
Overview
Background
In 2020 I formed the Fellowship of the Spring, an international consortium of people concerned with understanding dryland springs and securing their preservation. We are about 40 people spanning 25 countries from a broad range of disciplines, who collaborate with particular attention to fostering work in countries with disadvantage. This platform, focussed on the concept of an 'oasis' provides for multi-cultural and multi-disciplinary exchange. The Felloship of the Spring has its foundation in quantitative field ecology in Queensland. I have ongoing research interest in threatened plant species assessment, and other interests relating to avoiding extinction and better managing our natural resources. I have far more ideas than capacity to fulfil them, so welcome committed post-grads to discuss potential projects.
Research themes:
Artesian springs
Artesian springs are isolated oases in a sea of arid-lands containing weird and wonderful endemic creatures including snails, crustacea, plants and fish. The springs provide a focus for research relating to their hydrological function, cultural significance conservation, optimum management and biogeographic history.
Threatened species
Applied ecology relating to the ecology of threatened species generates insights into their habitat and leads to tangible conservation outcomes.
Availability
- Professor Rod Fensham is:
- Available for supervision
Fields of research
Works
Search Professor Rod Fensham’s works on UQ eSpace
2025
Journal Article
Surface-temperature silica springs of the eastern Great Artesian Basin – Hydrogeology and hydrochemistry
Webb, J. A., Fensham, R. J. and Laffineur, B. (2025). Surface-temperature silica springs of the eastern Great Artesian Basin – Hydrogeology and hydrochemistry. Journal of Hydrology, 659 133311, 133311. doi: 10.1016/j.jhydrol.2025.133311
2025
Journal Article
Before and after aquifer development: A rare history of a large spring complex in the Great Artesian Basin, Australia
Fensham, R.J. and Laffineur, B. (2025). Before and after aquifer development: A rare history of a large spring complex in the Great Artesian Basin, Australia. Journal of Hydrology, 661 133726, 133726. doi: 10.1016/j.jhydrol.2025.133726
2025
Journal Article
Spatially variable recruitment response to fire severity in golden-top wattle (Acacia mariae, family: Fabaceae), a thicket-forming shrub of semi-arid forests
Wright, Boyd R., Andrew, Damien D., Hewins, Michael, Hewitt, Claire and Fensham, Roderick J. (2025). Spatially variable recruitment response to fire severity in golden-top wattle (Acacia mariae, family: Fabaceae), a thicket-forming shrub of semi-arid forests. Australian Journal of Botany, 73 (1). doi: 10.1071/bt24023
2025
Book Chapter
Groundwater: An Important Resource of Urban Water Supply in Libya
Hamad, Salah and Fensham, Rod (2025). Groundwater: An Important Resource of Urban Water Supply in Libya. Springer Water. (pp. 41-66) Cham: Springer Nature Switzerland. doi: 10.1007/978-3-031-80920-0_3
2024
Journal Article
Unsafe havens: the meaning and use of springs in the central region of Afar province in Ethiopia
Fensham, Roderick, Bil’a, Ali Ahmed, Idris, Adem Mohammed, Gebrehiwot, Kflay, Fetahi, Tadesse and Estifanos, Getacher Beyene (2024). Unsafe havens: the meaning and use of springs in the central region of Afar province in Ethiopia. Water, 16 (24) 3698. doi: 10.3390/w16243698
2024
Journal Article
The fire environment of five Australian cities
Fensham, R. J., Dowdy, A., Grice, Z. C. and Laffineur, B. (2024). The fire environment of five Australian cities. Natural Hazards, 121 (5). doi: 10.1007/s11069-024-06975-6
2024
Journal Article
Springs of the Arabian Desert: hydrogeology and hydrochemistry of Abu Jir Springs, Central Iraq
Webb, John A., Jotheri, Jaafar and Fensham, Rod J. (2024). Springs of the Arabian Desert: hydrogeology and hydrochemistry of Abu Jir Springs, Central Iraq. Water, 16 (17) 2491, 1-18. doi: 10.3390/w16172491
2024
Journal Article
The cultural ecohydrogeology of Mediterranean-climate springs: a global review with case studies
