Publication (Technical report): Large-scale ecological studies and their importance for freshwater management. Report of a forum held at Bayview Conference Centre, Monash University, 15th December 2000

Publication Type:	Technical report / Consultancy
Publication Name:	Large-scale ecological studies and their importance for freshwater management. Report of a forum held at Bayview Conference Centre, Monash University, 15th December 2000

Reference Information

Cottingham, P., Carpenter, S., Hilborn, R., Kitchell, J. and Stow, C. (2001) Large-scale ecological studies and their importance for freshwater management. Report of a forum held at Bayview Conference Centre, Monash University, 15th December 2000. CRCFE technical Report no. 4/2001, Cooperative Research Centre for Freshwater Ecology, Canberra.

Optional Information

Attached document(s):

- largescaleecolFINAL.pdf

ISBN:
1876810785

Other information:

Report in PDF format (216KB) is attached below.

Large Scale Ecological Studies and their Importance for Freshwater Resource Management.

Peter Cottingham, Stephen Carpenter, Ray Hilborn, Jim Kitchell and Craig Stow

Manipulating ecosystems

Abstract:

INTRODUCTION:

Issues such as increasing and widespread salinity in rivers, or the vulnerability of many native
fish populations, have highlighted the fact that the sustainable management of our water
resources must have a large-scale, long-term perspective. Unfortunately, the ecological
information available to support decision-making at large scales (e.g. river catchment, basin
or regional level) and over long time frames (decades) is very limited. Traditionally, scientists
who study key ecological issues and processes have done so at small, well controlled scales
(e.g. local site or river reach; days, weeks, seasons) so that they can be confident of their
research results and conclude their studies within the time constraints of research grants.
Often the results of research undertaken at small scales do not lend themselves to application
at large scales or in different locations. It is therefore important that the questions
underpinning research, and the decision-making process in which answers are to be applied,
are clear or are pitched at the scale of management. This will help to avoid any mismatch in
the scale of research that may limit its usefulness in large-scale management decision making.
Experience overseas has shown that it is possible to design and conduct large-scale, long-term
ecological experiments to inform decision making in water resource management. Long-term
ecological studies can be performed as ‘management experiments’, where rigorous scientific
method is used to evaluate the effects of key management actions. The results can then be
used to refine future management approaches.

The CRC for Freshwater Ecology convened a one-day forum to explore how management
questions and problems might be framed scientifically and how ecological studies can be
designed to provide information for the effective long-term management of our water
resources. The forum was supported by the expertise and experience of the internationally
recognised ecologists whose presentations form the basis of the following chapters of this
report:

Professor Jim Kitchell (University of Wisconsin) – Can large systems be manipulated?
Professor Stephen Carpenter (University of Wisconsin) – Characteristics of successful
experiments.
Professor Craig Stow (Duke University) – Long term monitoring: nutrient loading in the
Neuse River.
Professor Ray Hilborn (University of Washington) – Adaptive Management.

Contributing CRCFE staff:
Peter Cottingham

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