Ecological Applications

Research in the field of ecological applications from the Faculty of Science, University of Melbourne.

Researchers

Jane Cawson     Research examining bushfire behaviour and management, and the effect on vegetation and soils with a current focus on understanding flammability in wetter forests.

Yung En Chee     Research using ecological and decision theory, models and methods to provide evidence-based solutions to conservation and ecosystem management problems.

Roger Cousens     Ecology of plants, especially invasive species, with a current focus on coastal invaders. Using experimentation, survey, sampling, laboratory analysis and modelling to determine abundance, distribution change, population genetics and biogeography.

Thomas Duff     Research on a range of aspects of wildfires, their management and impacts on human values.’

Fiona Ede     Studies in the restoration of plant communities in riparian areas, with research in revegetation techniques and invasive species management in both urban and non-urban settings.

Moss Imberger     Studies in the ways to improve the structure and function of urban streams through the application of catchment-scale water sensitive urban design.

Jose Lahoz-Monfort     Research in biodiversity conservation and management through wildlife monitoring techniques, demography and population dynamics and the study of species distributions.

Patrick Lane     Research into the ecohydrologic impact of forest growth and disturbance at a range of spatial and temporal scales.

Stephen Livesley     Research of ecosystem processes in urban landscapes with regards to the environmental, social and biodiversity benefits of green infrastructure, urban trees and green spaces.

Rebecca Miller     Studies in the physiological and biochemical responses of plants to the environment and microbial associations, with a focus on plant secondary metabolites.

Susan Murphy     Investigations into the development of selection criteria for plants and their performance to help create maintainable and sustainable urban landscapes.

John Rayner     Research in green roofs and facades, including substrate evaluation, planting design, plant selection and evaluation.

Kirsten Raynor     Research in urban landscape management including planting design and plant selection, green roofs and facades, and therapeutic landscapes.

Rebecca Runting     Spatial planning for ecosystem services and climate change adaptation, ecological economics, and transboundary conservation.

Chris Williams     Research in the social, cultural and technical aspects of urban agriculture, with a focus on crop diversification and the experience of migrant groups in food gardening.

Nicholas Williams     Urban ecology research with a focus on biodiversity patterns in cities and towns, and the many ecosystem services urban vegetation can provide to urban areas.

Research centres

Environmental Microbiology Research Initiative
How environmental microorganisms influence ecosystem and human health, change the chemistry of the planet, respond to impacts of industrial contamination and climate change, and new biotechnologies.

National Centre for Coasts and Climate (NCCC)
Working to identify the best ways of addressing climate change impacts in Australian coastal ecosystems.

Research in this area is conducted in the School of Agriculture, Food and Ecosystem Sciences and School of BioSciences.