Empro Richard Pearson ~ Emeritus Professor

Eclectic ecologist, with primary interests in freshwater systems and secondary interests in terrestrial vertebrates, especially birds.  Research undertaken mainly in tropical Australia, but with global connections.

Interests

Research

• Ecology of freshwater systems
• Tropical ecology
• Conservation biology

Experience

• 2011 to present - Emeritus Professor, James Cook University (Marine and Tropical Biology)
• 2006 to 2010 - Head/Deputy of School, James Cook University (Marine and Tropical Biology)
• 1999 to 2006 - Head of School, James Cook University (Tropical Biology)
• 1990 to 2002 - Director, James Cook University (Aus Centre for Tropical Freshwater Research (now TropWATER))
• 1995 to 1996 - Head of Department, James Cook University (Zoology)

Research Disciplines

• Ecology (0602)
• Environmental Science and Management (0502)

Socio-Economic Objectives

• Flora, Fauna and Biodiversity (9608)
• Ecosystem Assessment and Management (9605)

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

• Schmidt K, Richards S, Pearson R, Alford R and Puschendorf R (2019) Seasonal, annual and decadal change in tadpole populations in tropical Australian streams. Amphibia-Reptilia, 40 (4), pp. 447-459, DOI:10.1163/15685381-20191168.
• Schmidt K, Pearson R, Alford R and Puschendorf R (2019) Tadpole species have variable roles in litter breakdown, sediment removal, and nutrient cycling in a tropical stream. Freshwater science, 38 (1), pp. 103-112, DOI:10.1086/701673.
• Wootton A, Pearson R and Boyero L (2019) Patterns of flow, leaf litter and shredder abundance in a tropical stream. Hydrobiologia, 826 (1), pp. 353-365, DOI:10.1007/s10750-018-3748-z.
• Connolly N and Pearson R (2018) Colonisation, emigration and equilibrium of stream invertebrates in patchy habitats. Freshwater Biology, 63 (11), pp. 1446-1456, DOI:10.1111/fwb.13172.
• Davis A, Pusey B and Pearson R (2018) Big floods, big knowledge gap: food web dynamics in a variable river system. Ecology of Freshwater Fish, 27 (4), pp. 898-909, DOI:10.1111/eff.12401.
• Flint N, Pearson R and Crossland M (2018) Embryos of eastern rainbowfish Melanotaenia splendida splendida (Peters, 1866) tolerate fluctuating hypoxia. Marine and Freshwater Research, 69 (6), pp. 987-991, DOI:10.1071/MF17192.
• Flint N, Pearson R and Crossland M (2018) Reproduction and embryo viability of a range-limited tropical freshwater fish exposed to fluctuating hypoxia. Marine and Freshwater Research, 69 (2), pp. 267-276, DOI:10.1071/MF16388.
• Pearson R, Connolly N, Benson L, Cairns A, Clayton P, Crossland M, Hortle K, Leonard K and Nolen J (2018) Invertebrate responses to land use in tropical streams: discrimination of impacts enhanced by analysis of discrete areas. Marine and Freshwater Research, 70 (4), pp. 563-575, DOI:10.1071/MF18177.
• Tonin A, Pozo J, Monroy S, Basaguren A, Pérez J, Gonçalves J, Pearson R, Cardinale B and Boyero L (2018) Interactions between large and small detritivores influence how biodiversity impacts litter decomposition. Journal of Animal Ecology, 87 (5), pp. 1465-1474, DOI:10.1111/1365-2656.12876.
• Boyero L, Graça M, Tonin A, Pérez J, Swafford A, Ferreira V, Landeira-Dabarca A, Alexandrou M, Gessner M, McKie B, Albariño R, Barmuta L, Callisto M, Chará J, Chauvet E, Colón-Gaus C, Dudgeon D, Encalada A, Figueroa R, Flecker A, Fleituch T, Frainer A, Goncalves J, Helson J, Iwata T, Mathooko J, M'Erimba C, Pringle C, Ramírez A, Swan C, Yule C and Pearson R (2017) Riparian plant litter quality increases with latitude. Scientific Reports, 7, Article: 10562, DOI:10.1038/s41598-017-10640-3.
• Boyero L and Pearson R (2017) Global-scale coordinated networks as a tool for exploring the functioning of stream ecosystems. Limnetica, 36 (2), pp. 557-565, DOI:10.23818/limn.36.21.
• 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.

More

ResearchOnline@JCU stores 113+ research outputs authored by Empro Richard Pearson from 1993 onwards.

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.

Completed

• The ecological role of tadpoles in streams of the Australian Wet Tropics (2015, PhD , Primary Advisor)
• Biodiversity, biogeography and phylogeny of Australian freshwater triclads (2017, PhD , Secondary Advisor)
• Influence of seasonal variability and salinity gradients on benthic invertebrate assemblages in tropical and subtropical Australian estuaries (2015, PhD , Secondary Advisor)
• Terrestrial pollutant runoff to the Great Barrier Reef: effects, causes, sources and management (2016, PhD , Primary Advisor)
• Bottom-up effects via heterotrophic pathways in invertebrate assemblages of tropical streams: nutrients, leaf litter and the relationship between productivity and diversity (2016, PhD , Primary Advisor)
• Spatio-temporal dynamics and population biology of the Fly River Herring (Nematalosa papuensis): implications for freshwater lake management in Papua New Guinea (2016, PhD , Secondary Advisor)

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

• Brodie, J. (2011) Water quality research: baseline synthesis and year 1 summary. Australian Centre for Tropical Freshwater Research

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.