scale measures effective imperviousness (percentage catchment with impervious cover draining sealed drains). We...
Headwater streams are critical to the integrity of stream network; yet they being rapidly degraded, channelised or lost through land-cover and land-use change, particularly in urbanizing areas. We refined definition a headwater stream, reviewed ecosystem literature identified four knowledge gaps which hampering management these unique systems; (i)Inadequate high resolution mapping thus low accuracy estimates locations extents within catchments.(ii)Insufficient characterisation typologies...
Traditional approaches to urban drainage degrade receiving waters. Alternative have potential protect downstream waters and provide other benefits cities, including greater water security. Their widespread adoption requires robust demonstration of their feasibility effectiveness. We conducted a catchment-scale, before-after-control-reference-impact experiment assess the effect dispersed stormwater control on stream ecosystems. used variant effective imperviousness (EI), integrating...