Prof Damien Burrows ~ Director, TropWATER
TropWATER
- About
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- Research Disciplines
Dr Burrows has been Director of TropWATER for five years. He specialises in freshwater, estuarine and coastal aquatic ecosystems and catchment management and has 22 years research experience in the tropics. Most of his professional life has been spent studying freshwater and estuarine ecosystems with particular emphasis on applied aspects of their management in relation to development pressures. This has involved extensive work with industry, community and government from grassroots to policy level.
His current work examines 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. He has recently focused on developing the coastal ecosystems side of TropWATER, especially mangrove, seagrass and estuarine habitats
- 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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- Edmunds R and Burrows D (2020) Got glycogen?: Development and multispecies validation of the novel preserve, precipitate, lyse, precipitate, purify (pplpp) workflow for environmental dna extraction from Longmire's preserved water samples. Journal of Biomolecular Techniques, 31 (4), pp. 125-150, DOI:10.7171/jbt.20-3104-003.
- Huerlimann R, Cooper M, Edmunds R, Villacorta-Rath C, Le Port A, Robson H, Strugnell J, Burrows D and Jerry D (in press) Enhancing tropical conservation and ecology research with aquatic environmental DNA methods: an introduction for non-environmental DNA specialists. Animal Conservation, , DOI:10.1111.acv.12583.
- Villacorta Rath C, Adekunle A, Edmunds R, Strugnell J, Schwarzkopf L and Burrows D (in press) Can environmental DNA be used to detect first arrivals of the cane toad, Rhinella marina, into novel locations? Environmental DNA, , DOI:10.1002/edn3.114.
- Waltham N, Coleman L, Buelow C, Fry S and Burrows D (2020) Restoring fish habitat values on a tropical agricultural floodplain: learning from two decades of aquatic invasive plant maintenance efforts. Ocean and Coastal Management, 198, Article: 105355, DOI:10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2020.105355.
- Wolfe K, Anthony K, Babcock R, Bay L, Bourne D, Burrows D, Byrne M, Deaker D, Diaz-Pulido G, Frade P, Gonzalez-Rivero M, Hoey A, Hoogenboom M, McCormick M, Ortiz J, Razak T, Richardson A, Roff G, Sheppard-Brennand H, Stella J, Thompson A, Watson S, Webster N, Audas D, Beeden R, Carver J, Cowlishaw M, Dyer M, Groves P, Horne D, Thiault L, Vains J, Wachenfeld D, Weekers D, Williams G and Mumby P (2020) Priority species to support the functional integrity of coral reefs. Oceanography and Marine Biology: an annual review, 58, pp. 179-318, DOI:10.1201/9780429351495-5.
- Waltham N, Burrows D, Wegscheidl C, Buelow C, Ronan M, Connolly N, Groves P, Marie-Audas D, Creighton C and Sheaves M (2019) Lost floodplain wetland environments and efforts to restore connectivity, habitat, and water quality settings on the Great Barrier Reef. Frontiers in Marine Science, 6, Article: 71, pp. 1-14, DOI:10.3389/fmars.2019.00071.
- Cook B, Adams M, Unmack P, Burrows D, Pusey B, Perna C and Hughes J (2017) Phylogeography of the mouth-brooding freshwater fish Glossamia aprion (Apogonidae) in northern and eastern Australia: historical biogeography and allopatric speciation. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 121 (4), pp. 833-848, DOI:10.1093/biolinnean/blx035.
- Duke N, Kovacs J, Griffiths A, Preece L, Hill D, Van Oosterzee P, Mackenzie J, Morning H and Burrows D (2017) Large-scale dieback of mangroves in Australia’s Gulf of Carpentaria: a severe ecosystem response, coincidental with an unusually extreme weather event. Marine and Freshwater Research, 68 (10), Article: MF16322, pp. 1816-1829, DOI:10.1071/MF16322.
- James C, Reside A, VanDerWal J, Pearson R, Burrows D, Capon S, Harwood T, Hodgson L and Waltham N (2017) Sink or swim? potential for high faunal turnover in Australian rivers under climate change. Journal of Biogeography, 44 (3), pp. 489-501, DOI:10.1111/jbi.12926.
- Pusey B, Burrows D, Kennard M, Perna C, Unmack P, Allsop Q and Hammer M (2017) Freshwater fishes of northern Australia. Zootaxa, 4253 (1), pp. 1-104, DOI:10.11646/zootaxa.4253.1.1.
- Wallace J, Waltham N and Burrows D (2017) A comparison of temperature regimes in dry-season waterholes in the Flinders and Gilbert catchments in northern Australia. Marine and Freshwater Research, 68 (4), pp. 650-667, DOI:10.1071/MF15468.
