Dr Alex Cheesman ~ Research Fellow
College of Science & Engineering
- About
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- Interests
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- Research
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- Tropical plant ecophysiology
- The impact of temperature on plant functional traits
- Phosphorus in the soil plant continuum
- Stable isotopes as recorders of plant physiological processes
- The impact of tropospheric ozone on tropical systems
- Experience
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- 2018 to present - Senior Research Fellow, University of Exeter (UK)
- 2018 to present - Senior Research Fellow, James Cook University (Australia)
- 2013 to 2018 - Postdoctoral Research Fellow, James Cook University (Australia)
- 2010 to 2013 - Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Smithsonian Tropical research Institute (Panama)
- 2006 to 2010 - PhD Soil and Water Science, University of Florida (USA)
- 2001 to 2004 - BA Plant Science, Cambridge University (UK)
- Research Disciplines
- Socio-Economic Objectives
Alexander Cheesman is a Senior Research Fellow working at James Cook University and the University of Exeter in the UK,
He is a plant eco-physiologist and soil scientist interested in the dynamic interaction of tropical systems in a changing world. He is an active researcher on issues of climate change, air pollution, nutrient management, and plant physiology.
Alex completed his PhD in Soil and Water Science at the University of Florida, USA, much of the field work for which was carried out in the remote wetlands of Panama. This led to a 2 year post-doctoral research fellowship at STRI with Dr Klaus Winter, a position funded jointly by the Smithsonian Institute Global Earth Observatory (SIGEO) and Center for Tropical Forest Studies (CTFS), now called CTFS-ForestGEO, with the objective of researching the effects of increasing temperature upon tree physiology in the tropics. From June 2013 to June 2018 he worked as a post-doctoral research fellow at James Cook University (JCU) working with Dr Lucas Cernusak on issues of plant ecophysiology adaptation and acclimation. Since 2018 he has held a senior research fellow role at JCU and the University of Exeter in the UK primarily working on TropOZ - an interenational effiort to examine the impacts of air pollution (and in particular ozone) on tropical systems.
- Publications
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These are the most recent publications associated with this author. To see a detailed profile of all publications stored at JCU, visit ResearchOnline@JCU. Hover over Altmetrics badges to see social impact.
- Journal Articles
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- Cheesman A, Todd S, Owen L, AhKee D, Lim H, Masson M and Nelson P (2023) In-drain denitrifying woodchip bioreactors for reducing nitrogen runoff from sugarcane. Ecological Engineering, 192.
- Crous K, Cheesman A, Middleby K, Rogers E, Wujeska-Klause A, Bouet A, Ellsworth D, Liddell M, Cernusak L and Barton C (2023) Similar patterns of leaf temperatures and thermal acclimation to warming in temperate and tropical tree canopies. Tree Physiology, 43. pp. 1383-1399
- Law S, Flores?Moreno H, Cheesman A, Clement R, Rosenfield M, Yatsko A, Cernusak L, Dalling J, Canam T, Iqsaysa I, Duan E, Allison S, Eggleton P and Zanne A (2023) Wood traits explain microbial but not termite?driven decay in Australian tropical rainforest and savanna. Journal of Ecology, 111 (5). pp. 982-993
- Singh Ramesh A, Cheesman A, Flores-Moreno H, Preece N, Crayn D and Cernusak L (2023) Temperature, nutrient availability, and species traits interact to shape elevation responses of Australian tropical trees. Frontiers in Forests and Global Change, 6.
