About

 

Professor Burrows has been Director of TropWATER for 13 years. He specialises in freshwater, estuarine and coastal aquatic ecosystems and catchment management and has >30 years research experience in the tropics.  His work has encompassed the ecology of wetlands, water quality, biological control of weeds, the ecology of fish and invertebrates, grazing management in riparian ecosystems, wetland management in cropping catchments, planning for water resource developments, fisheries management, and catchment planning and management. His work has had a particular emphasis on applied aspects of environmental management. This has involved extensive work with industry, community and government from grassroots to policy level. 

 

He has for the last 13 years focused on developing the coastal and marine ecosystems side of TropWATER, especially mangrove, seagrass and estuarine habitats.  In addition to being TropWATER Director, since 2015, he has also been the Hub leader for the National Environmental Science Program (NESP) Tropical Water Quality Hub, which focused on research to improve water quality of the Great Barrier Reef.  He has recently been appointed co-Hub Leader for the new NESP Marine and Coastal Hub (2021-2027) which encompasses applied research for all marine and coastal issues for Australia.  He is a member of the Independent Expert Panel which advises state and federal Environment Ministers on science matters relating to the Great Barrier Reef.

 

Research Disciplines
Socio-Economic Objectives
Publications

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
Book Chapters
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ResearchOnline@JCU stores 86+ research outputs authored by Prof Damien Burrows from 1996 onwards.

Current Funding

Current and recent Research Funding to JCU is shown by funding source and project.

Reef & Rainforest Research Centre - Contract Research

NESP 2 Marine and Coastal Hub - Hub Leader

Indicative Funding
$875,000 over 6 years
Summary
The Marine and Coastal Hub is one of 4 national research hubs established under the federal government?s National Environmental Science Program (NESP). The Hub will operate form 2021-2027 and deliver a series of integrated research programs for the marine and coastal environment across Australia. The current grant enables Prof Damien Burrows to act as Hub Leader for this Hub. In this role, he will coordinate research and engagement with industry, community and government users of that research.
Investigators
Damien Burrows (TropWATER)
Keywords
NESP Marine and Coastal Hub; Environmental Management; Tropical Water quality; Threatened species; Coastal restoration

CRC for Developing Northern Australia - Grant

Co-design phase, Water Security for Northern Australia Program

Indicative Funding
$225,000
Summary
This project will organise the collective expertise of 3 north Australian-based universities (James Cook University, Charles Darwin University and Central Queensland University) who have recently formed the Northern Australia Universities Alliance (NAUA). The NAUA partners will collaborate on undertaking a program of stakeholder engagement and research needs analysis in 4 focal catchments (Nodes) in order to design, develop and cost a cohesive and impactful 3.5 year research program that delivers on the core priorities of those stakeholders in those 4 focal catchments.
Investigators
Damien Burrows, Nathan Waltham and Yvette Williams (TropWATER)
Keywords
Water Security; Northern Australia; Regional Development; Gilbert River; Ord River; Fitzroy River

Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment - National Environmental Science Program 2 (NESP 2) - Marine and Coastal Hub (NESP MAC Hub)

Scoping Study: Marine and Coastal Threatened and Migratory Species

Indicative Funding
$40,000 over 1 year (administered by University of Tasmania)
Summary
There are numerous species and ecological communities in Australia?s marine and coastal environments that have formal threatened conservation status. Through a process of targeted reviews, expert elicitation and workshops with end-users, domain experts and others, this project will identify and co-design prospective research projects that best deliver information that will notably improve the status of key selected threatened species in Australia?s marine and coastal environment. Outputs will include summaries of workshops outcomes and a set of co-designed research proposals for submission in future Hub annual research plans.
Investigators
Damien Burrows (TropWATER)
Keywords
Threatened Species; Migratory Species; Dugong; Sea Snakes; Turtle; Australia

Bowen River Utilities Pty Ltd - Contract Research

Urannah Turtles EIS

Indicative Funding
$76,660 over 1 year
Summary
This project will conduct surveys for Irwins turtle in the Urannah, Massey and upper Broken River catchments. Surveys will includes habitat assessment, snorkelling and collection of eDNA samples. In addition, we will analyse previously collected data on Irwins turtle.
Investigators
Damien Burrows in collaboration with Jason Schaffer (TropWATER)
Keywords
Urannah; Irwins turtle; Environmental DNA

Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment - National Environmental Science Program 2 (NESP 2) - Resilient Landscapes Hub

Mission Research ? Threatened and migratory species and threatened ecological communities

Indicative Funding
$300,000 over 2 years (administered by University of Western Australia)
Summary
This project will provide the research foundation for the `Threatened and Migratory Species and Threatened Ecological Communities? functional Mission to support policy development, program management and regulatory processes to protect Australia?s environmental assets in terrestrial, Ramsar and marine environments. It will also facilitate the Resilient Landscapes (RL)Hub?s contribution to the three other Missions. It will identify prospective research projects through scoping, reviews and workshops and will support the co-design process with research users and researchers. Outputs include a review and priority co-designed project proposals for submission in subsequent research plans of all four Hubs and an overall research plan for this Mission.
Investigators
Helene Marsh, Stephen Williams, Andrew Krockenberger and Damien Burrows (TropWATER, College of Science & Engineering and Research Infrastructure)
Keywords
threatened species; threatened ecological communities; migratory species; extreme events; development concern

Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment - National Environmental Science Program 2 (NESP 2) - Marine and Coastal Hub (NESP MAC Hub)

Scoping Study: Supporting Regional Planning in Northern Australia

Indicative Funding
$92,000 over 1 year
Summary
Development in northern Australia has had bi-partisan political support for many years and thus receives significant policy and funding profile. However, the agenda is widely considered to have under-achieved against aspirations, becoming a heavily contested space with poor outcomes for development and environment. Disputes over environmental issues are central to this contestation affecting development proponents, government agency decision-makers and affected communities. We believe we can make a positive contribution to easing (often known as de-risking) this contestation. A key issue is availability of agreed data/information/knowledge to all parties. We plan to run this agenda in partnership with the Resilient Landscapes Hub and the CRC for Developing Northern Australia, thus covering terrestrial, marine and socio-economic issues in strategic partnership. Given the many parties and wide range of issues involved, we will require extensive planning and consultation in the first year in order to develop a coherent research investment strategy for future years.
Investigators
Allan Dale and Damien Burrows (The Cairns Institute and College of Science & Engineering)
Keywords
NESP; Economic Development; Northern Australia; resilient landscapes

Department of the Environment and Energy - National Environmental Science Program (NESP) - Tropical Water Quality Hub (TWQ Hub)

NESP Tropical Water Quality Research Plan 7

Indicative Funding
$189,600
Summary
The National Environmental Science Program Tropical Water Quality Hub, funded by the federal government, has funded a wide variety of research projects during its operations from 2015-2021. As this programme draws to a close, there is a need to repatriate the knowledge and learnings from these research projects to relevant stakeholders and end-users. This project will undertake a series of meetings and workshops with end-users to enable the outcomes of research to be adopted. This engagement process will include analysis and synthesis of data collected to date.
Investigators
Damien Burrows, Aaron Davis, Katie Chartrand and Nathan Waltham (TropWATER)
Keywords
Water Quality; Great Barrier Reef; Cane Farming; Citizen Science; Wetlands

Great Barrier Reef Foundation - Crown-of-Thorns Control Innovation Program (CCIP)

Crown-of-thorns starfish control innovation program ? Feasibility and Design Phase (Phase 1)

Indicative Funding
$346,700 over 1 year
Summary
Recognising that manual control of COTS during outbreaks is not, on its own, an ideal long-term solution, new efforts were launched in 2016 to develop an Integrated Pest Management approach for COTS (as part of the National Environmental Science Program), led by CSIRO and involving numerous partners. This approach relies on understanding COTS distribution, movement and population dynamics, targeting critical locations and exploring new and more effective control methods. This involves both improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the current methods while also focusing efforts to better understand and manage the pre-conditioning and initiation of outbreaks. A Feasibility and Design Phase (Phase 1) is focused on assessing the feasibility (technical, social and regulatory) and modelling the benefit (impact) at scale of a broad range of possible improvements and interventions. Applying a transparent and consistent scientific framework, this Phase will lead to recommendations on priority areas that should be further investigated and developed
Investigators
Morgan Pratchett, Damien Burrows, Ciemon Caballes, Stewart Lockie and Carla Ewels (ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, College of Science & Engineering and The Cairns Institute)
Keywords
Coral Reef; acanthaster spp; Management; Disturbance; Monitoring

Department of the Environment and Energy - National Environmental Science Program (NESP) - Tropical Water Quality Hub (TWQ Hub)

Assessing the Benefits of Using Existing Drainage infrastructure to Meet Reef Water Quality Targets.

