Professor Richard Fuller

Professor

School of the Environment
Faculty of Science
r.fuller@uq.edu.au
+61 7 334 69912
0458353102

Overview

The actions of people just like you and me have caused a massive biodiversity crisis, pushing many species to the brink of extinction and beyond. Doing something about this is one of the most important and urgent problems globally. I am interested in understanding how people have affected the natural world around them, and how some of their destructive effects can best be reversed. On the flip side, I am also keen to understand whether people can benefit positively from experiences of biodiversity.

To answer these questions I work on pure and applied topics in biodiversity and conservation. Much of my work is interdisciplinary, focusing on the interactions between people and nature, how these can be enhanced, and how these relationships can be shaped to converge on coherent solutions to the biodiversity crisis. Current research topics include the ecology and conservation of migratory species, understanding what drives some people to show stronger environmental concern than others, and strategies for designing efficient conservation plans. I enjoy working closely with all my wonderful colleagues in the Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science.

Research Impacts

My expertise is regularly called upon to provide advice outside academia. I study the topic of sustainable environmental management, a subject of keen interest not only to the public at large, but also to organisations and agencies charged with managing the environment and regulating human impacts upon it. Reflecting this expertise, I have been repeatedly invited by the Australian Government to form part of the official Australian delegation in bilateral talks on migratory species conservation with the Chinese, Japanese and Korean governments in 2014, 2016, and 2018. I frequently advise the Australian Government as well as regional agencies such as Queensland Department of Environment and Science, and Brisbane City Council. This advice includes expert witness testimony on the biodiversity impacts of proposed coastal developments and for advice about migratory species conservation domestically and internationally. Recently I provided direct 1:1 advice to the Federal Environment Minister on a coastal development proposal in central Queensland. I also seek to communicate broadly with the public and am invited monthly to speak at local and regional meetings and writing for special interest magazines and newsletters.

In direct response to the analysis in Studds et al. (2017; Nature Communications), the Australian Government listed the Eastern Curlew and the Curlew Sandpiper as Critically Endangered under the EPBC Act, and the following year another six migratory shorebirds were also listed as nationally threatened. Given the large number of species involved, this decision was a step change in migratory bird conservation in Australia, significantly adding to the protections for these declining species and subsequently influencing hundreds of coastal development decisions around the nation. Frequently citing our work, and enlisting me as a technical advisor, the Australian Government created and ratified a formal International Single Species Action Plan to rescue the Critically Endangered Eastern Curlew (Fig. 1). The plan has been approved and implemented in 22 countries, catalysing research and action around the East Asian-Australasian Flyway.

Qualifications

  • Doctor of Philosophy, Durham University
  • Masters (Coursework) of Science, Imperial College London
  • Bachelor (Honours), University of Bristol

Publications

  • Keniger, Lucy E., Gaston, Kevin J., Irvine, Katherine N. and Fuller, Richard A. (2013). What are the benefits of interacting with nature?. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 10 (3), 913-935. doi: 10.3390/ijerph10030913

  • Sushinsky, Jessica R., Rhodes, Jonathan R., Possingham, Hugh P., Gill, Tony K. and Fuller, Richard A. (2013). How should we grow cities to minimize their biodiversity impacts?. Global Change Biology, 19 (2), 401-410. doi: 10.1111/gcb.12055

  • Fuller, Richard, McDonald-Madden, Eve, Wilson, Kerrie. A, Carwrdine, Josie, Grantham, Hedley, Watson, James. E, Klein, Carissa. J, Green, David. C and Possingham, Hugh. P (2010). Replacing underperforming protected areas achieves better conservation outcomes. Nature, 466 (7304), 365-367. doi: 10.1038/nature09180

  • Boakes, EH, Mace, GM, McGowan, PJK and Fuller, RA (2010). Extreme contagion in global habitat clearance. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London - B, 277 (1684), 1081-1085. doi: 10.1098/rspb.2009.1771