- Brown F, Folberth G, Sitch S, Bauer S, Bauters M, Boeckx P, Cheesman A, Deushi M, Dos Santos I, Galy-Lacaux C, Haywood J, Keeble J, Mercado L, O'Connor F, Oshima N, Tsigaridis K and Verbeeck H (2022) The ozone–climate penalty over South America and Africa by 2100. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 22. pp. 12331-12352
- Nottingham A, Cheesman A, Riutta T, Doughty C, Telford E, Huaraca Huasco W, Svátek M, Kvasnica J, Majalap N, Malhi Y, Meir P and Arn Teh Y (2022) Large contribution of recent photosynthate to soil respiration in tropical dipterocarp forest revealed by girdling. Journal of Ecology, 110 (2). pp. 387-403
- Vogado N, Cheesman A and Cernusak L (2022) Delayed greening during leaf expansion under ambient and elevated CO2 in tropical tree seedlings. Austral Ecology, 47 (3). pp. 530-540
- Zanne A, Flores-Moreno H, Powell J, Cornwell W, Dalling J, Austin A, Classen A, Eggleton P, Okada K, Parr C, Adair E, Adu-Bredu S, Alam M, Alvarez-Garzón C, Apgaua D, Aragón R, Ardon M, Arndt S, Ashton L, Barber N, Beauchêne J, Berg M, Beringer J, Boer M, Bonet J, Bunney K, Burkhardt T, Carvalho D, Castillo-Figueroa D, Cernusak L, Cheesman A, Cirne-Silva T, Cleverly J, Cornelissen J, Curran T, D'Angioli A, Dallstream C, Eisenhauer N, Evouna Ondo F, Fajardo A, Fernandez R, Ferrer A, Fontes M, Galatowitsch M, González G, Gottschall F, Grace P, Granda E, Griffiths H, Guerra Lara M, Hasegawa M, Hefting M, Hinko-Najera N, Hutley L, Jones J, Kahl A, Karan M, Keuskamp J, Lardner T, Liddell M, Macfarlane C, Macinnis-Ng C, Mariano R, Méndez M, Meyer W, Mori A, Moura A, Northwood M, Ogaya R, Oliveira R, Orgiazzi A, Pardo J, Peguero G, Penuelas J, Perez L, Posada J, Prada C, P?ív?tivý T, Prober S, Prunier J, Quansah G, Resco de Dios V, Richter R, Robertson M, Rocha L, Rúa M, Sarmiento C, Silberstein R, Silva M, Siqueira F, Stillwagon M, Stol J, Taylor M, Teste F, Tng D, Tucker D, Türke M, Ulyshen M, Valverde-Barrantes O, van den Berg E, van Logtestijn R, Veen G, Vogel J, Wardlaw T, Wiehl G, Wirth C, Woods M and Zalamea P (2022) Termite sensitivity to temperature affects global wood decay rates. Science, 377 (6613). pp. 1440-1444
- Clement R, Flores-Moreno H, Cernusak L, Cheesman A, Yatsko A, Allison S, Eggleton P and Zanne A (2021) Assessing the Australian termite diversity anomaly: how habitat and rainfall affect termite assemblages. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, 9.
- Doughty C, Cheesman A, Riutta T, Thomson E, Shenkin A, Nottingham A, Telford E, Huasco W, Majalap N, Teh Y, Meir P and Malhi Y (2021) Predicting tropical tree mortality with leaf spectroscopy. Biotropica, 53 (2). pp. 581-595
- Falster D, Gallagher R, Wenk E, Wright I, Indiarto D, Andrew S, Baxter C, Lawson J, Allen S, Fuchs A, Monro A, Kar F, Adams M, Ahrens C, Alfonzetti M, Angevin T, Apgaua D, Arndt S, Atkin O, Atkinson J, Auld T, Baker A, von Balthazar M, Bean A, Blackman C, Bloomfeld K, Bowman D, Bragg J, Brodribb T, Buckton G, Burrows G, Caldwell E, Camac J, Carpenter R, Catford J, Cawthray G, Cernusak L, Chandler G, Chapman A, Cheal D, Cheesman A, Chen S, Choat B, Clinton B, Clode P, Coleman H, Cornwell W, Cosgrove M, Crisp M, Cross E, Crous K, Cunningham S, Curran T, Curtis E, Daws M, DeGabriel J, Denton M, Dong N, Du P, Duan H, Duncan D, Duncan R, Duretto M, Dwyer J, Edwards C, Esperon-Rodriguez M, Evans J, Everingham S, Farrell C, Firn J, Fonseca C, French B, Frood D, Funk J, Geange S, Ghannoum O, Gleason S, Gosper C, Gray E, Groom P, Grootemaat S, Gross C, Guerin G, Guja L, Hahs A, Harrison M, Hayes P, Henery M, Hochuli D, Howell J, Huang G, Hughes L, Huisman J, Ilic J, Jagdish A, Jin D, Jordan G, Jurado E, Kanowski J, Kasel S, Kellermann J, Kenny B, Kohout M, Kooyman R, Kotowska M, Lai