Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research Staff

The 70+ research staff of the Institute have scientific and technical skills in terrestrial, freshwater and estuarine ecology. Staff have undertaken research and monitoring in natural and modified environments throughout Australia and are regularly involved in international projects. Staff have significant expertise in the ecology of wetlands, rivers, estuaries, forests, grasslands, deserts and alpine ecosystems.

For information on a research area, project or staff member, contact ARI on +613 9450 8600, or email: research.ari@dse.vic.gov.au

For general information on the Institute or environmental issues, contact the Customer Service Centre on +613 136 186 or email: customer.service@dse.vic.gov.au.

ARI is structured into 4 sections and 15 research programs that span freshwater, estuarine, marine and terrestrial environments. There are also two high level science quality and communication roles. Section leaders, Program leaders and all research and technical staff at ARI are listed below with their main areas of expertise, grouped according to terrestrial or aquatic ecological research. Many others not listed here contribute to the work at ARI including administration and short term staff, DEPI cadets, contractors, collaborators, students and volunteers.

The Institute is also supported by a business team.

Key Contacts
Terrestrial Ecology Research
Aquatic Ecology Research

Sections and Programs

Institute Director	Kim Lowe

Science Leadership and Capability	John Koehn
Science Manager - Collaboration and Communication (Acting)	Fern Hames
Community Ecology Section Manager (Acting)	David Duncan
Ecological Analysis and Synthesis Program Leader	Graeme Newell
Forests, Fires and Reserves Program Leader (Acting)	Josephine MacHunter
Vegetation Monitoring Program Leader	Claire Moxham
Waterbirds and Wetlands Program Leader	Peter Menkhorst
Wildlife Ecology Section Manager	Lindy Lumsden
Threatened Fauna Program Leader	Nick Clemann
Predator Management Program Leader	Alan Robley
Wildlife Management Program Leader	Dave Forsyth
Aquatic Ecology Section Manager	Tim O'Brien
Aquatic Biodiversity and Conservation Program Leader	Tarmo Raadik
Aquatic Communication and Management Program Leader	Fern Hames
Flows and Fish Recruitment Program Leader	vacant
Invertebrate & Wetland Ecology Program Leader	Phil Papas
Waterway Management and Restoration Section Manager (Acting)	Jarod Lyon
Fish Ecology and Assessment Program Leader	Wayne Koster
Riparian and Estuarine Ecology Program Leader	Paul Reich
Aquatic Connectivity and Fish Passage Program Leader	Justin O'Connor
Instream Habitat and Environmental Flows Program Leader	Zeb Tonkin

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Terrestrial Ecology Research Staff

Geoff Brown	Fauna Ecology, Rural Landscapes, Woodlands, Reptiles, Amphibians
Matt Bruce	Fauna Ecology, Fire, Survey Techniques
Dave Bryant	Fauna Ecology, Frog Habitat Recovery, Aquatic Invertebrate Ecology & Taxonomy
Belinda Cant	Wetland Ecology, Salinity, Spatial Analysis
Ryan Chick	Fauna Ecology, Threatened Species, Long-footed Potoroos, Microbats, Innovative Technology, Wildlife Surveys
Nick Clemann	Fauna Ecology, Threatened Species, Reptiles, Amphibians
Judy Downe	Plant Ecology, Threatened Species, Vegetation Mapping
David Duncan	Plant Ecology, Rural Landscapes, Vegetation Condition, Landscape Restoration
Mike Duncan	Plant Ecology, Threatened Species, Orchids
Dave Forsyth	Fauna Ecology, Invasive Species, Wildlife Management, Deer, Macropods, Koalas
Katie Howard	Fauna Ecology, Threatened Species, Long-footed Potoroos, Reptiles, Survey Techniques
Michael Johnston	Fauna Ecology, Invasive Species, Feral Cats, Foxes, Rabbits
Sally Kenny	Plant Ecology, Mallee Fire Ecology, Grazing, Vegetation Monitoring
Michele Kohout	Plant Ecology, Wetlands, Salinity, Threatened Species
Michael Lindeman	Fauna Ecology, Invasive Species, Feral Cats, Foxes, Rabbits
Canran Liu	Quantitative Ecology, Ecological Modelling, Statistical Analysis
Lindy Lumsden	Fauna Ecology, Threatened Species, Rural Landscapes, Community Engagement, Mammals, Bats
Phoebe Macak	Fauna Ecology, Forests, Arboreal Mammals, Survey Techniques
Josephine MacHunter	Fauna Ecology, Fire Ecology, Forest Birds, Landscape Ecology
Peter Menkhorst	Fauna Ecology, Threatened Species, Mammals, Birds
Paul Moloney	Biometrics, Statistical Analysis, Experimental Design, Ecological Modelling
Claire Moxham	Plant Ecology, Vegetation Monitoring, Rural Landscapes, Grasslands & Grassy Woodlands, Mallee
Annette Muir	Plant Ecology, Flora Surveys, Fire Ecology
Jenny Nelson	Fauna Ecology, Threatened Species, Forests, Quolls, Arboreal Mammals
Graeme Newell	Vegetation Condition, Spatial Modelling, Climate Change, Macropods, Mammals
Dan Purdey	Fauna Ecology, Animal Ethics, Invasive Species, Survey Techniques
Dave Ramsey	Statistical Analysis
Alan Robley	Fauna Ecology, Invasive Species, Foxes, Wild Dogs
Michael Scroggie	Fauna Ecology, Biometrics, Modelling, Amphibians
Steve Sinclair	Plant Ecology, Spatial Analysis, Vegetation Mapping
Kasey Stamation	Fauna Ecology, Waterbird Ecology, Database Management
Ivor Stuart	Fauna Ecology, Rabbit Ecology & Management
Geoff Sutter	Plant Ecology, Vegetation Mapping, Plant Identification, Survey Techniques
Arn Tolsma	Plant Ecology, Alpine Ecology, Mossbeds, Fire and Grazing, Box-Ironbark
Matt White	Plant Ecology, Spatial Modelling, Climate Change
Luke Woodford	Fauna Ecology, Invasive Species, Threatened Species, Innovative Technology, Survey Techniques

