BSc Hons PhD

Research Fellow

My research is focussed on understanding the impacts of anthropogenic influences, in particular, introduced pests, nutrient inputs, heavy metals and altered environmental flows on the structure and function of coastal and estuarine ecosystems. These questions are been tackled primarily using a field based experimental approach (i.e. surveys, manipulative experiments, core and chamber incubations), but more recently I have gained expertise in developing ecosystem models to assess the consequences of these anthropogenic pressures at larger spatial and temporal scales. I currently co-supervise four PhD and one master’s student and teach the 3rd year marine ecology unit with Prof. Craig Johnson. The major research projects that I’m presently involved as a principal investigator are listed below.

Research Interests

Effects of anthropogenic disturbances on marine ecosystems
Sediment biogeochemistry
Ecology of marine pest invasions
Soft sediment community ecology
Estuarine response modeling

Research Areas:

• Estuarine Ecology Group  Read More

Units

• KZA356 - Marine Ecology
  

Selected Publications:

• Ross D. J., Johnson C. J., Hewitt C. L, 2002, 'Impact of the introduced seastar Asterias amurensis on survivorship of juvenile commercial bivalves Fulvia tenuicostata', Marine Ecology Progress Series, 241, pgs. 99-112
• Ross D. J., Johnson C. J., Hewitt C. L, 2003, 'Variability in the impact of an introduced predator (Asterias amurensis: Asteroidea) on soft sediment marine assemblages.', Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology., 288, pgs. 257-278
• Ross D. J., Johnson C. J., Hewitt C. L, 2003, 'Assessing the ecological impacts of an introduced predator: the importance of multiple methods.', Biological Invasions, 5, pgs. 3-21
• Ross D. J., Johnson C. R., Hewitt C. L., Ruiz G. M., 2004, 'Interaction and impacts of two introduced species on a soft-sediment marine assemblage in SE Tasmania.', Marine Biology, 144, pgs. 747-756
• Ross D. J., Johnson C. J., Hewitt C. L, 2006, 'Abundance of the introduced seastar, Asterias amurensis, and spatial variability in soft sediment assemblages in SE Tasmania: Clear correlations but complex interpretation.', Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science, 67, pgs. 695-707

Full Publication List

Current and Supervised Project/s:

• FRDC/LWA - Environmental Flow Regimes for Estuarine Health and Productivity.
• CERF – Landscape Logic (Project 4.3 Estuarine Health)
• NRM-NAP - Developing a holistic flow framework for Tasmania’s catchments
• ARC Linkage - Anthropogenic influences on the source, transformation and fate of carbon and nitrogen in coastal waters: a case study of the Derwent Estuary
• Sophie Karpiniec - Primary and Secondary production responses of Norske Skog paper mil effluent stream.
• Effects of Land-Based Activities on Estuarine Macroinvertebrate Fauna (MSc Project)
• Effects of Pre- and post-settlement human activities on the health and stability of Little Swanport Estuary
• Sediment diagenesis of organic carbon nitrogen and silicon and the effects of pre and post activities on the health Little Swanport Estuary (Tasmania)(PhD Project)
• Barry Gallagher - Paleoecology of Little Swanport lagoon.