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

Dr Julian Fox

 
Position Research Fellow
Address

The University of Melbourne
Department of Forest and Ecosystem Science
500 Yarra Boulevard
Richmond 3121, Victoria, AUSTRALIA

Email jcfox@unimelb.edu.au
Phone +61 3 9250 6862

Photo: Julian Fox

Biography
Research Interests
Project Websites
Publications
Student projects
Teaching
Professional Memberships
DFES Staff Index

Qualifications

  • B. For. Sci. (Hons.), 1996, University of Melbourne
  • Ph.D., 2000, University of Melbourne
  • Grad. Cert. Higher Education Teaching, 2007, University of Queensland

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Research Interests

I have varied research interests with a reoccurring theme of spatial quantitative techniques for informing and improving environmental management in the fields of forest management, conservation biology, and invasive plant control.

My current Fellowship is funded through ACIAR (Australian Centre of International Agricultural Research) and intends to develop tools to improve forest management in Papua New Guinea. Working closely with staff from the PNG Forest Research Institute and the Village Development Trust we hope to develop tools that can inform village level decision making. Tools will provide information on forest resources to local communities and will be based on forest growth modeling, remote sensing, and geographic information systems. Ultimately we hope to facilitate a move toward small-scale sustainable and certified utilization. (Project Website)

During 2007 I was a Research Fellow at the University of Queensland where I developed spatial models of invasive plant spread that can be used to improve surveillance and eradication efforts for serious plant invasions. Between 2002 and 2006 I worked as a Biometrician in Forest Management Agencies; Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) in Victoria and Conservation and Land Management in Western Australia. I developed biometric models for forecasting state-wide forest growth; a corner stone of sustainable forest management. Prior to this, I held a research position in Melbourne University’s Environmental Science Lab working on a variety of projects with Professor Mark Burgman focusing on quantitative methods in Conservation Biology. I Completed a PhD in Forest Science in 2000 – ‘Spatial dependence and individual tree growth models in Eucalyptus pilularis (Smith)’. The PhD focused on spatial ecological modelling of tree interactions such as competitive processes and micro-site influences and incorporating these processes in predictive models of tree growth.

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Research Projects - Websites

PNG project
ACIAR FST/2004/061 main page
Sogi project page
KGWan project page
Permanent Sample Plot page
2008 Workshop report

Invasive plant spread project
Modelling invasive species project (hosted by University of Queensland)

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Publications

Selected publications

Fox, J.C., Yosi, C.K., Nimiago, P., Oavika, F., Pokana, J.N., Lavong, K, and Keenan, R.J. (2009). Assessment of aboveground carbon in primary and selectively-harvested tropical forest in Papua New Guinea. Biotropica, In press.

Fox, J.C., Buckley, Y.M., Panetta, F.D., Bourgoin, J., and Pullar, D. (2009). Surveillance protocols for management of invasive plants: modelling Chilean needle grass (Nassella neesiana) in Australia. Diversity and Distributions, 15: 577-589.

Fox, J.C., Hamilton, F., and Ades, P.K. (2008). Models of tree-level hollow incidence in Victorian State forests. Forest Ecology and Management, 255: 2846–2857.

Fox, J.C., Bi, H, Ades, P.K. (2007). Spatial dependence and individual-tree growth models I: characterising spatial dependence. Forest Ecology and Management, 245: 10-19.

Burgman, M.A., Fox, J.C. (2003). Bias in species range estimates from minimum convex polygons: implications for conservation and options for improved planning. Animal Conservation, 6: 19-28. (>30 citations)

Fox, J.C., Ades, P.K., Bi, H. (2001). Stochastic structure and individual-tree growth models. Forest Ecology and Management, 154: 261-276. (>50 citations)

Forest growth modelling

Fox, J.C., Bi, H., Ades, P.K. (2008). Modelling spatial dependence in an irregular
natural forest. Silva Fennica, 42: 35-48

Fox, J.C., Bi, H, Ades, P.K. (2007). Spatial dependence and individual-tree growth models I: characterising spatial dependence. Forest Ecology and Management, 245: 10-19.

Fox, J.C., Bi, H, Ades, P.K. (2007). Spatial dependence and individual-tree growth models II: modelling spatial dependence. Forest Ecology and Management, 245: 20-30.

