Melbourne School of Land and Environment Department of Forest and Ecosystem Science

Gary is a committed research scientist with more than 15 years professional employment in the physical sciences and extensive experience in the areas of soil physics, soil erosion, water quality, forest management and land rehabilitation. He has completed a PhD within the Soil Physics Section, the School of Land and Food, The University of Queensland. Current areas of research interest include mathematical modelling of soil erosion processes, measurement and modelling of erosion processes on unsealed roads, in burnt forests, and in riparian zones.

Qualifications

PhD (The University of Queensland )

Graduate Certificate of Engineering (The University of Melbourne )

Bachelor of Applied Science (University of Ballarat )

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My long term research interest is to better understand, quantify and model the processes and properties that determine sediment and nutrient delivery from landscapes at a range of spatial and temporal scales. Specific current areas of research activity are;

•  quantification of pollutant loads from forest roads.

•  modelling the effectiveness of erosion and sediment control practices at road/stream crossings

•  quantifying erosion risk associated with forest harvesting activity

•  forest fire, soil water repellence, and its affect on soil infiltration

•  quantifying the effect of forest fire on sediment and nutrient loads from catchments

•  linking post fire increases in sediment and nutrient loads with changes in hillslope processes

•  rehabilitation of post mining landscapes for erosion and water quality control

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Link to Forest and Water Research Group Projects

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Selected recent publications:

Sheridan G, Noske P, Lane P & Sherwin C. 2008. Using rainfall simulation and site measurements to predict annual interrill erodibility and phosphorus generation rates from unsealed forest roads: validation against in-situ erosion measurements. CATENA. 73: 49–62. doi:10.1016/j.catena.2007.08.006

Lane P, Sheridan G, Noske P & Sherwin C. 2008. Phosphorus and nitrogen exports from SE Australian forests following wildfire. Journal of Hydrology. 361: 186–198.

Sheridan GJ, Lane PNJ, Noske PJ (2007) Quantification of hillslope runoff and erosion processes before and after wildfire in a wet Eucalyptus forest. Journal of Hydrology 343 (1-2): 12-28

Sheridan GJ, Noske PJ (2007) A quantitative study of sediment delivery and stream pollution from different forest road types. Hydrological Processes 21: 387-398

Sheridan GJ, Noske PJ (2007) Catchment scale contribution of forest roads to stream exports of sediment, phosphorus and nitrogen. Hydrological Processes 21: 3107-3122

Lane P, Sheridan G & Noske P. 2006. Changes in sediment loads and discharge from small mountain catchments following wildfire in south eastern Australia. Journal of Hydrology. 331:495-510.

Grigg AH, Sheridan G, Pearce AB & Mulligan DR. 2006. The effect of organic mulch amendments on the physical and chemical properties and revegetation success of a saline-sodic minespoil from central Queensland, Australia. Australian Journal of Soil Research. 44:97-105.

Sheridan G, Noske P, Whipp R & Wijesinghe N. 2006. The effect of truck traffic and road water content on sediment delivery from unpaved forest roads. Hydrological Processes. 20:1683-1699.

Sheridan G, Lane P, Noske P, Grayson RB, Feikema P & Sherwin C. 2006. Estimated changes in stream water quality following the 2003 bushfires in Eastern Victoria. Report for Department of Sustainability and Environment and Bushfire Recovery Program. Melbourne, Australia: The University of Melbourne.

Feikema, P. M., G. J. Sheridan, et al. (2005). Using E2 to model the impacts of bushfires on water quality in south-eastern Australia. Modsim05. International Congress on modelling and simulation advances and applications for management and decision making. Melbourne, Australia, Modelling and Simulation Society of Australia and New Zealand Inc.

Sheridan, G. J., P. N. J. Lane, et al. (2005). Development of a hillslope model for predicting erosion and water quality impacts of wildfire in SE Australia . Modsim05. International Congress on modelling and simulation advances and applications for management and decision making. Melbourne, Australia, Modelling and Simulations Society of Australia and New Zealand Inc.

Sheridan, G. J. and P. J. Noske (2005). Modelling the water quality impacts of forest roads at the catchment scale. Modsim05. International Congress on modelling and simulation advances and applications for management and decision making. Melbourne, Australia, Modelling and Simulation Society of Australia and New Zealand Inc.

Sheridan GJ and Rosewell CJ (2003) An improved Victorian erosivity map. Australian Journal of Soil Research . (1), 141-149.

Sheridan , G.J., So, H.B., and Loch , R.J. (2003) Improved slope adjustment functions for soil erosion prediction. Australian Journal of Soil Research. 41 , (8) 1-20.

Sheridan , G.J. (2003) A comparison of rubber-tyred and steel-tracked skidders on forest soil physical properties. Australian Journal of Soil Research 41 1063-1075.

Lane, P.N. and Sheridan , G.J. (2002) Impact of an unsealed forest road stream crossing: water quality and sediment sources. Hydrological Processes 16, 2599-2612.

Loch, R.J., Robotham, B.G., Zeller, L., Masterman, N., Orange , D.N., Bridge, B.J., Sheridan , G.J., and Bourke, J.J. (2001) A multi-purpose rainfall simulator for field infiltration and erosion studies. Australian Journal of Soil Research. 39 599 -610.

Sheridan , G.J., So, H.B., Loch , R.J. & Walker, C.M. (2000) Estimating erosion model erodibility parameters from media properties. Australian Journal of Soil Research. 38 265-84.

Sheridan , G.J., So, H.B., Loch, R.J., Pocknee, C. & Walker, C.M. (2000) Using laboratory scale rill and interill erodibility measurements for the prediction of hillslope scale erosion on rehabilitated coal mine soils and overburdens. Australian Journal of Soil Research. 38 285-97 .

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Master of Forest Ecosystem Science

220416 Forests and Water: Issues around the World - Lecturer (2008 - )

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