View all Publications

Grants

View all Grants

Supervision

  • Master Philosophy

  • Doctor Philosophy

  • Doctor Philosophy

View all Supervision

Publications

Featured Publications

  • Keniger, Lucy E., Gaston, Kevin J., Irvine, Katherine N. and Fuller, Richard A. (2013). What are the benefits of interacting with nature?. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 10 (3), 913-935. doi: 10.3390/ijerph10030913

  • Sushinsky, Jessica R., Rhodes, Jonathan R., Possingham, Hugh P., Gill, Tony K. and Fuller, Richard A. (2013). How should we grow cities to minimize their biodiversity impacts?. Global Change Biology, 19 (2), 401-410. doi: 10.1111/gcb.12055

  • Fuller, Richard, McDonald-Madden, Eve, Wilson, Kerrie. A, Carwrdine, Josie, Grantham, Hedley, Watson, James. E, Klein, Carissa. J, Green, David. C and Possingham, Hugh. P (2010). Replacing underperforming protected areas achieves better conservation outcomes. Nature, 466 (7304), 365-367. doi: 10.1038/nature09180

  • Boakes, EH, Mace, GM, McGowan, PJK and Fuller, RA (2010). Extreme contagion in global habitat clearance. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London - B, 277 (1684), 1081-1085. doi: 10.1098/rspb.2009.1771

Book

Book Chapter

  • Davies, Zoe G., Dallimer, Martin, Fisher, Jessica C. and Fuller, Richard A. (2019). Biodiversity and health: Implications for conservation. Biodiversity and health in the face of climate change. (pp. 283-294) edited by Melissa R. Marselle, Jutta Stadler, Horst Korn, Katherine N. Irvine and Aletta Bonn. Cham, Switzerland: Springer International Publishing. doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-02318-8_12

  • Fuller, Richard A., Milton, David A., Rothlisberg, Peter, Clemens, Robert S., Coleman, Jon, Murray, Kristy, Dhanjal-Adams, Kiran L., Edwards, David, Finn, Paul G., Skilleter, Greg, Stigner, Madeleine and Woodworth, Bradley K. (2019). Migratory shorebirds of Moreton Bay. Moreton Bay Quandamooka and catchment: past, present and future. (pp. 431-444) edited by Ian R. Tibbetts, Peter C. Rothlisberg, David T. Neil, Tamara A. Homburg, David T. Brewer and Angela H. Arthington. Brisbane, QLD, Australia: Moreton Bay Foundation.

  • Fuller, Richard A. and Watson, James E. M. (2018). Replacing underperforming nature reserves. Effective conservation science: data not dogma. (pp. 147-151) edited by Peter Kareiva, Michelle Marvier and Brian Silliman. Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press. doi: 10.1093/oso/9780198808978.003.0023

  • Hansen, Birgita D., Clemens, Robert S., Gallo-Cajiao, Eduardo, Jackson, Micha V., Kingsford, Richard T., Maguire, Grainne S., Maurer, Golo, Milton, David, Rogers, Danny I., Weller, Dan R., Weston, Michael A., Woehler, Eric J. and Fuller, Richard A. (2018). Shorebird monitoring in Australia: a successful long-term collaboration between citizen scientists, governments and researchers. Monitoring threatened species and ecological communities. (pp. 149-164) edited by Sarah Legge, David Lindenmayer, Natasha Robinson, Benjamin Scheele, Darren Southwell and Brendan Wintle. Canberra, Australia: CSIRO. doi: 10.1071/9781486307722

  • Watson, J. E., Segan, D. B. and Fuller, R. A. (2016). Optimal protection of the world’s threatened birds, mammals and amphibians. Protected areas: are they safeguarding biodiversity?. (pp. 66-80) edited by Lucas N. Joppa, Jonathan E. M. Baillie and John G. Robinson. Chichester United Kingdom: John Wiley & Sons. doi: 10.1002/9781118338117.ch4

  • Lonsdale, Mark and Fuller, Richard (2014). Cities and towns. Biodiversity: science and solutions for Australia. (pp. 121-134) edited by Steve Morton, Andy Sheppard and Mark Lonsdale. Collingwood, VIC, Austalia: CSIRO Publishing.