Pascual, Roger, Piana, Lucia, Bhat, Sami Ullah, Castro, Pedro Fidel, Corbera, Jordi, Cummings, Dion, Delgado, Cristina, Eades, Eugene, Fensham, Roderick J., Fernández-Martínez, Marcos, Ferreira, Verónica, Filippini, Maria, García, Guillermo, Gargini, Alessandro, Hopper, Stephen D., Knapp, Lynette, Lewis, Ian D., Peñuelas, Josep, Preece, Catherine, Resh, Vincent H., Romero, Estela, Samraoui, Boudjéma, Samraoui, Farrah, Segadelli, Stefano, Skoulikidis, Nikolaos Th., Solak, Cüneyt N., Solé, Jaume, Villholth, Karen G., Wani, Huma Khurshid ... Stevens, Lawrence E. (2024). The cultural ecohydrogeology of Mediterranean-climate springs: a global review with case studies. Environments, 11 (6) 110. doi: 10.3390/environments11060110
2024
Journal Article
Surface water catchment deformation-toward a conceptual model: the case study of Zarqa river catchment, Jordan
Odeh, Taleb, Mohammad, Alsharifa Hind, Fensham, Rod and Webb, John (2024). Surface water catchment deformation-toward a conceptual model: the case study of Zarqa river catchment, Jordan. Environmental Earth Sciences, 83 (9) 268, 1-12. doi: 10.1007/s12665-024-11577-3
2024
Journal Article
Australian human-induced native forest regeneration carbon offset projects have limited impact on changes in woody vegetation cover and carbon removals
Macintosh, Andrew, Butler, Don, Larraondo, Pablo, Evans, Megan C., Ansell, Dean, Waschka, Marie, Fensham, Rod, Eldridge, David, Lindenmayer, David, Gibbons, Philip and Summerfield, Paul (2024). Australian human-induced native forest regeneration carbon offset projects have limited impact on changes in woody vegetation cover and carbon removals. Communications Earth and Environment, 5 (1) 149, 1-11. doi: 10.1038/s43247-024-01313-x
2024
Journal Article
Fuel dynamics and rarity of fire weather reinforce coexistence of rainforest and wet sclerophyll forest
Fensham, R. J., Laffineur, B. and Browning, O. (2024). Fuel dynamics and rarity of fire weather reinforce coexistence of rainforest and wet sclerophyll forest. Forest Ecology and Management, 553 121598, 1-10. doi: 10.1016/j.foreco.2023.121598
2024
Journal Article
Evaluating groundwater storage variations in Afghanistan using GRACE, GLDAS, and in-situ measurements
Jawadi, Hussain Ali, Farahmand, Asadullah, Fensham, Roderick and Patel, Nilanchal (2024). Evaluating groundwater storage variations in Afghanistan using GRACE, GLDAS, and in-situ measurements. Modeling Earth Systems and Environment, 10 (4), 5669-5685. doi: 10.1007/s40808-024-02084-2
2023
Journal Article
The secret life of oases
Fensham, Rod (2023). The secret life of oases. New Scientist, 260 (3464), 40-43. doi: 10.1016/S0262-4079(23)02106-1
2023
Journal Article
Fellowship of the Spring: an initiative to document and protect the world's oases
Fensham, Roderick J., Adinehvand, Rouhollah, Babidge, Sally, Cantonati, Marco, Currell, Matthew, Daniele, Linda, Elci, Alper, Galassi, Diana M. P., de la Hera Portillo, África, Hamad, Salah, Han, Dongmei, Jawadi, Hussain Ali, Jotheri, Jaafar, Laffineur, Boris, Mohammad, Alsharifa Hind, Naqinezhad, Alireza, Navidtalab, Amin, Nicoll, Kathleen, Odeh, Taleb, Re, Viviana, Sanjuan, Bernard, Souza, Valeria, Stevens, Lawrence E., Tekere, Memory, Tshibalo, Ernest, Silcock, Jennifer, Webb, John, van Wyk, Braam, Zamanpoore, Mehrdad and Villholth, Karen G. (2023). Fellowship of the Spring: an initiative to document and protect the world's oases. Science of The Total Environment, 887 163936, 163936. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.163936
2023
Journal Article
Extraordinary concentrations of local endemism associated with arid-land springs
Fensham, Roderick J., Ponder, Winston F., Souza, Valeria and Stevens, Lawrence E. (2023). Extraordinary concentrations of local endemism associated with arid-land springs. Frontiers in Environmental Science, 11 1143378, 1-13. doi: 10.3389/fenvs.2023.1143378
2023
Conference Publication
Advances in the Knowledge of Las Loras UNESCO Global Geopark in the Framework of the UNESCO IGCP-730 Project
de la Hera-Portillo, África, Chamizo-Borreguero, Manuela, Ghanem, Marwan, López-Gutiérrez, Julio, Moreno-Merino, Luis, Sánchez-Fabián, Jose Ángel, Salman, Karmah, Laftouhi, Nour-Eddine, Fensham, Rod, Mohammad, Alsharifa Hind, Rodríguez, Elena Galindo, Lledó, Mª Mar Corral, Choulli, Badia and Abdel-Gawad, Fagr Kh. (2023). Advances in the Knowledge of Las Loras UNESCO Global Geopark in the Framework of the UNESCO IGCP-730 Project. 7th International Electronic Conference on Water Sciences, Online, 15-30 March 2023. Basel, Switzerland: MDPI. doi: 10.3390/ecws-7-14313
