Overview

Current activities

Dr Rod Oliver is a Senior Principal Research Scientist and leads the Catchment Biogeochemistry and Aquatic Ecology research program in CSIRO Land and Water.

He is a freshwater ecologist whose primary research interests are the influence of physical and chemical conditions on the dynamics of micro-algal populations in aquatic ecosystems, and the effects of changes on the structure and functioning of aquatic food webs.

Research topics of particular interest include:

• identifying and managing conditions leading to blooms of cyanobacteria (blue-green algae)
• assessing the enhanced micro-algal growth resulting from nutrient enrichment of aquatic systems (eutrophication)
• determining the influence of flows and water mixing on the light climate and suspension of micro-algae.
• measuring river metabolism and identifying sources of organic material supporting aquatic food webs
• developing and applying fluorescence techniques for rapidly assessing the biomass and physiological condition of micro-algae
• linking wetland and floodplain connectivity to river system condition
• assessing the need and ecological benefits of environmental flows to river channels, floodplains and receiving systems
• using molecular techniques to identify community composition and food web connections of aquatic microbiota.

Background

Dr Oliver has over 25 years research experience in aquatic ecology with a focus on phytoplankton and water quality issues.

During this period he has led major projects for the:

• Murray-Darling Basin Commission
• Land & Water Australia
• Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) for Freshwater Ecology
• CSIRO’s Water for a Healthy Country Flagship.

Other significant research management roles have included:

• Research Program Leader of the Catchment Biogeochemistry and Aquatic Ecology research program in CSIRO Land and Water (since 2010)
• Leader of the “Ecological Outcomes” project – a large, multi-disciplinary, cross-Divisional project within CSIRO's Water for a Healthy Country Flagship (2003-07)
• Bid team member, Program Leader, Project Leader and Management Committee Member in the CRC for Freshwater Ecology (1993-99)
• Leader, Limnology of Regulated Rivers, Murray Darling Freshwater Research Centre (1988-93).

Academic qualifications

Dr Oliver has been awarded a:

• Bachelor of Science (Honours) from the University of Adelaide, South Australia in 1977
• Doctor of Philosophy also from the University of Adelaide in 1982.

Achievements

Dr Oliver has received professional recognition throughout his career with highlights including:

• Affiliate Associate Professor, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, Adelaide University (since 2011)
• invited member, Advisory Committee, University of Adelaide Water Research Centre (since 2009)
• invited to collaborate with Texas A & M University on a research cruise aimed at identifying phytoplankton nutrient limitation in the Gulf of Mexico (2004)
• Adjunct Associate Professor, LaTrobe University (2003–2006)
• Senior Visiting Research Fellow, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Lake Biwa Research Institute (2001)
• Keynote speaker, Rotorua Lakes 2001 symposium, organised by the Lakes Water Quality Society and The Royal Society of New Zealand (2001)
• invited participant, cyanobacterial risk assessment project for Lake Biwa, Japan (1997)
• invited speaker, Robertson Symposium on Chlorophyll Fluorescence, Australian National University (2004)
• invited participant, Lake Biwa Transport Experiment (BITEX 1993), Otsu, Japan (1992–93)
• Vice-president and President, Australian Society for Limnology (1988–89)
• invited participant, International Workshop on the dominance of bloom-forming cyanobacteria, DSIR, Taupo Laboratory, New Zealand (1987)
• invited participant, 4th International Workshop on Photosynthetic Prokaryotes, Bombannes, France (1983)
• NERC funded Research Associate, Bristol University, UK (1981-84).

Professional activities

Dr Oliver is a member of:

• Australian Society for Limnology
• American Society for Limnology and Oceanography
• International Society for Limnology.

He has contributed to professional committees including:

• Murray-Darling Basin Commission, Working Group on Phytoplankton (1988)
• Working Group on restructuring the Victorian State Water Quality Assessment Programme, Rural Water Commission of Victoria (1989–91)
• Scientific Advisory Team to the NSW Algal Bloom Task Force (1991–92)
• Technical Advisory Group for the Murray Darling Basin Commission dealing with sources transport and availability of nutrients (1993)
• NSW State Technical Advisory Committee on Integrated monitoring of environmental flows (1998-2003)
• Assessor for the National Association of Testing Authorities, Australia, (1994–2002)
• Advisory Committee of the University of Adelaide Water Research Centre (since 2008).

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