H, Laliberte E, Lambers H, Lamont B, Lanfear R, van Langevelde F, Laughlin D, Laugier-kitchener B, Laurance S, Lehmann C, Leigh A, Leishman M, Lenz T, Lepschi B, Lewis J, Lim F, Liu U, Lord J, Lusk C, Macinnis-Ng C, McPherson H, Magallon S, Manea A, Lopez-Martinez A, Mayfeld M, McCarthy J, Meers T, van der Merwe M, Metcalfe D, Milberg P, Mokany K, Moles A, Moore B, Moore N, Morgan J, Morris W, Muir A, Munroe S, Nicholson A, Nicolle D, Nicotra A, Niinemets U, North T, O'Reilly-Nugent A, O'Sullivan O, Oberle B, Onoda Y, Ooi M, Osborne C, Paczkowska G, Pekin B, Pereira C, Pickering C, Pickup M, Pollock L, Poot P, Powell J, Power S, Prentice I, Prior L, Prober S, Read J, Reynolds V, Richards A, Richardson B, Roderick M, Rosell J, Rossetto M, Rye B, Rymer P, Sams M, Sanson G, Sauquet H, Schmidt S, Schoenenberger J, Schulze E, Sendall K, Sinclair S, Smith B, Smith R, Soper F, Sparrow B, Standish R, Staples T, Stephens R, Szota C, Taseski G, Tasker E, Thomas F, Tissue D, Tjoelker M, Tng D, de Tombeur F, Tomlinson K, Turner N, Veneklaas E, Venn S, Vesk P, Vlasveld C, Vorontsova M, Warren C, Warwick N, Weerasinghe L, Wells J, Westoby M, White M, Williams N, Wills J, Wilson P, Yates C, Zanne A, Zemunik G and Zieminska K (2021) AusTraits, a curated plant trait database for the Australian flora. Scientific Data, 8.
- Jones S, Kaisermann A, Ogée J, Wohl S, Cheesman A, Cernusak L and Wingate L (2021) Oxygen isotope exchange between water and carbon dioxide in soils is controlled by pH, nitrate and microbial biomass through links to carbonic anhydrase activity. Soil, 7 (1). pp. 145-159
- More
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ResearchOnline@JCU stores 45+ research outputs authored by Dr Alex Cheesman from 2010 onwards.
- Current Funding
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Current and recent Research Funding to JCU is shown by funding source and project.
QLD Department of Agriculture and Fisheries - Contract Research
DAF technical support on water treatment systems
- Indicative Funding
- $70,000 over 3 years (administered by QLD Department of Agriculture and Fisheries)
- Summary
- DAF is seeking technical advice and support on an as-needs basis to provide; 1) Independent review of water treatment system projects, e.g. treatment wetlands, vegetated drains, bioreactors, 2) Technical advice and support to Agricultural Water Treatment project activities, ensuring technical accuracy and evidence based decisions, 3) The development of resources that represent latest science and knowledge of best practice. Time is to be billed as per schedule payable up to a maximum of $10,000 per 6 month period.
- Investigators
- Alex Cheesman (College of Science & Engineering)
- Keywords
- Nutrients; Water Quality; Treatment Systems; Bioreactors; Sustainable; Wetlands
Queensland Department of Environment and Science - Tender
Modelling unseen flow pathways of water and contaminants in the Wet Tropics: the role of alluvial palaeochannels
- Indicative Funding
- $44,982 over 1 year
- Summary
- Approximately 50% of nitrogen loss from agricultural landscapes in the Wet Tropics occurs via subsurface flow pathways. We know little about the partitioning of subsurface flows, especially through palaeochannels where field evidence shows them to be zones of preferential pathways of water movement and likely nutrients. This project, led by JCU, seeks to develop an adequate understanding of the role palaeochannels play in subsurface flow movement. We then make recommendations to the modelling community on how to model these landscapes better in order to guide intervention measures (e.g. bioreactors, constructed wetlands) to reduce nutrient release into environmentally sensitive coastal areas (GBR).
