CSIRO's laboratory in Alice Springs conducts research that addresses a range of issues in arid and semi-arid rangelands.
Tropical and arid systems
CSIRO’s Tropical and Arid Systems Program has around 60 staff located in Alice Springs, Atherton, Cairns, Darwin and Townsville. We conduct research on Indigenous livelihoods, fire and savanna dynamics, tropical forest ecology, grazing systems and grazing land condition, invasive species and biodiversity conservation. While we are based in northern and central Australia, our work addresses national and international challenges.
- 14 November 2007 | Updated 14 October 2011
Overview
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Our research addresses national priorities relating to biodiversity, ecosystem services and community development in tropical and arid zones. Most of our work is conducted in landscapes that are relatively unmodified and unpopulated, in comparison to the cleared landscapes of southern Australia. Our scientists have expertise in a wide range of northern and central locations, from Queensland’s Wet Tropics, northern savannas, catchments of the Great Barrier Reef and pastoral rangelands, to the tropical and arid zones of the Northern Territory and Western Australia.
We aim to provide evidence-based solutions and knowledge that meet community needs and informs government policy. The national challenges that we work on include:
- climate variability, climate change and adaptation
- greenhouse gas emissions and carbon storage
- sustaining biodiversity
- sustainable agricultural, pastoral and reserve landscapes
- water resource management, including water quality and Indigenous rights
- Indigenous livelihoods, including well-being and economic development
Research Groups
Our Research Groups are organised by site rather than science discipline. With the exception of Darwin, all of our Research Groups are based outside capital cities, in the more remote parts of northern and central Australia. This allows us to deliver our science in many areas that other scientists are unable to. It also allows us to build up strong relationships with our stakeholders, and to develop a deep local knowledge of the systems we work in.
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Title: Tropical and Arid Systems Research Program
Areas involved: CSIRO Ecosystem Sciences
Skills and expertise:
- ecological modelling
- fire ecology and management
- Indigenous livelihoods
- invasive species management
- vertebrate and invertebrate biodiversity
- landscape ecology
- natural resource governance
- regional development planning
- socio-economics
- sustainable grazing
- rainforest ecology and conservation
- integrated landscape management
- tropical cropping and farming systems
- rangeland ecology and management
Principal scientists:
- Dr Ian Watson (Program leader)
- Dr Alan Andersen
- Dr Tony Grice
- Dr Dan Metcalfe
- Dr Ashley Sparrow
- Dr Garry Cook
- Dr Jocelyn Davies
- Dr Margaret Friedel
- Prof. Iain Gordon
- Dr David Hilbert
- Dr David Westcott
- Dr Dick Williams
- Dr Sue Jackson
- Dr Frederieke Kroon