- Welsh S, Jerry D, Burrows D and Rourke M (2017) A new species of freshwater eel-tailed catfish of the genus Tandanus (Teleostei: Plotosidae) from coastal rivers of mid-northern New South Wales, Australia. Copeia, 105 (2), pp. 229-236, DOI:10.1643/CI-16-547.
- More
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ResearchOnline@JCU stores 81+ research outputs authored by Prof Damien Burrows from 1996 onwards.
- Current Funding
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Current and recent Research Funding to JCU is shown by funding source and project.
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
Reef & Rainforest Research Centre - Consultancy
NESP Tropical Water Quality Hub Leader
- Indicative Funding
- $962,500 over 6 years
- Summary
- The project will provide support to Dr Damien burrows in his role as Leader of the NESP program's Tropical Water Quality Hub. Includes providing leadership for the Hub, chairing the Hub's Science Advisory Committee and working collaboratively with the HUB's various stakeholders. The Hub's program will fund research which will contribute to maintaining and improving coastal and marine water quality particularly focused on the Great Barrier Reef, Torres Strait and other tropical waters, including: Coastal management (including rivers and streams) and risk abatement for environmental impacts on tropical water quality from infrastructure, agriculture, extreme events and biosecurity threats. Management, monitoring and reporting for coastal species including status, trends and threatening processes. Practical delivery of tropical water quality trials.
- Investigators
- Damien Burrows (TropWATER)
- Keywords
- NESP Tropical Water Quality Hub; Coastal Management; Threatened Coastal Species; Tropical Water Quality; Agricultural Runoff; Great Barrier Reef
Department of the Environment and Energy - National Environmental Science Programme (NESP) - Northern Australia Environmental Resources Hub
Defining metrics of success for feral animal management in northern Australia
- Indicative Funding
- $170,400 over 5 years (administered by CSIRO)
- Summary
- Feral animals cause significant damage to aquatic ecosystems across northern Australia, affecting biodiversity, ecosystem function and Indigenous cultural values. Funding for feral animal control often focuses on a particular species, ignoring the iterative and cumulative impact of the feral animals. This project will determine the impact of feral animals (pigs, horses, cattle) across aquatic ecosystems in the context of regional and local feral animal control, local aspirations and government priorities. The project will work closely with the Aak Puul Gnangtam and Kalan Aboriginal Development Groups as they continue implementing feral animal abatement strategies across the Archer River catchment.
- Investigators
- Justin Perry, Pethie Lyons, Catherine Robinson, Eric Vanderduys, Dan Metcalfe, Nathan Waltham, Damien Burrows, J Marshal and Jason Schaffer (Commonwealth Scientific & Industrial Research Organisation, TropWATER, QLD Department of Science and Information Technology and Innovation)
- Keywords
- Feral Animals; Wetlands; Water Quality; system repair; Freshwater Turtles
Balkanu Cape York Development Corporation Pty Ltd - Contract Research
Mangrove Watch in Easterna Normanby Basin with Kalpowar Land Trust
- Indicative Funding
- $162,210 over 5 years
- Summary
- Mangrove Watch boat and aerial surveys will be conducted in Princess Charlotte Bay with local indigenous rangers to assess existing values, threats, future issues with climate change and restoration and protection options for tidal wetland habitat in Princess Charlotte Bay. This project aims to enhance biodiversity values, increase ecosystem service provision, including carbon sequestration and improve habitat connectivity within princess Charlotte Bay and the Normanby River.
- Investigators
- Damien Burrows in collaboration with Norman Duke and Jock Mackenzie (TropWATER)
- Keywords
- Mangroves; Saltmarsh; Indigenous Knowledge; Estuary; Restoration; Monitoring
- Supervision
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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
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- Monitoring tropical freshwater biodiversity using environmental DNA (eDNA) (PhD , Secondary Advisor)
- Assessing The Ecological Effects Of River Regulation And Anthropengic Disturbance On Bimodally Respiring Freshwater Turtles In The Fitzroy And Burdekin River Catchments In Tropical Northeastern Australia. (PhD , Secondary Advisor)
- Completed
- Data
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These are the most recent metadata records associated with this researcher. To see a detailed description of all dataset records, visit Research Data Australia.
- Robson, H. (2017) Tilapia eDNA (environmental DNA) data. James Cook University
- 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
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- Advisory Accreditation
- Primary Advisor (P)
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My research areas
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Prof Marcus SheavesCollege of Science & Engineering
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Dr Eric WolanskiCollege of Science & Engineering
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Dr Norman DukeTropWATER
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Dr Nathan WalthamTropWATER