Fox, J.C. (2005). Two-stage, non-linear modelling of Blue Gum (Eucalyptus globulus) yields in South West, Western Australia. Report to Blue Gum Companies (Timbercorp Ltd, Great Southern Plantations Limited, Integrated Tree Cropping, Albany Plantation Forest Company of Australia Pty. Ltd., and HansolPI Joint Venture).

Fox, J.C. (2004). Spatial dependence and individual-tree growth models. p.6 in: Proceedings of the Conference on Applications of Statistics, Information Systems and Computers in Natural Resources Monitoring and Management, 7-11 June 2004, Taipei, Taiwan.

Fox, J.C., Hamilton, F. (2003). A two-stage yield model for ash in Central Highlands, Victoria. Presented at the Research Working Group 2 meeting, 1 – 3 December 2003, Melbourne, Australia.

Ferguson, I. S., Spencer, R., Wood, M., Fox, J.C., Baker, T., Stackpole, D., Wild, I. (2003). The potential availability of plantation roundwood. Australian Forestry, 66: 30-36.

Ferguson, I.S., Fox, J.C., Baker, T., Stackpole, D., and Wild, I. (2002). Plantations of Australia – Wood Availability 2001-2044. Consultant’s Report for the National Forest Inventory, Bureau of Rural Sciences, Canberra.

Fox, J.C. (2002). Simulating spatial errors for forest growth models. P. 464-470 In Accuracy 2002; 5th International Symposium on Spatial Accuracy Assessment in Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences. G. Hunter & K. Lowell, Editors.

Fox, J.C., Ades, P.K., Bi, H. (2001). Stochastic structure and individual-tree growth models. Forest Ecology and Management, 154: 261-276. (>50 citations)


Tropical forest dynamics

Fox, J.C., Yosi, C.K., Nimiago, P., Oavika, F., Pokana, J.N., Lavong, K, and Keenan, R.J.  (2009). Assessment of aboveground carbon in primary and selectively-harvested tropical forest in Papua New Guinea. Biotropica, In press.

Fox, J.C., Yosi, C.K., Keenan, R.J. (2009). Forest Carbon Dynamics in Papua New Guinea; Selective-logging, El Nino and REDD. P. 454, Proceedings of the International Conference: Impacts of Global Change on Tropical Ecosystems; Cross-cutting the Abiotic, Biotic and Human Spheres. 27-30 July, 2009. Marburg, Germany.

Fox, J.C., Yosi, C.K., Keenan, R.J. Pokana, J., Lavong, L. (2008). Estimating standing forest carbon in Papua New Guinea from permanent sample plots. Proceedings of FORTROP II International Conference, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand, November 17-20, 2008.

Fox, J.C., Yosi, C.K., Keenan, R.J. Pokana, J., Lavong, L. (2008). Growth models for small-scale forest utilization in Papua New Guinea. Proceedings of FORTROP II International Conference, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand, November 17-20, 2008.

Nizami, S.M., Mirza, S.N., Livesly, S., Arndt, S., Fox, J.C., Khan, I.A., and Mahmood, T. (2009). Estimating carbon stocks in sub tropical pine (Pinus roxburghii) forests of Pakistan. Pakistan Journal of Agricultural Science, 46: 266-270.

Modelling tree hollow distributions


Fox, J.C., Hamilton, F., and Occhipinti, S. (2009). Tree hollow incidence in Victorian State forests. Australian Forestry, 72: 39-48.
Fox, J.C., Hamilton, F., and Ades, P.K. (2008). Models of tree-level hollow incidence in Victorian State forests. Forest Ecology and Management, 255: 2846–2857.

Fox, J.C. (2007). Predictive tree hollow models for Victorian State Forests. Consultant’s report to the Department of Natural Resources and Environment.

Harper, M.J., McCarthy, M.A., van der Ree, R., Fox, J.C. (2004). Overcoming bias in ground-based surveys of hollow-bearing trees using double-sampling. Forest Ecology and Management, 190: 291-300. (>15 citations)

Fox, J.C., Burgman, M.A., and Ades, P.K., (2001). Predictive models of hollow incidence for State Forests in central and eastern Victoria. Final report to the Department of Natural Resources and Environment.

 

Modelling invasive plant spread

Fox, J.C., Buckley, Y.M., Panetta, F.D., Bourgoin, J., and Pullar, D. (2009). Surveillance protocols for management of invasive plants: modelling Chilean needle grass (Nassella neesiana) in Australia. Diversity and Distributions, 15: 577-589.