- Investigators
- HanShe Lim, Paul Nelson, Alex Cheesman, Tony Weber, Liz Owen, Dennis Ah-Kee, Marcus Bulstrode and David Morrison (College of Science & Engineering, Alluvium Consulting, Jaragun Pty Ltd, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries and Department of Natural Resources and Mines)
- Keywords
- Palaeochannels; Contaminant transport; Subsurface flow; Wet Tropics
QLD Department of Agriculture and Fisheries - Contract Research
The effect of light intensity on leaf pigmentation and light utilisation in mango
- Indicative Funding
- $23,319
- Summary
- The objective of this experimental work is to determine the effect of light intensity on leaf morphology, productivity and light utilisation in the commercial Mango cv. Calypso. Plant leaves contain a variety of pigments associated with specific physiological functions, including photosynthesis and photoprotection from excessive light. Within an individual tree-canopy, gradients in leaf age and microenvironment alter the balance of these functions and where resources are invested. By examining leaf-level function at specific points in a Mango tree architecture we hope to improve our understanding of how orchard management (such as pruning) can make trees more productive
- Investigators
- Alex Cheesman and Lucas Cernusak (College of Science & Engineering)
- Keywords
- calypso; cropping; mango; photosynthesis; pigments; water use
Natural Environment Research Council - Global Challenges Research Fund
Impacts of Air Pollution on Productivity of Natural and Cultivated Tropical C4 Grasses: Implications in the Face of Land Use Change in Brazil
- Indicative Funding
- $114,250 over 2 years (administered by University of Exeter)
- Summary
- The overall aim of this project is to assess the impact of currently observed, and more common future episodes of high ozone (O3) concentrations in the context of changing land-cover (from native C4 pasture to sugarcane) at the regional scale in southern Brazil. This information is of direct interest to governmental, non- governmental, private-sector, academic and community stakeholders with respect to the diverse benefits tropical grasses provide to society.
- Investigators
- Alex Cheesman and Lucas Cernusak (College of Science & Engineering)
- Keywords
- Ozone; Sugarcane; Air Pollution; Climate Change Impacts
Department of Industry - Innovations Connections
Improving performance of bioreactors for treating effluent from land- based aquaculture.
- Indicative Funding
- $50,000 over 1 year, in partnership with Mainstream Aquaculture ($50,685)
- Summary
- Effluent from land-based aquaculture is problematic because of its nutrient content. This project aims to enhance the performance of `denitrification bioreactors? designed to remove nitrogen from effluent. It will be carried out on a barramundi farm near Innisfail. Availability of carbon appears to limit bioreactor performance, so the effect of adding molasses will be tested, under different conditions of salinity and retention time. The ability of the bioreactors to eliminate algae and parasites will also be tested. The results will be applicable to aquaculture farms throughout the tropics, facilitating more effective treatment of water leaving farms or being recirculated.
- Investigators
- Alex Cheesman, Paul Nelson and Kelly Condon in collaboration with Marty Phillips (College of Science & Engineering and Mainstream Aquaculture Pty Ltd)
- Keywords
- carbon; Barramundi (Lates calcarifer); water quality; Denitrification; Nitrate; pathogens
Natural Environment Research Council - Standard Research Grant
Ozone impacts on tropical vegetation; implications for forest productivity (Trop-Oz)
- Indicative Funding
- $195,382 over 3 years (administered by University of Exeter)
- Summary
- Tropospheric ozone is the third most significant anthropogenic greenhouse gas and has been shown to reduce global plant productivity though oxidative stress. Although tropical forests have been highlighted as being potentially being vulnerable to this ozone damage, few studies have looked at role of ozone in these regions. This project will provide comprehensive measurements of the effects of ozone on plant physiology in tropical forests and use this new knowledge to parameterise global land-surface models.
