Professor Anthony Richardson
Professor

Anthony Richardson

Email: 
Phone: 
+61 7 3833 5958

Background

Professor Anthony J. Richardson uses mathematical, statistical, computational and spatial planning tools to investigate human impacts on our oceans - and to find solutions. Particular foci include:

  • Marine spatial planning - Where best to locate marine protected areas to minimise impacts on people, maximise ecosystem benefits, ensure they are climate-smart and connected, and enable multiple-use zoning of the ocean.
  • Developing models of marine ecosystems - How do lower trophic levels (plankton) regulate fisheries productivity and carbon sequestration, and how will these be impacted by climate change.
  • Long-term change in lower trophic levels (plankton) in the ocean. This includes both field work around Australia and global analyses.

Anthony did an undergradulate degree in Mathematics and Biology at the University of Queensland, followed by an Honours degree there. He was awarded a PhD degree from the University of Cape Town in 1998, modelling the dynamics of marine ecosystems. Since 2005, Anthony has held a joint position between UQ (School of the Environment) and CSIRO Environment. He has previously held positions at the University of Cape Town (South Africa), the University of the Western Cape (South Africa), and the Sir Alister Hardy Foundation of Ocean Science (UK).

Anthony runs a dynamic lab at the nexus between conservation science and mathematics. His focus is on using mathematical tools to better conserve biodiversity, predict impacts of climate change, and understand the functioning of marine ecosystems. If you have a background in marine ecology and are interested in applying mathematics/statistics/computational science and want to apply your skills to real-world problems, get in touch.

Availability

Professor Anthony Richardson is:
Available for supervision
Media expert

Fields of research

Agricultural, Veterinary and Food Sciences Aquaculture and fisheries stock assessment Biological Sciences Climate change impacts and adaptation Conservation and biodiversity Ecological applications Ecology Environmental Sciences Fisheries sciences Marine and estuarine ecology (incl. marine ichthyology) Natural resource management

Qualifications

  • Doctor of Philosophy, University of Cape Town

Research interests

  • Marine spatial planning: Biodiversity and conservation

    Using computational tools to better conserve biodiversity. I am particularly interested in designing marine protected areas that are climate-smart, connected, allow multiple use, and benefit people.

  • Ecosystem modelling, fisheries and climate change

    Developing marine ecosystem models that focus on the role of lower trophic levels (plankton) in productive fisheries and carbon sequestration, now and in the future under climate change.

  • Impacts of climate change on marine systems

    Using advanced statistical techniques to analyse large ecological datasets to understand the impacts of climate change and other human stresses such as ocean acidification, fishing, habitat destruction and pollution on marine systems.

Research impacts

His research is recognised internationally for significant contributions in the fields of climate change ecology, plankton ecology and marine conservation. Anthony is the author of >250 peer-reviewed papers. He enjoys teaching biostatistics and modelling. For more informaiton on my research, see my Google Scholar page https://scholar.google.com.au/citations?user=RLeJq98AAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao

I was the first to show that the timing of marine events in the ocean - such as blooms - are becoming earlier because of climate change. I have also co-led the global working group that has provided the most comprehensive synthesis of the impacts of climate change on marine systems. My work on climate impacts has been heavily cited in the IPCC 4th, 5th, and 6th Assessment Reports. Much of my work now is in marine conservation planning - how to more effectively design marine protected areas in the ocean to make them climate-smart, connected, and to benefit people. This work is through the Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science.

Search Professor Anthony Richardson’s works on UQ eSpace

269 works between 1996 and 2025
All (269) Journal Article (243) Book Chapter (17) Conference Publication (4) Other Outputs (5)

261 - 269 of 269 works

1999

Journal Article

Seasonal changes in phytoplankton biomass on the western Agulhas Bank, South Africa

Mitchell-Innes, BA, Richardson, AJ and Painting, SJ (1999). Seasonal changes in phytoplankton biomass on the western Agulhas Bank, South Africa. South African Journal of Marine Science-Suid-Afrikaanse Tydskrif Vir Seewetenskap, 21 (21), 217-233.