Fox, J.C., Buckley, Y.M., and Pullar, D. (2007). An Integrated Landscape Modelling Tool for Simulating the Dispersal Syndromes of Invasive Plants. Page 1265-1272 in Proceedings of the International Congress on Modelling and Smiulation. Christchurch, 10-13 December, 2007.

Fox, J.C., Buckley, Y.M., Panetta, F.D., and Pullar, D. (2007). Optimising surveillance for invasive plants using an Integrated Landscape Modelling Tool. Page 98 in Proceedings of the 9th International Conference on the Ecology and Management of Alien Plant Invasions. Perth, 17-21 September, 2007.

Pullar, D., Tan, J. and Fox, J.C. (2008). Using geospatial intelligence to assess the invasive threat of Chilean needle grass (Nassella neesiana). Proceedings of the 16th Australian Weeds Conference, Cairns Convention Centre. Pp 43-46.

Friedel, M., Bastin, G., Brock, C., Butler, D., Clarke, A., Eyre, T., Fox, J.C., Grice, T., van Leeuwen, S., Pitt, J., Puckey, H., and Smyth, A. (2007). Developing a research agenda for the distribution and rate of spread of buffel grass (Cenchrus ciliaris) and identification of landscapes and biodiversity assets at most risk from invasion. A report to the Department of the Environment and Water Resources. December 2007.


Conservation biology

Bekessy, S.A., Wintle, B.A., Gordon, A., Fox, J.C., Chisholm, R., Brown, B., Regan, T., Mooney, N., Read, S.M., Burgman, M.A. (2009). Modelling human impacts on the Tasmanian wedge-tailed eagle (Aquila audax fleayi). Biological Conservation, 142: 2438-2448.

Fox, J.C., Mesibov, R., McCarthy, M.A., and Burgman, M.A. (2004). Giant Velvet Worm (Tasmanipatus barretti) in Tasmania, Australia: Effects of Planned Conversion of Native Forests to Plantations. In Species Conservation and Management: Case Studies (edited by H.R. Akçakaya, M.A. Burgman, O. Kindvall, C. Wood, P. Sjögren-Gulve, J. Hatfield, and M.A. McCarthy), Oxford University Press.

Fox, J.C., Regan, T.J., Bekessy, S.A., Wintle, B.A., Brown, M.J., Meggs, J.M., Bonham, K., Mesibov, R., McCarthy, M.A., Munks, S.A., Wells, P., Brereton, R., Graham, K., Hickey, J., Turner, P., Jones, M., Brown, W.E., Mooney, N., Groves, S., Yamada, K., Burgman, M.A. (2004). Linking landscape ecology and management to population viability analysis: Part 2 – PVA for eleven forest dependent species. A report prepared by Melbourne University for Forestry Tasmania.

Burgman, M.A., Fox, J.C. (2003). Bias in species range estimates from minimum convex polygons: implications for conservation and options for improved planning. Animal Conservation, 6: 19-28. (>30 citations)


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Students

Current Students

PhD students
Cossey Keosai Yosi
Management scenarios for community forest management of cutover forest in PNG
Yadav Prasad Kandel
LiDAR Estimation of Aboveground Tree Biomass in Victorian Native Forest
Himlal Baral
Analysis of Trade-offs among Ecosystem Services from Planted Forests
Syed Moazzam Nizami
Estimation of Carbon Stocks in Subtropical Managed and Unmanaged Forests of Pakistan

Masters students
Dalia Bastyte
The value of local biodiversity to communities in Madang Province, Papua New Guinea
Heidi Zimmer
Dendrochronology for understanding tropical forest dynamics in Papua New Guinea
Muhammad Alam
Selection of suitable harvesting system and harvest planning using LiDAR and multi-spectral imagery

Honours students
Nic Vandervelden
Light, Growth and Edges in Eucalyptus regnans Forest, Victoria, Australia

 

Potential PhD projects

  • LiDAR estimation of tree hollows and other habitat elements in Victorian forests
  • Application of remote sensing technologies for assessment of biomass and carbon in tropical forests
  • Species specific modeling of carbon sequestration and growth in mixed tropical forests

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Teaching

Bachelor of Forest Science (BForSci)/Master of Forest Ecosystem Science (MFES)

Course coordinator and lecturer for 220303 & 220413: Forest Inventory (BForSci)/Forest Resource Assessment (MFES)
Course coordinator and lecturer for 220415: Sustainable Forest Management (MFES)

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Professional Memberships

Association for Tropical Biology and Conversation (ATBC)
Institute of Foresters of Australia

 

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