Lindsay Hutley
Charles Darwin University

Professor Lindsay Hutley

Professor of environmental science, Charles Darwin University

See Professor Hutley’s full research profile here.

E: lindsay.hutley@cdu.edu.au

Research outputs linked to policy change and decision-making

• Managing mangrove dieback and coastal change in the Gulf. Working with the NT Government, Bureau of Meteorology, National Environmental Science Program (NESP) Tropical Water Quality Hub and the NESP Northern Australia Environmental Resources Hub, we are quantifying drivers of mangrove dieback and coastal change by linking climate and sea-level dynamics over space and time with mangrove cover change. This knowledge is critical to aid coastal management and assess risk posed by climate change on coastal ecosystem resilience and livelihoods.
• Two decades of research funded by Cooperative Research Centres, the Australian Research Council (ARC), Tropical Rivers and Coastal Knowledge consortium and the National Environmental Research Programme have driven projects aimed at quantifying carbon and water balance of northern savanna ecosystems and assessing impacts of climate and land use change (clearing, forestry, weed invasion).
• NESP-commissioned project examining potential impacts on riparian vegetation following the decommissioning of Ranger uranium mine adjacent to Kakadu National Park. The rehabilitated landform is predicted to become a source of exfiltrating groundwater with elevated magnesium sulfate levels derived from the waste rock that may be in excess of current chronic exposure limits for surface waters. Saline groundwater plumes are identified as threats to the ecology of Magela Creek and this work is assessing susceptibility of riparian vegetation to elevated levels of magnesium sulfate. Outcomes are critical for federal agencies to assess risk and shape rehabilitation and post-closure monitoring.
• NESP Northern Australia Environmental Resources Hub projects: Tree water use and sensitivity to contaminated mine water, Fire and weeds in the Top End and Assessing mangrove dieback in the Gulf of Carpentaria.

Current academic employment and positions

• 2008–present: professor, Charles Darwin University.

Highest qualification

• 1997: PhD, The University of Queensland.

Major prizes, medals and honours

• winner, 2006 Carrick Institute of Higher Education, Citation Award – Master of Tropical Environmental Management
• winner, 2008 Vice-Chancellor’s Awards for Exceptional Performance in Research  – Individual Award
• winner, 2009 Vice-Chancellor’s Awards for Exceptional Performance in Research CDU – Team Award – Setterfield, Douglas, Hutley, Rossiter-Rachor, McMaster.
• winner, 2015 Best Research in NRM, Territory Natural Resource Management Awards, Team Award – Setterfield, Douglas, Hutley, Rossiter-Rachor, McMaster, Ferdinands and Barrow
• ARC discovery x 5, ARC larc linkage x 3, ARC linkage infrastructure, equipment and facilities x 3, NESP x 2, Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network (TERN) ecosystem processes (OzFlux).

Roles on government or regional organisation committees

• TERN ecosystem processes scientific committee
• Commonwealth Committees – Emissions Reduction Fund methodology development, blue carbon, savanna burning.

Links with non-government groups or networks

• member, Australian Marine Sciences Association – NT branch committee
• links to Australian Institute of Marine Science Darwin laboratory
• links to Keep Top End Coasts Healthy, NT.

My Projects

Current projectCompleted project

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  Strengthening resilience to threatening processes and extreme events

  Keywords: Strengthening resilience, Extreme events, Weeds, Feral animals

  
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  Cross-cutting initiative research

  Keywords: Threatened species, Migratory species, Protected areas

  
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  Tree water use and sensitivity to contaminated mine water

  Keywords: water quality, mine rehabilitation, closure criteria

  
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  Fire and weeds in the Top End

  Keywords: Fire, mapping, carbon & climate change, gamba

  
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  The use and impacts of wet-season burning in the tropical savannas of Kakadu National Park

  Keywords: Indigenous knowledge, fire management, Kakadu National Park, savannawet-season burning

  
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  Improved methods to detect and protect arid-zone groundwater-dependent ecosystems

  Keywords: arid-zone woodlands and wetlands, groundwater, Indigenous co-design, remote sensingremote areastable isotope analysis