SEMINAR: From research to impact: Lessons from multidisciplinary research focused on Australia�s tropical rivers.

Abstract: Australia’s tropical rivers are the lifeblood of the region. They provide immense social, cultural and economic benefits and underpin internationally recognized biodiversity and conservation values. They are among the most healthy river systems in the country but they are facing increasing challenges from proposed water resource development and land use intensification. The Tropical Rivers and Coastal Knowledge Research Hub (TRaCK) was formed in 2006 as a consortium of more than 80 researchers from the biophysical and social sciences to do research to support the sustainable management of these systems. Eight years on, TRaCK’s research has greatly increased our understanding of the many values of these systems and the ecosystem processes that underpin them. This presentation will use TRaCK’s research outcomes to demonstrate the benefits of a multidisciplnary approach and suggest ways of improving the impact of environmental research.

Professor Michael Douglas is Director of the National Environmental Research Program’s Northern Australia Hub and the Tropical Rivers and Coastal Knowledge Research Hub (TRaCK). He is Professor of Environmental Science at Charles Darwin University and is the Theme Leader for Freshwater Ecology and Management in the Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods. Michael has completed major research programs focussed on understanding the effects of catchment management practices , particularly fire, weed, forestry and water management, on tropical rivers, floodplains and riparian zones. His research focusses on plant, fish and aquatic invertebrate communities and on the ecosystem processes that connect them, particularly food webs. He works closely with a broad range of stakeholders across northern Australia including long-term collaborations with Aboriginal Traditional Owners from the Daly River.