  • Ieno, E. N., Zuur, A. F., Fuller, R. A., Piersma, T. and Saveliev, A. A. (2014). Poisson GAMM applied on ruddy turnstone data. A Beginner's Guide to Generalised Additive Mixed Models with R. (pp. 99-114) edited by Alain F. Zuur, Anatoly A. Saveliev and Elena N. Ieno. Newburgh, United Kingdom: Highland Statistics.

  • Shanahan, Danielle F., Strohbach, Michael W., Warren, Paige S. and Fuller, Richard A. (2014). The challenges of urban living. Avian Urban Ecology: Behavioural and Physiological Adaptations. (pp. 3-20) edited by Diego Gil and Henrik Brumm. Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press. doi: 10.1093/acprof:osobl/9780199661572.003.0001

  • Possingham, Hugh P., Fuller, Richard A. and Joseph, Liana N. (2012). Choosing among long-term ecological monitoring programs and knowing when to stop. Design and analysis of long-term ecological monitoring studies. (pp. 498-508) edited by Robert .A. Gitzen, Joshua J. Millspaugh, Andrew B. Cooper and Daniel S. Licht.. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. doi: 10.1017/CBO9781139022422.030

  • Fuller, Richard A., Irvine, Katherine N., Davies, Zoe G., Armsworth, Paul R. and Gaston, Kevin J. (2012). Interactions between people and birds in urban landscapes. Urban bird ecology and conservation. (pp. 249-266) edited by Christopher A. Lepczyk and Paige S. Warren. Berkeley, CA, United States: University of California Press.

  • Possingham, Hugh P., Wintle, Brendan A., Fuller, Richard A. and Joseph, Liana N. (2012). The conservation return on investment from ecological monitoring. Biodiversity monitoring in Australia. (pp. 49-61) edited by David Lindenmayer and Philip Gibbons. Melbourne, Australia: CSIRO.

  • Fuller, Richard A., Ladle, Richard J., Whittaker, Robert J. and Possingham, Hugh P. (2011). Planning for persistence in a changing world. Conservation biogeography. (pp. 161-189) edited by Richard J. Ladle and Robert J. Whittaker. Chichester, United Kingdom: John Wiley & Sons. doi: 10.1002/9781444390001.ch7

  • Irvine, Katherine N., Fuller, Richard A., Devine-Wright, Patrick, Tratalos, Jamie, Payne, Sarah R., Warren, Philip H., Lomas, Kevin J. and Gaston, Kevin J. (2010). Ecological and psychological value of urban green space. Dimensions of the sustainable city. (pp. 215-237) edited by Mike Jenks and Colin Jones. London, United Kingdom: Springer. doi: 10.1007/978-1-4020-8647-2_10

  • Fuller, Richard A., Tratalos, Jamie, Warren, Philip H., Davies, Richard D., Pepkowska, Aleksandra and Gaston, Kevin J. (2010). Environment and biodiversity. Dimensions of the sustainable city. (pp. 75-103) edited by M Jenks and Colin Jones. Dordrecht, Netherlands: Springer. doi: 10.1007/978-1-4020-8647-2_4

  • Fuller, Richard A. and Irvine, Katherine N. (2010). Interactions between people and nature in urban environments. Urban Ecology. (pp. 134-171) edited by Kevin J. Gaston. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

  • Brooks, Daniel M. and Fuller, Richard A. (2006). Biology and conservation of Cracids. Conserving Cracids: the most threatened family of birds in the Americas. (pp. 10-22) Houston, TX, United States: Houston Museum of Natural Science.

Journal Article

Conference Publication

Other Outputs

Grants (Administered at UQ)

PhD and MPhil Supervision

Note for students: Professor Richard Fuller is not currently available to take on new students.

Current Supervision

  • Master Philosophy — Principal Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor

    Other advisors:

  • Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor

    Other advisors:

  • Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor

    Other advisors:

  • Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor

    Other advisors:

  • Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor

    Other advisors:

  • Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor

    Other advisors:

  • Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor

    Other advisors:

  • Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor

    Other advisors:

  • Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor

    Other advisors:

  • Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor

    Other advisors:

  • Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor

    Other advisors:

  • Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor

    Other advisors:

  • Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor

Completed Supervision