Seasonal changes in phytoplankton biomass on the western Agulhas Bank, South Africa

1998

Journal Article

The relative importance of food and temperature to copepod egg production and somatic growth in the southern Benguela upwelling system

Richardson, AJ and Verheye, HM (1998). The relative importance of food and temperature to copepod egg production and somatic growth in the southern Benguela upwelling system. Journal of Plankton Research, 20 (12), 2379-2399. doi: 10.1093/plankt/20.12.2379

The relative importance of food and temperature to copepod egg production and somatic growth in the southern Benguela upwelling system

1998

Journal Article

Environmental and biological monitoring for forecasting anchovy recruitment in the southern Benguela upwelling region

Painting, SJ, Hutchings, L, Huggett, JA, Korrubel, JL, Richardson, AJ and Verheye, HM (1998). Environmental and biological monitoring for forecasting anchovy recruitment in the southern Benguela upwelling region. Fisheries Oceanography, 7 (3-4), 364-374. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-2419.1998.00086.x

Environmental and biological monitoring for forecasting anchovy recruitment in the southern Benguela upwelling region

1998

Conference Publication

Long-term increase in crustacean zooplankton abundance in the southern Benguela upwelling region (1951-1996): bottom-up or top-down control?

Verheye, HM and Richardson, AJ (1998). Long-term increase in crustacean zooplankton abundance in the southern Benguela upwelling region (1951-1996): bottom-up or top-down control?. ICES Symposium on Temporal Variability of Plankton and Their Physico-Chemical Environment, Kiel Germany, Mar 19-21, 1997. LONDON: ACADEMIC PRESS LTD. doi: 10.1006/jmsc.1998.0387

Long-term increase in crustacean zooplankton abundance in the southern Benguela upwelling region (1951-1996): bottom-up or top-down control?

1998

Journal Article

Long-term trends in the abundance and community structure of coastal zooplankton in the southern Benguela system, 1951-1996

Verheye, HM, Richardson, AJ, Hutchings, L, Marska, G and Gianakouras, D (1998). Long-term trends in the abundance and community structure of coastal zooplankton in the southern Benguela system, 1951-1996. South African Journal of Marine Science-Suid-Afrikaanse Tydskrif Vir Seewetenskap, 19 (19), 317-332.

Long-term trends in the abundance and community structure of coastal zooplankton in the southern Benguela system, 1951-1996

1998

Journal Article

Multiple factors affecting South African anchovy recruitment in the spawning, transport and nursery areas

Hutchings, L, Barange, M, Bloomer, SF, Boyd, AJ, Crawford, RJM, Huggett, JA, Kerstan, M, Korrubel, JL, De Oliveira, JAA, Painting, SJ, Richardson, AJ, Shannon, LJ, Schulein, FH, Van der Lingen, CD and Verheye, HM (1998). Multiple factors affecting South African anchovy recruitment in the spawning, transport and nursery areas. South African Journal of Marine Science-Suid-Afrikaanse Tydskrif Vir Seewetenskap, 19 (19), 211-225.

Multiple factors affecting South African anchovy recruitment in the spawning, transport and nursery areas

1998

Journal Article

The effect of sea temperature and food availability on the spawning success of Cape anchovy Engraulis capensis in the southern Benguela

Richardson, AJ, Mitchell-Innes, BA, Fowler, JL, Bloomer, SF, Verheye, HM, Field, JG, Hutchings, L and Painting, SJ (1998). The effect of sea temperature and food availability on the spawning success of Cape anchovy Engraulis capensis in the southern Benguela. South African Journal of Marine Science-Suid-Afrikaanse Tydskrif Vir Seewetenskap, 19 (19), 275-290.

The effect of sea temperature and food availability on the spawning success of Cape anchovy Engraulis capensis in the southern Benguela

1997

Journal Article

Assessment of the food available to Cape anchovy during their spawning season

Richardson, AJ, Verheye, HM, Field, JG, Payne, SM and Wright, E (1997). Assessment of the food available to Cape anchovy during their spawning season. South African Journal of Marine Science-Suid-Afrikaanse Tydskrif Vir Seewetenskap, 18 (18), 113-117.

