About

Graeme comes from Harare, Zimbabwe, where he went to Saint George’s College. He studied Zoology and Entomology to the honours level at Rhodes University in Grahamstown, South Africa. He then moved to Oxford University, U.K., on a Rhodes Scholarship. While at New College, Oxford, Graeme completed his doctorate on ‘The Evolutionary Ecology of African Ticks’ under the supervision of Drs. Sarah Randolph and David Rogers. From Oxford he moved to the University of Wisconsin-Madison, funded by a D. H. Smith Postdoctoral Fellowship from The Nature Conservancy (TNC). In Madison he worked with TNC and Professor Steve Carpenter at the Center for Limnology on applying species-based models to management and conservation-related problems in freshwater systems. After two years as a postdoc, he was hired as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation at the University of Florida. Graeme returned to Africa at the end of 2005 and occupied the Pola Pasvolsky Chair in Conservation Biology at the University of Cape Town until end June 2015, when he moved to his current position.

Graeme has a wide range of interests, centering around understanding spatial aspects of ecology and the relevance of broad-scale pattern-process dynamics for ecosystem (and social-ecological system) function and resilience. He is also interested in the applications of landscape ecology and complexity theory to conservation and the sustainable management of natural resources.    

Interests
Research
  • landscape ecology community ecology social-ecological systems
Experience
  • 2006 to 2015 - Pola Pasvolsky Chair, Percy FitzPatrick Institute (University of Cape Town)
  • 2001 to 2005 - Assistant Professor, University of Florida (Gainesville, FL, USA)
  • 1999 to 2001 - David H. Smith Fellow, University of Wisconsin-Madison (Madison, WI, USA)
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
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ResearchOnline@JCU stores 147+ research outputs authored by Prof Graeme Cumming from 2011 onwards.

Current Funding

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

Australian Research Council - Centres of Excellence

ARC Centre of Excellence for Integrated Coral Reef Studies

Indicative Funding
$28,000,000 over 8 years
Summary
The overarching aim of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Integrated Coral Reef Studies is to provide the scientific knowledge necessary for sustaining ecosystem goods and services of the world's coral reefs, which support the livelihoods and food security of millions of people in the tropics. The Centre will enhance Australia's global leadership in coral reef science through three ambitious research programs addressing the future of coral reefs and their ability to adapt to change. A key outcome of the research will be providing tangible benefits to all Australians by bui8lding bridges between the natural and social sciences, strengthening capacity, and informing and supporting transformative changes in coral reef governance and management.
Investigators
Graeme Cumming, Ove Hoegh-Guldberg, Malcolm McCulloch, Peter Mumby, Sean Connolly, John Pandolfi, Bob Pressey, Andrew Baird, David Bellwood, Joshua Cinner, Sophie Dove, Maja Adamska, Mia Hoogenboom, Geoff Jones, Mike Kingsford, Ryan Lowe, Mark McCormick, David Miller, Philip Munday, Morgan Pratchett, Garry Russ and Tiffany Morrison in collaboration with Janice Lough, David Wachenfeld, Stephen Palumbi, Serge Planes and Philippa Cohen (ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, The University of Queensland, The University of Western Australia, College of Science & Engineering, Australian National University, College of Public Health, Medical & Vet Sciences, Australian Institute of Marine Science, Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, Stanford University, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique and WorldFish)
Keywords
coral reef ecosystems; Climate Change Adaptation; ecological resilience; biodiversity goods and services; social-ecological dynamics

James S McDonnell Foundation - Complexity Scholar Fellowship

Protected area networks

Indicative Funding
$299,216 over 9 years
Summary
The project explores the relevance of different kinds of network (social, ecological, economic) for the sustainability of protected areas. Ecological connections are created by the movements of organisms; social and economic connections, by manager interactions, sharing of equipment and expertise, and the movements of tourists and other resources between protected areas. The data will be used to explore a set of theoretical questions about the relevance of location, context, and connectivity for participation in networks and network structure and ultimately, for the sustainability of both network members and the network as a whole. Funding of $450,000 for the period 2012-2019.
Investigators
Graeme Cumming (ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies)
Keywords
Socio-ecological system; Networks; Resilience; Protected area; Sustainability

Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft - FOR 2432 - Research Grants

Ecosystem services, agricultural diversification, and smallholders' livelihoods in Bangalore

Indicative Funding
$135,924 over 5 years
Summary
This project explores the relationships between the locations of individuals along a rural to urban gradient and the choices that they make about livelihoods and the use of ecosystem and non-ecosystem services. We will attempt to model Ostrom's social-ecological systems framework, using a minimal set of rules in a simple spatial model. The model will be used to explore how human choices and preferences explain the self-organisation of spatial patterns and spatial dynamics, such as agricultural expansion on the city's perimeter. The project will contribute conceptuaolly to understanding social-ecological systems as part of a larger empirical programme.
Investigators
Graeme Cumming, Kerstin Wiegand and Stephan Von-cramon Taubadel (ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies and Georg-August University)
Keywords
social-ecological systems; Landscape ecology; Game Theory; Biodiversity; Urbanisation; Ecosystem Services
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
  • FORAGING RESPONSES TO CLIMATE CHANGE IN TROPICAL SEABIRDS (PhD , Primary Advisor/AM/Adv)
  • The resilience of ecologically-dependent human communities to disturbances within volatile social-ecological systems (PhD , Primary Advisor/AM/Adv)
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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