Wet Tropics Rainforest Research
The Wet Tropics rainforests are home to a rich diversity of plants and animals including at least 663 species of vertebrate animals; 230 butterfly species and 2,800 vascular plant species. Many of the plant and animal species are found nowhere else in the world. The Wet Tropics rainforests are an integral part of the north Queensland natural and cultural landscape.
Monitoring the conditions and trends of the North Queensland Wet Tropics World Heritage listed rainforest region is essential. The rainforest ecosystems are at risk from weed and feral animal invasion, natural disasters, human impacts and future climate change.
Further information about current and past projects RRRC manages in Wet Tropics Rainforests are linked below:
| NERP 3.1 |
Rainforest Biodiversity |
Steve Williams, JCU |
| NERP 3.2 |
What is at risk? Identifying rainforest refugia and hotspots of plant genetic diversity in the Wet Tropics and Cape York Peninsula |
Darren Crayn, JCU |
| NERP 3.3 |
Targeted surveys for missing and critically endangered rainforest frogs in ecotonal areas, and assessment of whether populations are recovering from disease |
Conrad Hoskin & Robert Puschendorf, JCU |
| NERP 3.4 |
Monitoring of key vertebrate species |
David Westcott, CSIRO |
| NERP 7.1 |
Fire and rainforests |
Dan Metcalfe, CSIRO |
| NERP 7.2 |
Invasive species risks and responses in the Wet Tropics |
Helen Murphy, CSIRO |
| NERP 7.3 |
Climate change and the impacts of extreme events on Australia’s Wet Tropics biodiversity |
Justin Welbergen, JCU |
| NERP 12.1 |
Indigenous peoples and protected areas |
Ro Hill, CSIRO |
| NERP 12.2 |
Harnessing natural regeneration for cost-effective rainforest restoration |
Carla Catterall, GU & Luke Shoo, JCU |
| NERP 12.3 |
Relative social and economic values of residents and tourist in the WTWHA |
Natalie Stoeckl, JCU |
| NERP 12.4 |
Governance, planning and the effective application of emerging ecosystem service markets: climate change adaptation and landscape resilience |
Allan Dale, JCU |
| MTSRF 1.2.1 |
Status and trends of biodiversity and ecosystem services |
James Butler, CSIRO |
| MTSRF 1.4.3 |
Rainforest threatened species and communities and ecosystem processes |
Dan Metcalfe, CSIRO |
| MTSRF 2.5ii.1 |
Regional climate projections for tropical rainforests |
Ramasamy Suppiah, CSIRO |
| MTSRF 2.5ii.2 |
Climate change: scaling from trees to ecosystems |
Michael Liddell, JCU |
| MTSRF 2.5ii.3 |
Understanding climate change threat to ecosystems and ecological processes |
David Hilbert, CSIRO |
| MTSRF 2.5ii.4 |
Impacts of climate change on biodiversity |
Steve Williams, JCU |
| MTSRF 2.6.2 |
Identification and impact of invasive pests in the Wet Tropics rainforests |
David Westcott, CSIRO |
| MTSRF 4.9.1 |
Indigenous landscapes of the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area |
Steve Turton, JCU |
| MTSRF 4.9.2 |
Nature based tourism: planning and management |
Bruce Prideaux, JCU |
| MTSRF 4.9.3 |
Impacts of urbanisation on North Queensland environments: management and remediation |
Steve Turton, JCU |
| MTSRF 4.9.4 |
Integrating ecology, economics and people in forest and landscapes |
Nick Emtage & John Herobhn, UQ |
| MTSRF 4.9.5 |
Restoring tropical forest landscapes |
Carla Catterall, GU |
| MTSRF 4.9.6 |
Strategic Natural Resource Management and land use planning |
Cathy Robinson, CSIRO |
| MTSRF 4.9.7 |
Understanding social resilience and identification of social resilience indicators for management |
H. Ross, UQ, T. Lynam, CSIRO & M. Gooch, JCU |
