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Dr Lorna Hernandez Santin
Dr

Lorna Hernandez Santin

Email: 
Phone: 
+61 7 334 64046

Overview

Background

Lorna joined SMI-CMLR in 2017. At the beginning of her career at SMI, she focused mostly on the project regarding the restoration of Ranger Uranium Mine. As her career has progressed and the demands of Ranger’s project have decreased, she started to become involved in a wider range of projects mostly dealing with different aspects of environmental monitoring through remote sensing. Funding for projects at SMI has been provided by the government at state and federal levels, as well as research institutes, mining companies, and consortiums between industry and research organisations (e.g. SartSat-CRC, CRC-TiME). She has also continued to build on and expand her PhD research through collaborations and short projects.

During her PhD in ecology (UQ; 2017), Lorna looked into the ecology of the northern quoll (Dasyurus hallucatus) to assess potential aspects driving the range contraction of this endangered species. These aspects included top-down (predators) and bottom-up (habitat quality and prey availability) pressures, population dynamics of northern quolls –through live-trapping–, and interactions with other dasyurid species. This research was funded by ARC, scholarships awarded (CONACYT and UQ), grants (Holsworth, NESP), and in-kind funding (DPaW). Before graduating, Lorna held a research assistant position with the Quantitative Applied Spatial Ecology Group at QUT, where she worked with drone derived data over the course of three months.

Lorna obtained a B.Sc. in Biology (UDLAP in Puebla, Mexico; 2004), where she conducted a thesis (honours equivalent) looking at the spatial and temporal distribution of avifauna in urban areas. Then, while conducting her M.Sc. in Range and Wildlife Management (SRSU in Texas, USA; 2008), Lorna explored the home range and movement rates of jaguars (Panthera onca) in agricultural and protected areas of northern Paraguay and monitored mesocarnivores in Big Bend National Park (Texas). She also worked on projects monitoring avifauna as indicators of restoration success, monitoring home ranges of grey foxes (Urocyon cinereoargenteus), tutored “GIS and Remote Sensing”, and started a role as research assistant that continued after graduation. The latter was to develop habitat suitability models for mountain lions (Puma concolor) and black bears (Ursus americanus).

Availability

Dr Lorna Hernandez Santin is:
Available for supervision

Qualifications

  • Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Queensland

Research impacts

Lorna is an ecologist and spatial scientist who focuses on minimising human impacts on the environment and its species at different scales, mostly through GIS and remote sensing tools (e.g. data obtained from camera-trapping, telemetry, maps, drones, and/or satellites –among others).

Lorna’s research focus includes:

  • Restoration ecology and mine-rehabilitation with aim to obtain positive outcomes for biodiversity.
  • Measuring mine-rehabilitation success through remote sensing and fieldwork (including understanding the relationship between them) and improving current practices to achieve positive outcomes. For example:
  • Broader ecological and conservation aspects, often aiming to minimise anthropogenic impacts on the environment. This work has had a strong fauna focus, with an expertise in carnivores. Through this research, Lorna has explored habitat suitability, species distributions, habitat quality, resource availability, habitat use, population dynamics, movement rates, activity patters, communities, and species interactions of native and introduced species in varied ecosystem types (including urban areas) across the world.

Works

Search Professor Lorna Hernandez Santin’s works on UQ eSpace

45 works between 2007 and 2024

1 - 20 of 45 works

2024

Journal Article

Mining in the nature-positive era

Hernandez-Santin, Lorna (2024, 09 08). Mining in the nature-positive era Mining Magazine 40-43.

Mining in the nature-positive era

2024

Journal Article

High post-sex survival of the world's largest semelparous mammal

Cowan, Mitchell A., Dunlop, Judy A., Hernandez-Santin, Lorna, Heidrich, Astrid, Knuckey, Chris G. and Nimmo, Dale G. (2024). High post-sex survival of the world's largest semelparous mammal. Austral Ecology, 49 (9) e13595. doi: 10.1111/aec.13595

High post-sex survival of the world's largest semelparous mammal

2024

Journal Article

Setting restorative goals with a regional outlook: Mine-rehabilitation outcomes influence landscape connectivity

Hernandez-Santin, Lorna, Gagen, Emma J. and Erskine, Peter D. (2024). Setting restorative goals with a regional outlook: Mine-rehabilitation outcomes influence landscape connectivity. Journal of Environmental Management, 357 120778, 1-12. doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.120778

Setting restorative goals with a regional outlook: Mine-rehabilitation outcomes influence landscape connectivity

2024

Other Outputs

An assessment of Rehabilitation Report Card data for Cerrejón, Colombia – Phase I

Hernandez-Santin, L. and Erskine, P. D. (2024). An assessment of Rehabilitation Report Card data for Cerrejón, Colombia – Phase I. Brisbane, QLD Australia: University of Queensland.