- Investigators
- Alex Cheesman, Lucas Cernusak, Stephen Sitch, Timothy Hill, Lina Mercado, Nadine Unger, Gina Mills, Harry Harmens and Felicity Hayes in collaboration with Klaus Winter, Benjamin Turner, Johan Uddling, Paulo Artaxo, Gerd Folberth, Yoshiko Kosugi and Kho Lip Khoon (College of Science & Engineering, University of Exeter, Centre for Ecology and Hydrology - Cumbria, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Goteborg University, Universidade de S?o Paulo, Met Office, Kyoto University and Malaysian Palm Oil Board)
- Keywords
- Ozone; Global modelling; Climate change; Forest; Air pollution
Department of Industry - Innovations Connections
Improving the quality of water for release from land-based aquaculture in northern Australia
- Indicative Funding
- $50,000 over 1 year, in partnership with Mainstream Aquaculture ($52,594)
- Summary
- Effluent from land-based aquaculture farms is problematic because of its nutrient content. This project will be the first in Australia and the tropics to assess the ability of 'denitrification bioreactors' (woodchip-filled trenches) to remove suspended solids and nitrogen from effluent leaving an aquaculture farm. It will be carried out on a barramundi farm the Great Barrier Reef catchment in North Queensland. Changes in quality of water flowing through bioreactors will be measured under a range of likely operating conditions, including differences in salinity and effluent retention rate. The results will be applicable to aquaculture farms throughout the tropics, enabling a reduction in negative environmental impacts, and facilitating intensification and expansion of fish production without increasing nutrient export.
- Investigators
- Paul Nelson and Alex Cheesman in collaboration with Shannon Todd (College of Science & Engineering)
- Keywords
- fish farming; Barramundi (Lates calcarifer); Water Quality; Wet Tropics; Nitrate; Great Barrier Reef
Department of Environment and Heritage Protection - Tender
Denitrification bioreactor trial in the Russell catchment of the Wet Tropics
- Indicative Funding
- $235,087 over 3 years (administered by Jaragun Pty Ltd)
- Summary
- This project will establish the effectiveness of denitrification bioreactors as an on-farm technology for removing dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) in waters draining the Babinda Swamp Drainage Area. The region has been identified as a hotspot for DIN in the Great Barrier Reef catchment. This will be the first trial of denitrification bioreactors in the Wet Tropics. Denitrifying bioreactors route water through a high-carbon substrate under anaerobic conditions to encourage denitrification (the conversion of DIN to atmospheric N2). Two bioreactor configurations will be tested at two sites, and the potential for broader adoption will be assessed.
- Investigators
- Paul Nelson, Alex Cheesman, Liz Owen, HanShe Lim, Bithin Datta, Colin MacGregor and Ian Layden in collaboration with Nathan Waltham, Bart Dryden and Mark Bayley (College of Science & Engineering, Jaragun Pty Ltd, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, TropWater, Terrain Natural Resource Management and Australian Wetland Consulting)
- Keywords
- sugarcane; Water quality; nitrate; runoff; Wet Tropics; Great Barrier Reef
FNQ NRM Ltd (Terrain Natural Resource Management) - Contract Research
Soil/landscape assessment and monitoring design for WTMIP 'Catchment Repair and Treatment Systems Design Phase 2'
- Indicative Funding
- $13,740 over 1 year (administered by Australian Wetland Cnsulting)
- Summary
- The 'Catchment repair and treatment systems phase 2' activity of the Wet Tropics Major Integrated Project (WTMIP) aims to reduce nitrogen loads in runoff from agricultural landscapes by installing treatment wetlands as well as 'denitrification bioreactors' in the Tully and Johnstone catchments. Aspart of this consortium submission (partners include AWC, Alluvium, Premise/Turbid) to Terrain JCU will be involved in assessing soil and landscape features at the proposed sites, collecting and analysing information on soil profiles and helping in the design and implementation of 1 treatment wetland and 5 denitrifying bioreactors.
- Investigators
- Paul Nelson and Alex Cheesman (College of Science & Engineering)
- Keywords
- Sugarcane; Water Quality; Nitrate; Runoff; Wet Tropics; Great Barrier Reef
FNQ NRM Ltd (Terrain Natural Resource Management) - Contract Research
Johnstone bioreactor data analysis ? first 6 months
- Indicative Funding
- $15,000
- Summary
- In the Wet Tropics Major Integrated Project (WTMIP), bioreactor 'walls' are being trialled for their ability to remove nitrate from shallow groundwater leaving sugarcane fields. Bioreactor walls consist of a woodchip-filled trench, approximately 30 m long x 2 m deep x 1 m wide, perpendicular to groundwater flow direction. To determine their effectiveness, the removal of nitrate from water flowing through them must be measured. In this project we will calculate nitrate removal in a bioreactor in the Johnstone catchment during the Jan-Jun 2019 period, using topographic survey, rainfall, water table depth and solute concentration data.
