Nick Murray

Marine Ecosystems
Applied Marine Ecology

Rivers and Wetlands
Aquatic Species Ecology
Environmental Flows
Food Webs and Invertebrates Community Dynamics
Invasive Species (Wetlands)
Platypus Conservation Initiative
River Management
River Red Gum Dynamics and Management
Sustainable Aquaculture
Waterbirds
Wetland Dynamics
Wetland Ecology and Stable Isotopes

Terrestrial Ecosystems
Ecosystem Dynamics
Fire
Grazing
Invasive Species (Terrestrial)
Predators
Soils

Remote Sensing & GIS
Climate Change
Palaeoecology
Remote Sensing
Spatial Analyses and GIS
Vegetation Survey and Mapping

Conservation Practice
Adaptive Management
Cultural Resources
Habitat Restoration
Information Management
Policy
Reintroductions
Risk Assessment
Threatened Species

Nick Murray

Role: Research Fellow

Research Focus

I am a research fellow in the Centre for Ecosystem Science at the University of New South Wales. I have a diverse professional background, including working in remote field environments for several years before returning to full-time academic research. I am an ecologist and conservation biologist with research projects focused on developing tools to monitor large-scale processes of biodiversity loss.

In my research I focus on delivering the science necessary to inform large (continental) scale conservation decisions. I work at the interface of conservation biology, geography and ecology, and have ongoing research projects focused on monitoring change in ecosystems and wildlife populations. I use a range of tools in my work, with particular focus on remote sensing and spatial analysis. Technical expertise includes spatial analysis (ArcGIS, R), remote sensing (primarily Landsat, MODIS), trend analysis (R, WinBUGS), spatial planning (Marxan), ecological field work and computer programming (Python, R). I routinely work in multi-disciplinary teams and have completed collaborative projects that involve authors and advisors from >10 countries.

I am a member of the IUCN Coastal Ecosystems and Red List of Ecosystems Thematic Groups (Commission on Ecosystem Management), and a member of the IUCN Red List of Ecosystems Committee for Scientific Standards.

Publications

Please see my Google Scholar page for PDFs, co-author list, article links and up-to-date citation metrics.

Published papers

1. Keith, D.A., Akçakaya, H.A., Murray, N.J. (in press) Towards robust predictions of risks to biodiversity: scaling range sizes to threats. Conservation Biology. doi: 10.1111/cobi.12988

2. Pettorelli,N., Schulte to Buhne, H., Tulloch, A., Dubois, G., Macinnis-Ng, C., Queirós, A.M., Keith,D.A., Wegmann, M., Schrodt, F., Stellmes,M., Sonnenschein, R., Geller,G., Roy, S., Somers, B., Murray, N.J., Bland, L., Geijzendorffer, I., Kerr, J.T., Broszeit, S., Leitão, P.J., Duncan, C., El Serafy, G., He, K.S., Blanchard, J.L., Lucas, R., Mairota, P., Webb, T.J., Nicholson, E. (in press) Satellite remote sensing of ecosystem functions: opportunities, challenges and way forward. Remote Sensing in Ecology and Conservation.

3. Studds, C.E., Kendall, B.E., Murray, N.J., Wilson, H.B., Rogers, D.I., Clemens, R.S.*, Gosbell, K.B., Hassell, C.J., Jessop, R., Melville, D., Milton, D.A., Minton, C.D.T., Possingham, H.P., Riegen, A.C., Straw, P. Woehler, E.J., Fuller, R.A. (2017) Reliance on the Yellow Sea predicts population collapse in a migratory flyway. Nature Communications. doi: 10.1038/ncomms14895

4. Murray, N.J., Keith, D.A., Bland, L.M., Nicholson, E., Regan, T.M., Rodriguez, J.P., Bedward, M. (2017) The use of range size to assess risks to biodiversity from stochastic threats. Diversity and Distributions. doi:10.1111/ddi.12533

5. Clemens, R.S.*, Rogers, D.I., Hansen, B.D., Gosbell, K.B., Minton, C.D.T., Straw, P., Bamford, M., Woehler, E.J., Milton, D.A., Weston, M.A., Venables, B., Weller, D., Hassell, C.J., Rutherford, B., Onton, K., Herrod, A., Studds, C.E., Choi, C−Y, Dhanjal-Adams, K.L.*, Murray, N.J., Skilleter, G.A., Fuller, R.A. (2016) Continental-scale decreases in shorebird populations in Australia. Emu, 116(2):119-135. doi: 10.1071/mu15056

6. Dhanjal-Adams, K.L.*, Hanson, J.O.*, Murray, N.J., Phinn, S.R., Wingate, V.R.*, Mustin, K., Lee, J.R.*, Allan, J.R.*, Cappadonna, J.L.*, Studds, C.E., Clemens, R.S.*, Roelfsema, C.M., Fuller, R.A. (2016) Distribution, extent and protection of intertidal habitats in Australia. Emu, 116(2):208-214.