Indicative Funding
$50,000 (administered by Reef and Rainforest Research Centre)
Summary
Landholders and local drainage authorities in the Russell-Mulgrave catchment have indicated their support for using controlled drainage to improve water quality outcomes. However, successful implementation requires underpinning modelling to understand where drainage control structures would best be located and what impact or benefit they might have. The drainage network in the Russell-Mulgrave catchment has only just been recently, and only partly, mapped, and no ground-truthing or modelling has yet been applied. This project will complete the high resolution drainage network mapping, ground-truth that mapping and apply hydrological modelling to determine the best locations and approaches for drainage control structures.
Investigators
Damien Burrows in collaboration with Aaron Davis (TropWATER)
Keywords
drainage network; modelling; drainage control works; water quality control

Department of the Environment and Energy - National Environmental Science Programme (NESP) - Northern Australia Environmental Resources Hub

PhD Top-Up Scholarships

Indicative Funding
$90,000 over 3 years
Summary
The NESP Northern Hub proposal included a commitment to fund scholarship top-ups for 4 students at $10,000 per year for 3 years ($120,000). PhD students enrolling at the start of 2018 will be the last cohort able to complete a PhD within the activity period of the Hub. This provides an opportunity to advertise for PhD candidates for projects that are agreed priorities for the Hub. One stipend has been paid to Madalyn Cooper ($30,000). This funding can be used to top-up stipend and direct research costs.
Investigators
Damien Burrows (TropWATER)
Keywords
NESP

Department of the Environment and Energy - National Environmental Science Programme (NESP) - Northern Australia Environmental Resources Hub

Mangrove Dieback in the Gulf of Carpentaria

Indicative Funding
$200,000 over 4 years
Summary
Landsat and on-ground analysis showed that 7,400 hectares of mangrove forest along a 1,000km long front of the southern Gulf of Carpentaria coastline (from Karumba in the east to Limmen River in the west) suffered dieback over a relatively short and synchronous time period around November 2015. This is the largest event of natural dieback of mangroves ever recorded in the world. This project will provide a survey, description and analysis of the extent and patterns of the dieback across its range. The assessment will include mangrove assessment and monitoring methods, as well as providing recommendations for recovery, potential intervention, future monitoring and further studies.
Investigators
Norman Duke, Damien Burrows and Jock Mackenzie (TropWATER)
Keywords
Mangrove; Climate Change; Dieback; Sea Level; Gulf of Carpentaria; El Nino

Department of the Environment and Energy - National Environmental Science Programme (NESP) - Northern Australia Environmental Resources Hub

The Northern Australia eDNA Program - Revolutionising Aquatic Monitoring and Field Surveys in Tropical Waters

Indicative Funding
$570,000 over 4 years
Summary
All organisms shed DNA into their environment. This is termed environment DNA (eDNA). Capture and analysis of eDNA (in soil or water samples) is a highly efficient and sensitive method to detect the presence of a wide range of species without actually requiring physical capture, or sighting of the organisms themselves. eDNA field sampling can involve as little as collecting water samples and
Investigators
Damien Burrows, Jan Strugnell, Roger Huerlimann, Richard C Edmunds and Dean Jerry (TropWATER and College of Science & Engineering)
Keywords
eDNA; Threatened Species; Northern Australia; exotic pest species; aquatic monitoring; Genetics
Supervision

Advisory Accreditation: I can be on your Advisory Panel as a Primary or 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
  • Monitoring tropical freshwater biodiversity using environmental DNA (eDNA) (PhD , Secondary Advisor)
  • Unregulated Rivers and the Ecology of Bimodally Respiring Turtles in North Queensland (PhD , Secondary Advisor)
Completed
Data

These are the most recent metadata records associated with this researcher. To see a detailed description of all dataset records, visit Research Data Australia.

Collaboration

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)

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