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Contact details:
WINNELLIE NT 0821 AUSTRALIA
Biography
Dr Anna Richards is a plant and soil ecologist with a broad interest in ecosystem management; particularly, how the science of vegetation and soil dynamics, along with land management practices, can be used to better monitor, evaluate and manage ecosystem condition. She is a senior research scientist in the Ecosystem Dynamics team at the CSIRO Tropical Ecosystems Research Centre in Darwin, Northern Territory.
Anna develops frameworks for monitoring and evaluating natural resource management activities based on an understanding of dynamic ecosystem condition and set within a state and transition modelling context. As part of this work she has co-led a collaborative project (The Australian Ecosystem Models Framework) with the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment to develop dynamic ecosystem models for Australia's ecosystems that incorporate both reference (endogenous) and recent (exogenous) disturbance regimes. The framework aims to improve decision making in natural resource management, and provide a conceptual underpinning to the development of SEEA-compliant (System of Environmental Economic Accounting) ecosystem accounts.
She has also undertaken research on land-based climate change mitigation methodologies for managing savanna fires (particularly soil carbon sequestration) and she is particularly interested in the impact of these methodologies on biodiversity and sustainable livelihood opportunities for remote indigenous communities.
Dr Richards also maintains an interest in plant ecophysiology related to plant nutrient and water use, and soil spectroscopy methods for rapid detection of soil carbon pools.
Professional Areas
Fields of Research
Current Roles
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Team member and project leader
Ecosystem Dynamics team
Academic Qualifications
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2007
Doctor of Philosophy
University of Queensland -
2006
Graduate Certificate in Higher Education
University of Queensland -
2001
Bachelor of Science with honours
University of Queensland
Professional Experiences
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2008-2011
OCE Postdoctoral fellow
CSIRO -
2007-2008
Postdoctoral fellow
Maquarie University
Achievements and Awards
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2021-2025
Julius Career Award
CSIRO -
2016-2017
Payne-Scott award
CSIRO -
2013-2013
Payne-Scott award
CSIRO -
2011-2011
New generation research award
NT research and innovation awards -
2011-2011
NT Young tall poppy science award
Australian Institute of policy and science
Community and Corporate Citizenship
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2017-current
Scientists in Schools, Jingili Primary School
Related links
Publications
We have publications by Dr Anna Richards