7. Murray, N.J., Ma, Z. & Fuller, R.A. (2015) Tidal flats of the Yellow Sea: A review of ecosystem status and anthropogenic threats. Austral Ecology, 40(4):472-481. doi: 10.1111/aec.12211

8. Rodriguez, J.P., Keith, D.A., Rodriguez-Clark, K., Murray, N.J., Nicholson, E., Regan, T., Miller, R., Bland, L.M. Barrow, E., Boe, K., Brooks, T., Oliviera-Miranda, M.A., Spalding, M. & Wit, P. (2015) A practical guide to the application of the IUCN Red List of Ecosystems criteria. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 370:20140003. doi: 10.1098/rstb.2014.0003

9. Murray, N.J., & Fuller, R.A. (2015) Protecting habitat for migratory shorebirds in East Asia. Journal of Ornithology, 156: S217-S225. doi: 10.1007/s10336-015-1225-2.

10. Tulloch, V.J.*, Possingham, H.P., Visconti, P., Halpern, B., Watson, J., Evans, M.*, Auerbach, N.A.*, Barnes, M.*, Beger, M., Chadès, I., Giakoumi, S., McDonald-Madden, E., Murray, N.J., Ringma, J.* & Tulloch, A. (2015) Why do we map threats? Linking threat mapping with actions to make efficient decisions for biodiversity conservation. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, 13(2): 267-272. doi: 10.1890/140022 ** Highly cited paper: Top 1% of Environment/Ecology in ISI Web of Science.

11. Murray, N.J., Clemens, R.*, Phinn, S.R., Possingham, H.P. & Fuller, R.A. (2015) Threats to the Yellow Sea's Tidal Wetlands. Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America, 96:346–348. doi:10.1890/0012-9623-96.2.346

12. Keith, D.A., Rodriguez, J.P., Brooks, T.M., Burgman, M.A., Barrow, E.G., Boe, K., Comer, P.J., Franklin, J., Link, J., McCarthy, M.A., Miller, R.M., Murray, N.J., Nel, J.L., Nicholson, E., Oliviera-Miranda, M.A., Regan, T.A., Rodriguez-Clark, K.M., Rouget, M, & Spalding, M (2015) The IUCN Red List of Ecosystems: motivations, challenges and applications. Conservation Letters, 8:214-226. doi: 10.1111/conl.12167

13. Murray, N.J., Clemens, R.*, Phinn, S.R., Possingham, H.P. & Fuller, R.A. (2014) Tracking the rapid loss of tidal wetlands in the Yellow Sea. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, 12:267-272. doi: 10.1890/130260 ** Included in most cited list for FREE over the past 5 years.

14. Iwamura, T.*, Possingham, H. P., Chades, I., Minton, C., Murray, N.J., Rogers, D., Treml, E. & Fuller, R. A. (2013) Migratory connectivity magnifies the consequences of habitat loss from sea-level rise for shorebird populations. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 280: 20130325.

15. Murray, N.J., Phinn, S. R., Clemens, R. S.*, Roelfsema, C. M. & Fuller, R. A. (2012) Continental scale mapping of tidal flats across East Asia using the Landsat Archive. Remote Sensing, 4, 3417-3426.

16. Murray, N.J. & Fuller, R.A. (2012) Coordinated effort to maintain migration network. Oryx, 46, 479-48.

17. Murray, N.J. & Shaw, P.P. (2010) Foraging behaviour and success of the Australian White Ibis Threskiornis molucca at an urban environment. Notornis, 56(4): 201–205.

18. Murray, N.J. & Trebilco, R.T. (2008) An influx of Australian Shelduck Tadorna tadornoides on Macquarie Island. Australian Field Ornithology, 25(1): 40 -41.

19. Murray, N.J. & Shaw, P.P. (2006) Breeding biology of the Australian White Ibis Threskiornis molucca at an urban breeding colony, South-east Queensland. Corella, 32(2): 41-45.

Book chapters

20. Murray, N.J. (in press) The role of remote sensing in the conservation of East Asia’s coastal wetlands. In: Satellite Remote Sensing for Conservation Action – Case Studies from Aquatic and Terrestrial Ecosystems. Cambridge University Press. (Invited submission, publication due late 2017).

Software

1. Lee, C., Murray N.J. (2017) Redlistr: Tools for the IUCN Red List of Ecosystems and Species. R package version 0.1.0 . https://cran.r-project.org/package=earthtones

2. Cornwell W., Lyons M., Murray N.J. (2016) Earthtones: derive a colour palette from a particular location on Earth. R package version 0.1.0 . https://cran.r-project.org/package=earthtones

Data

1. Keith, D.A., Akçakaya, H.A., Murray, N.J. (in press) Supplementary material for: Towards robust predictions of risks to biodiversity: scaling range sizes to threats. Figshare. doi: 10.6084/m9.figshare.5139505

2. Murray, N.J., Keith, D.A., Bland, L.M., Nicholson, E., Regan, T.M., Rodriguez, J.P., Bedward, M. (2017) Simulated ecosystem distributions from: The use of range size to assess risks to biodiversity from stochastic threats. Figshare. doi:10.6084/m9.fishare.4648939.v1

