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 (3103)
• Environmental management (4104)

Socio-Economic Objectives

• Fresh, ground and surface water systems and management (1803)

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

• Godfrey P, Pearson R, Pusey B and Arthington A (2021) Drivers of zooplankton dynamics in a small tropical lowland river. Marine and Freshwater Research, 72 (2), Article: MF20067, pp. 173-185, DOI:10.1071/MF20067.
• Arthington A, Pearson R, Godfrey P, Karim F and Wallace J (2020) Integrating freshwater wetland science into planning for Great Barrier Reef sustainability. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems, 30 (9), pp. 1727-1733, DOI:10.1002/aqc.3339.
• Benson L and Pearson R (2020) Dynamics of organic material and invertebrates in a tropical headwater stream. Hydrobiologia, 847 (1), pp. 121-136, DOI:10.1007/s10750-019-04076-1.
• Connolly N and Pearson R (2020) Do constrained immigration rates and high beta diversity explain contrasting productivity-diversity patterns measured at different scales? Oecologia, 194 (3), pp. 481-490, DOI:10.1007/s00442-020-04766-x.
• Tonin A, Boyero L, Bambi P, Pearson R, Correa-Araneda F and Goncalves J (2020) High within?stream replication is needed to predict litter fluxes in wet–dry tropical streams. Freshwater Biology, 65 (4), pp. 688-697, DOI:10.1111/fwb.13459.
• 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.

More

ResearchOnline@JCU stores 118+ 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

• Biodiversity, biogeography and phylogeny of Australian freshwater triclads (2017, PhD , Secondary 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)
• Terrestrial pollutant runoff to the Great Barrier Reef: effects, causes, sources and management (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 Research Data Australia.

• 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.