- Investigators
- Paul Nelson, Bithin Datta and Alex Cheesman (College of Science & Engineering)
- Keywords
- Water Quality; Nitrate; Bioreactor; Groundwater; Sugarcane; Hydrology
FNQ NRM Ltd (Terrain Natural Resource Management) - Contract Research
WTMIP Johnstone Catchment Bioreactor Site-01 Piezo Survey
- Indicative Funding
- $862
- Summary
- In the Wet Tropics Major Integrated Project (WTMIP), bioreactor 'walls' are being trialled for their ability to remove nitrate from shallow groundwater leaving sugarcane fields. Bioreactor walls consist of a woodchip-filled trench, approximately 20m long x 2m deep x 0.6m wide, perpendicular to groundwater flow direction. To determine their effectiveness, the removal of nitrate from water flowing through them must be measured. That involves continuous measurements of water table height and nitrate concentration in piezometers (shallow wells) around the bioreactor, and one-off a) measurements of hydraulic conductivity and b) accurate survey of piezometer locations (ie. this project).
- Investigators
- Paul Nelson, Alex Cheesman and Shannon Todd (College of Science & Engineering)
- Keywords
- Water Quality; Nitrate; bioreactor; Groundwater; Sugarcane; Hydrology
Department of the Environment and Energy - Reef Trust Phase III
Australian Banana Growers Council: Denitrifying Bioreactors
- Indicative Funding
- $30,000 over 1 year (administered by Australian Banana Growers Council)
- Summary
- This project in conjunction with Australian Banana Growers Council seeks to establish the effectiveness of denitrification bioreactors as an on-farm technology to remove excess dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) leaving farms in the Wet Tropics bioregion. The Russell River catchment has been identified as a hotspot for DIN loading to the Great Barrier Reef lagoon, and this work represents a novel approach to curb DIN loading to natural systems. Denitrifying bioreactors route drainage water through a high carbon substrate under anaerobic conditions to encourage denitrification (the conversion of DIN to atmospheric N2). This project will involved detailed site monitoring, installation and scientific evaluation of a bioreactor wall in the headwaters of the Russell River catchment.
- Investigators
- Paul Nelson and Alex Cheesman (College of Science & Engineering)
- Keywords
- Banana; Water Quality; Nitrate; Runoff; Wet Tropics; Great Barrier Reef
- Supervision
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Advisory Accreditation: I can be on your Advisory Panel as a Secondary Advisor.
These Higher Degree Research projects are either current or by students who have completed their studies within the past 5 years at JCU. Linked titles show theses available within ResearchOnline@JCU.
- Current
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- Water-use efficiency responses and effect of environmental stresses on plants from different rainfall gradients in Australia (PhD , Secondary Advisor)
- Functional variation of plants along elevation gradients in tropical forest communities of Papua New Guinea (PhD , External Advisor)
- The effects of tropospheric ozone on tropical plant growth and functioning (PhD , External Advisor)
- Completed
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- Temperature and soil nutrient availability shape tree responses to elevation in the Australian Wet Tropics: growth, physiology, and chemistry (2023, PhD , External Advisor)
- Collaboration
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The map shows research collaborations by institution from the past 7 years.
Note: Map points are indicative of the countries or states that institutions are associated with.- 5+ collaborations
- 4 collaborations
- 3 collaborations
- 2 collaborations
- 1 collaboration
- Indicates the Tropics (Torrid Zone)
Connect with me
- Phone
- Location
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- E2.209, Sir Robert Norman Building (Cairns campus)
- Advisory Accreditation
- Secondary Advisor
- Find me on…
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My research areas
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A/Prof Lucas CernusakTerrestrial Ecology
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A/Prof Paul NelsonEarth & Environmental Science
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Prof Jodie RummerMarine & Aquaculture Sciences
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Dr Justin SextonAustralian Institute of Tropical Health & Medicine
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Aaron DavisTropWater