3. Murray, N.J. (2017) Global 10 x 10-km grids suitable for use in IUCN Red List of Ecosystems assessments. Figshare. doi: 10.6084/m9.figshare.4653439

4. Dhanjal-Adams, K. L.*, Hanson, J. O.*, Murray, N.J., Phinn, S. R., Wingate, V. R.*, Mustin, K., Lee, J.R.*, Allan, J.R.*, Cappadonna, J. L.*, Studds, C. E., Clemens, R. S.*, Roelfsema, C. M., Fuller R. A. (2015) Mapped distribution of intertidal habitats in Australia between 1999 and 2014. Pangaea. doi:10.1594/PANGAEA.845726

5. Murray, N.J., Wingate, V.R. & Fuller, R.A. (2014) Mapped distribution of tidal flats across China, Manchuria and Korea (1952-1964). Pangaea. doi:10.1594/PANGAEA.837090

Books/reports/consultancies

1. Bland, L.M., Keith, D.A., Miller, R.M., Murray, N.J., Rodriguez, J.P. (2017) Guidelines for the application of IUCN Red List of Ecosystems Categories and Criteria, Version 1.1 IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK. (translated into Spanish and French). ISBN: 978-2-8317-1769-2 * Authors are listed in alphabetical order.

2. Murray, N.J., Miller, R.M., Zager, I., Keith, D.A., Bland, L.M., Esteves, R., Oliveira-Miranda, M.A., Rodríguez, J.P. (2016) Introduction to the IUCN Red List of Ecosystems Categories and Criteria: course manual. Download at www.iucnrle.org.

3. MacKinnon, J., Verkuil, Y. I. & Murray, N.J. (2012) IUCN situation analysis on East and Southeast Asian intertidal habitats, with particular reference to the Yellow Sea (including the Bohai Sea). IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK. (translated into Korean, Russian and Mandarin).

4. Carr, B, Sims-Castley, R & Murray, N.J. (2011) Substantial remnants and coastal wetlands mapping review. Unpublished report for Gold Coast City Council. Gold Coast, Australia.

5. Murray, N.J. (2010) Macquarie Island Pest Eradication: Impacts of helicopter over-flights of King Penguins. Unpublished report for Tasmanian National Parks and Wildlife Service. Hobart, Australia.

6. Dreis, B., Wilson, T., Rowan, H & Murray, N.J (2009) The Burleigh to Springbrook Bioregional Corridor Project. Unpublished report for Gold Coast City Council. Brisbane, Australia. ** Received certificate of merit in Environment Planning Conservation category at the Planning Institute of Australia awards 2010.

7. Murray, N.J & Way, S.L (2008) Status and Conservation of Albatrosses and Giant-Petrels on Macquarie Island: Report on the 2007/2008 field season. Unpublished report for Tasmanian Department of Primary Industries and Water. Hobart, Australia.

8. Trebilco, R.T & Murray, N.J (2007) Status and Conservation of Albatrosses and Giant-Petrels on Macquarie Island: Report on the 2006/2007 field season. Unpublished report for Tasmanian Department of Primary Industries and Water. Hobart, Australia.

Magazines and book reviews

1. Murray N.J. (2015) The tragedy of disappearing tidal flats. Australasian Science. 36(1): 48.

2. Dhanjal-Adams K.L.*, Murray, N.J. & Fuller, R.A. (2015) Mapping intertidal habitats and their protection in Australia. Wetlands Australia. 27: 59.

3. Murray N.J. (2014) Between a rock and a hard place: the tragedy of disappearing tidal flats. Decision Point.

4. Murray N.J. (2011) Dark days for summer birds. Wildlife Australia.

5. Murray N.J. (2008) Ten per cent: Albatrosses and the importance of Macquarie Island. Wildlife Australia.

6. Murray N.J. (2008) Book review - Albatross: Their World, Their Ways. Wildlife Australia.

7. Murray N.J. (2005) Book review - Herons, Egrets and Bitterns of Australia. Corella. 29, 74.

Appointments/memberships

Member of the Australian Ecosystem Science Council Ecosystem Surveillance working group (2016 - )
Member of GEOBON Future Earth Ecosystem Function working group (2016 - )
Member of GEOBON Freshwater Wetlands working group (2016 - )
Member of IUCN Red List of Ecosystems Committee for Scientific Standards (2015 - )
Member of Red List of Ecosystems Thematic Group of the IUCN Commission on Ecosystem Management (CEM, 2014 - )
Member of the Coastal Ecosystems Thematic Group of the IUCN CEM (2014 - )
Member of American Geophysical Union (AGU, 2012 - )
Member of Society for Conservation Biology (SCB, 2010 - )
Member of Ecological Society of Australia (ESA, 2010 - )
Member of Shorebird Working Group, Partnership for the East Asian-Australasian Flyway (2010 - 2015)
Member of Global Saltmarsh Network (UNEP-WCMC; 2013 - 2014)
Australian Bird and Bat Banding Scheme (A-Class Bird Banding License)