2023
Journal Article
The ‘lawnification’ of Australia’s eastern grassy woodlands: the past, current and likely future spread of an invasive perennial grass, Bothriochloa pertusa
Lebbink, Gabrielle and Fensham, Rod (2023). The ‘lawnification’ of Australia’s eastern grassy woodlands: the past, current and likely future spread of an invasive perennial grass, Bothriochloa pertusa. Biological Invasions, 25 (6), 1779-1794. doi: 10.1007/s10530-023-03010-w
2023
Journal Article
Geodiversity of Las Loras UNESCO Global Geopark: hydrogeological significance of groundwater and landscape interaction and conceptual model of functioning
de la Hera-Portillo, África, López-Gutiérrez, Julio, Moreno-Merino, Luis, Llorente-Isidro, Miguel, Fensham, Rod, Fernández, Mario, Ghanem, Marwan, Salman, Karmah, Sánchez-Fabián, Jose Ángel, Gallego-Rojas, Nicolás, Corral, Mª Mar, Galindo, Elena, Chamizo-Borreguero, Manuela and Laftouhi, Nour-Eddine (2023). Geodiversity of Las Loras UNESCO Global Geopark: hydrogeological significance of groundwater and landscape interaction and conceptual model of functioning. Resources, 12 (1) 14, 1-32. doi: 10.3390/resources12010014
2022
Journal Article
The ecology, evolution and management of mast reproduction in Australian plants
Wright, Boyd R., Franklin, Donald C. and Fensham, Roderick J. (2022). The ecology, evolution and management of mast reproduction in Australian plants. Australian Journal of Botany, 70 (8), 509-530. doi: 10.1071/bt22043
2022
Journal Article
Response of spring wetlands to restored aquifer pressure in the Great Artesian Basin, Australia
Fensham, R. J. and Laffineur, B. (2022). Response of spring wetlands to restored aquifer pressure in the Great Artesian Basin, Australia. Journal of Hydrology, 612 128152, 1-8. doi: 10.1016/j.jhydrol.2022.128152
Funding
Current funding
Supervision
Availability
- Professor Rod Fensham is:
- Available for supervision
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Supervision history
Current supervision
-
Doctor Philosophy
The Microneurae group of the genus Acacia Mill. (Fabaceae Lindl., A. sect. Plurinerves): phylogenetics and species delimitation
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Lyn Cook
Completed supervision
-
2024
Doctor Philosophy
Systematics of Eriocaulon L. (Eriocaulaceae Martinov.) in Australasia - phylogenomics, historical biogeography, and landscape genomics
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Lyn Cook
-
2023
Doctor Philosophy
Restoration of Australian Subtropical Grasslands
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr John Dwyer
-
2021
Doctor Philosophy
Factors determining the spread and impact of the exotic grass indian couch (Bothriochloa pertusa) into native ecosystems
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr John Dwyer
-
2015
Doctor Philosophy
Degraded or just dusty?: 150 years of ecological change in inland eastern Australia
Principal Advisor
-
2025
Doctor Philosophy
Boom, bust or persist? Mapping resource availability over time to support conservation management in the low-predictability, heterogeneous drylands of Australia
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Stuart Phinn
-
2025
Doctor Philosophy
The Botanic Practice of Frederick Manson Bailey: Science through a Historical Lens
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Geoff Ginn
-
2018
Doctor Philosophy
The ecology of narrow-range endemic macro-invertebrates of Great Artesian Basin springs
Associate Advisor
-
2015
Master Philosophy
Evaluating the rarity and history of population of the endangered Australian endemic plant Trioncinia retroflexa (Asteraceae): potential consequences for management and conservation
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Daniel Ortiz-Barrientos
-
2013
Doctor Philosophy
Exotic pasture grass invasion in fragmented ecosystems: a Brigalow case study
Associate Advisor
-
2010
Doctor Philosophy
Dynamics of tree growth and mortality and implications for restoration and carbon sequestration in Australian agricultural landscapes
Associate Advisor
-
2007
Doctor Philosophy
CULTURAL LANDSCAPES: A HISTORY AND ANALYSIS OF THE DRIVERS OF LANDSCAPE CHANGE IN THE SOUTHERN BRIGALOW BELT, QUEENSLAND, 1840-2004
Associate Advisor
Media
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