Dr Zoe Bainbridge is a research fellow at the Centre for Tropical Water and Aquatic Ecosystem Research (TropWATER), with over 15 years of experience dedicated to the field of reef water quality science.  Zoe is currently hosted by the Queensland Department of Environment and Science’s Soil, Catchment and Riverine Processes unit, where she is working on a number of collaborative projects with the Queensland Government and CSIRO.

Zoe’s research has focused on identifying catchment sources of sediment, characterising this sediment and advancing the understanding of its transport and dynamics in the tropics. With a focus on bridging the connection between catchment and marine environments, this knowledge is pivotal in identifying the most impactful sediment to manage and preserve aquatic ecosystems.

Most recently, this research included a multiple lines of evidence approach to identify catchment sediment hotspots, utilising community-based water quality monitoring, sediment source tracing and catchment modelling. This research significantly contributes to and informs Australian and Queensland Government remediation investment programs to improve water quality.

Throughout her career, Zoe has played an active role in engaging with regional Natural Resource Management (NRM) groups and regionally focused water quality programs. She understands the importance of effective engagement across scientists, landholders, management agencies and industry to achieve positive water quality outcomes. Through these interactions, Zoe seeks to enhance community awareness and understanding of water quality issues across the Great Barrier Reef catchment and lagoon, fostering a sense of collective responsibility for its protection.

Interests

Research

• Sediment transport processes across the catchment to reef continuum
• Sediment characterisation and source tracing
• Community water quality monitoring
• Synthesising and communicating catchment water quality science
• Great Barrier Reef water quality

Experience

• 2020 to present - Research Fellow, James Cook University (Hosted by QLD Gov. Department of Environment & Science)
• 2016 to 2020 - Advance Queensland Research Fellowship, James Cook University (Hosted by QLD Gov. Department of Environment & Science)
• 2015 to 2016 - Scientist, Department of Water, Government of Western Australia (Perth, WA)
• 2011 to 2014 - Doctoral Candidate, James Cook University (Townsville and Perth)
• 2004 to 2010 - Research Officer, James Cook University (Townsville)

Research Disciplines

• Environmental management (4104)
• Pollution and contamination (4105)

Socio-Economic Objectives

• Coastal and estuarine systems and management (1802)
• environmental management (1899)

Awards

• 2016 - University Medal - Excellence for a doctoral research thesis
• 2016 - Clarivate Analytics Women in Research Citation Awards (Environmental science & management category)

Fellowships

• 2020 to 2022 - CSIRO-JCU Catchment Water Quality Science Partnership
• 2016 to 2020 - Advance Queensland Research Fellowship (Queensland Government)

Other

• 2021 to 2023 - Technical Advisory Group - Water quality component of the Reef Trust Partnership (Great Barrier Reef Foundation)
• 2018 to 2020 - Sediment Working Group - Australian and Queensland Government's Paddock to Reef Program

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

• Bainbridge Z, Olley J, Wilkinson S, Bartley R, Lewis S, Dougall C, Khan S, Kuhnert P and Burton J (2023) Refining fine sediment source identification through integration of spatial modelling, concentration monitoring and source tracing: A case study in the Great Barrier Reef catchments. Science of the Total Environment, 10.
• Bainbridge Z, Lewis S, Stevens T, Petus C, Lazarus E, Gorman J and Smithers S (2021) Measuring sediment grain size across the catchment to reef continuum: improved methods and environmental insights. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 168.
• Comeros-Raynal M, Brodie J, Bainbridge Z, Choat J, Curtis M, Lewis S, Stevens T, Shuler C, Sudek M and Hoey A (2021) Catchment to sea connection: impacts of terrestrial run-off on benthic ecosystems in American Samoa. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 169.
• Garzon-Garcia A, Burton J, Lewis S, Bainbridge Z, De Hayr R, Moody P and Brodie J (2021) The bioavailability of nitrogen associated with sediment in riverine plumes of the Great Barrier Reef. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 173.
• Lambert V, Bainbridge Z, Collier C, Lewis S, Adams M, Carter A, Saunders M, Brodie J, Turner R, Rasheed M and O'Brien K (2021) Connecting targets for catchment sediment loads to ecological outcomes for seagrass using multiple lines of evidence. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 169.
• Lewis S, Bartley R, Wilkinson S, Bainbridge Z, Kinsey-henderson A, James C, Irvine S and Brodie J (2021) Land use change in the river basins of the Great Barrier Reef, 1860 to 2019: a foundation for understanding environmental history across the catchment to reef continuum. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 166. pp. 112193-112193
• Bainbridge Z, Lewis S, Bartley R, Fabricius K, Collier C, Waterhouse J, Garzon-Garcia A, Robson B, Burton J, Wenger A and Brodie J (2018) Fine sediment and particulate organic matter: a review and case study on ridge-to-reef transport, transformations, fates, and impacts on marine ecosystems. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 135. pp. 1205-1220
• Kuhnert P, Pagendam D, Bartley R, Gladish D, Lewis S and Bainbridge Z (2018) Making management decisions in the face of uncertainty: a case study using the Burdekin catchment in the Great Barrier Reef. Marine and Freshwater Research, 69 (8). pp. 1187-1200
• Lewis S, Lough J, Cantin N, Matson E, Kinsley L, Bainbridge Z and Brodie J (2018) A critical evaluation of coral Ba/Ca, Mn/Ca and Y/Ca ratios as indicators of terrestrial input: new data from the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 237. pp. 131-154
• Petus C, Devlin M, da Silva E, Lewis S, Waterhouse J, Wenger A, Bainbridge Z and Tracey D (2018) Defining wet season water quality target concentrations for ecosystem conservation using empirical light attenuation models: a case study in the Great Barrier Reef (Australia). Journal of Environmental Management, 213. pp. 1-16

Book Chapters

• Lewis S, McCloskey G, Bainbridge Z, Davis A, Bartley R and Turner R (in press) Sediment and nutrient flux from land. In: Oceanographic Processes of Coral Reefs: Physical and Biological Links in the Great Barrier Reef. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, USA

Conference Papers

• Lambert V, Adams M, Collier C, Carter A, Saunders M, Brodie J, Bainbridge Z, Rasheed M, Turner R and O'Brien K (2019) Towards ecologically relevant targets: impact of flow and sediment discharge on seagrass communities in the Great Barrier Reef. Proceedings of the 22nd International Congress on Modelling and Simulation. In: 23rd International Congress on Modelling and Simulation, 1-6 December 2019, Canberra, ACT, Australia

More

ResearchOnline@JCU stores 55+ research outputs authored by Dr Zoe Bainbridge from 2007 onwards.

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

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

• Bainbridge, Z. (2012) Water quality characteristics of water draining different land uses in the Tully/Murray Rivers region. James Cook University
• Brodie, J. (2011) Water quality research: baseline synthesis and year 1 summary. Australian Centre for Tropical Freshwater Research
• Lewis, S. (2011) Herbicides: a new threat to the Great Barrier Reef. James Cook Univeristy

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.