Assessment of the food available to Cape anchovy during their spawning season

1996

Journal Article

The use of sea temperature in characterizing the mesoscale heterogeneity of phytoplankton in an embayment of the southern Benguela upwelling system

Pitcher, GC, Richardson, AJ and Korrubel, JL (1996). The use of sea temperature in characterizing the mesoscale heterogeneity of phytoplankton in an embayment of the southern Benguela upwelling system. Journal of Plankton Research, 18 (5), 643-657. doi: 10.1093/plankt/18.5.643

The use of sea temperature in characterizing the mesoscale heterogeneity of phytoplankton in an embayment of the southern Benguela upwelling system

Current funding

  • 2023 - 2026
    Zooplankton: the missing link in modelling the ocean carbon cycle
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2023 - 2026
    Efficient, scalable, climate-smart marine conservation planning support
    The University of Queensland in America, Inc
    Open grant

Past funding

  • 2022 - 2024
    Spatial management reserve solutions for a Marine Protected Area (MPA) in Kong Hakons VII Hav (WSMPA Phase 2)
    Norwegian Polar Institute
    Open grant
  • 2020 - 2021
    Identification of the range of priority areas for a future Marine Protected Area (MPA) in Kong Hakons VII Hav (WSMPA Phase 2)
    Norwegian Polar Institute
    Open grant
  • 2020 - 2021
    Dispersal Modelling supporting WSMPA Phase 2
    Norwegian Polar Institute
    Open grant
  • 2019 - 2022
    The effect of blue water marine protected areas on pelagic ecosystems
    The Nature Conservancy Limited
    Open grant
  • 2019 - 2022
    Future fisheries under climate change: the missing role of zooplankton
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2018 - 2019
    4.2.6 Recommendations to maintain functioning of the Great Barrier Reef (NESP - Tropical Water Quality Hub project administered by Reef and Rainforest Research Centre)
    Reef and Rainforest Research Centre Limited
    Open grant
  • 2016 - 2020
    Connectivity and movements of large pelagic species of ecotourism value
    ARC Linkage Projects
    Open grant
  • 2015 - 2017
    Linking phytoplankton to fisheries using zooplankton size spectra (ARC Discovery Project administered by University of New South Wales)
    University of New South Wales
    Open grant
  • 2013 - 2014
    Project Manta WA - biology and ecology of manta rays in Australian waters
    Research Donation Generic
    Open grant
  • 2013 - 2015
    Climate-driven windblown dust and flood runoff can increase marine diseases by fungal pathogens (ARC Discovery Project led by University of Tasmania)
    University of Tasmania
    Open grant
  • 2013 - 2015
    Climate-driven windblown dust and flood runoff can increase marine diseases by fungal pathogens (ARC Discovery Project led by UTAS)
    Open grant
  • 2011 - 2018
    ARC Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions (CEED)
    ARC Centres of Excellence
    Open grant
  • 2011 - 2014
    An integrated examination of the drivers of movements of large filter feeding organisms of high ecotourism value: a case study
    ARC Linkage Projects
    Open grant
  • 2010 - 2011
    A laser optical plankton counter for laboratory and in-situ size distributions of zooplankton, to assess the basis and outcomes of changing ecosystems (ARC LIEF administered by UNSW)
    ARC LIEF Collaborating/Partner Organisation Contributions
    Open grant
  • 2010 - 2013
    The resilience of marine ecosystems and fisheries to climate change: exploring adaptation strategies
    ARC Future Fellowships
    Open grant
  • 2009 - 2011
    Resilience of Moreton Bay to climate change: Links between nutrient inputs and plankton dynamics
    ARC Linkage Projects
    Open grant
  • 2009 - 2012
    Biodiversity impacts and adaptation (Part of the CSIRO Flagship Collaboration Cluster - Regional adaptation to climate change - administered by Griffith University)
    Griffith University
    Open grant
  • 2008 - 2011
    Integrating climate and ecosystem models to predict climate change impacts on Australian marine systems
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant

Availability

Professor Anthony Richardson is:
Available for supervision

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Supervision history

Current supervision

Completed supervision

Enquiries

Contact Professor Anthony Richardson directly for media enquiries about:

  • Jellyfish
  • Manta rays
  • Marine life and climate change
  • Mathematics and climate change
  • Mathematics and marine science
  • Plankton

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