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Aquatic Ecology Research Staff

Frank Amtstaetter	Fish Survey Techniques, Wetland Ecology
Renae Ayres	Fish Ecology & Conservation, Invasive Species, Population Genetics
Pam Clunie	Native Fish Ecology, Threatened Species
Di Crowther	Aquatic Invertebrate Ecology, Aquatic Invertebrate Taxonomy, Threatened Species
David Dawson	Fish Survey Techniques, Fish Taxonomy
Lauren Dodd	Fish Survey Techniques, Threatened Fish Recovery
Peter Fairbrother	Fish Survey Techniques, OH&S
Graeme Hackett	Fish Survey Techniques
Fern Hames	Native Fish Ecology, Community Engagement
Dean Hartwell	Fish Survey Techniques, Data Management
Matthew Jones	Native Fish Ecology, Fish Movement, Invasive Species, Carp
Joanne Kearns	Native Fish Ecology, Threatened Species, Invasive Species
Adrian Kitchingman	Spatial Analysis, GIS Applications, Database Systems
John Koehn	Native Fish Ecology, Threatened Species, Invasive Species
Wayne Koster	Native Fish Ecology, Environmental Flows
Jason Lieschke	Native Fish Ecology
Jarod Lyon	Native Fish Ecology, Threatened Species, Habitat Rehabilitation
John Mahoney	Fish Survey Techniques, Fish Taxonomy
Kay Morris	Landscape Ecology, Aquatic Plant Ecology
Mike Nicol	Innovative Technologies, Aquatic Invertebrate Ecology, Aquatic Invertebrate Taxonomy
Tim O'Brien	Aquatic Ecology
Justin O’Connor	Native Fish Ecology, Threatened Species
Justin O’Mahony	Native Fish Ecology, Innovative Technologies
Phil Papas	Aquatic Invertebrate Ecology, Wetland Ecology, Wetland Condition, Threatened Species, Aquatic Invertebrate Taxonomy
Andrew Pickworth	Fish Survey Techniques, Equipment Maintenance, Electrofishing Technolog
Tarmo Raadik	Native Fish Ecology, Threatened Species, Fish Taxonomy, Decapod Taxonomy, Aquatic Fauna Distribution/Diversity, Invasive Species
Scott Raymond	Native Fish Ecology, Habitat Rehabilitation
Paul Reich	Aquatic Ecology, Restoration Ecology, Riparian zones, Dispersal and Recruitment of Aquatic Biota
Daniel Stoessel	Native Fish Ecology, Threatened Species, Invasive Species, Carp, Trout, Fish Biology
Charles Todd	Modelling, Statistics, Risk Assessment
Zeb Tonkin	Native Fish Ecology, Larval Fish Ecology
Fiona Warry	Estuarine Ecology, Trophic Ecology

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