An assessment of Rehabilitation Report Card data for Cerrejón, Colombia – Phase I

Featured

2023

Conference Publication

Complex Orebodies Analysis: A Multidisciplinary Application to the Izok Lake Corridor Project in the Canadian Arctic

Micklethwaite, S., Verster, I., Seligmann, B.J., Antonio, C., Hilden, M., Hernandez-Santin, L., Ghoreishi-Madiseh, S.A., Kuyuk, A., Kalantari, H.B., Sasmito, A.P., Cote, C., Ziemski, M., Car, M., Lamb, A., Erskine, P., Runge, K. and Valenta, R.K. (2023). Complex Orebodies Analysis: A Multidisciplinary Application to the Izok Lake Corridor Project in the Canadian Arctic. 26th World Mining Congress, Brisbane, QLD Australia, 26-29 June 2023. Brisbane, QLD Australia: 26th World Mining Congress.

Complex Orebodies Analysis: A Multidisciplinary Application to the Izok Lake Corridor Project in the Canadian Arctic

2023

Conference Publication

Integration will take you forward: causal networks as a new approach to address inherent problems with risk management practice in mining organisations

Seligmann, B.J., Micklethwaite, S., Forbes, G., Lin, Y., Trendle, J., Bowdidge-Calvert, C., Verster, I., Antonio, C., Ziemski, M. and Hernandez-Santin, L. (2023). Integration will take you forward: causal networks as a new approach to address inherent problems with risk management practice in mining organisations. 26th World Mining Congress, Brisbane, QLD Australia, 26-29 June 2023. Brisbane, QLD Australia: 26th World Mining Congress.

Integration will take you forward: causal networks as a new approach to address inherent problems with risk management practice in mining organisations

2023

Other Outputs

What is the best current sensor/method for each rehabilitation metric at Newlands?

Lorna Hernandez Santin and Peter Erskine (2023). What is the best current sensor/method for each rehabilitation metric at Newlands?. St. Lucia: SMI.

What is the best current sensor/method for each rehabilitation metric at Newlands?

2023

Other Outputs

Design of Activities for the Investigation of Ngadju Salt Lake Systems

Chrystal, Robynne, McIntyre, Neil, Bolz, Pascal, Edraki, Mansour, Worden, Sandy, Holcombe, Sarah, Barnes, Rodger and Hernandez Santin, Lorna (2023). Design of Activities for the Investigation of Ngadju Salt Lake Systems. Brisbane, Australia: Sustainable Minerals Institute, The University of Queensland.

Design of Activities for the Investigation of Ngadju Salt Lake Systems

2023

Journal Article

Measuring and monitoring restored ecosystems: can remote sensing be applied to the ecological recovery wheel to inform restoration success?

McKenna, Phillip B., Lechner, Alex M., Hernandez Santin, Lorna, Phinn, Stuart and Erskine, Peter D. (2023). Measuring and monitoring restored ecosystems: can remote sensing be applied to the ecological recovery wheel to inform restoration success?. Restoration Ecology, 31 (1) e13724. doi: 10.1111/rec.13724

Measuring and monitoring restored ecosystems: can remote sensing be applied to the ecological recovery wheel to inform restoration success?

2022

Other Outputs

Mapping biodiversity corridors and mine rehabilitation opportunities in the Fitzroy Basin

Hernandez-Santin, Lorna, Gagen, Emma J. and Erskine, Peter D. (2022). Mapping biodiversity corridors and mine rehabilitation opportunities in the Fitzroy Basin. Brisbane, Australia: The University of Queensland.

Mapping biodiversity corridors and mine rehabilitation opportunities in the Fitzroy Basin

2022

Journal Article

Non-preferred habitat increases the activity area of the endangered northern quoll (Dasyurus hallucatus) in a semi-arid landscape

Cowan, M. A., Moore, H. A., Hradsky, B. A., Jolly, C. J., Dunlop, J. A., Wysong, M. L., Hernandez-Santin, L., Davis, R. A., Fisher, D. O., Michael, D. R., Turner, J. M., Gibson, L. A., Knuckey, C. G., Henderson, M. and Nimmo, D. G. (2022). Non-preferred habitat increases the activity area of the endangered northern quoll (Dasyurus hallucatus) in a semi-arid landscape. Australian Mammalogy, 45 (2), 138-150. doi: 10.1071/am22006

Non-preferred habitat increases the activity area of the endangered northern quoll (Dasyurus hallucatus) in a semi-arid landscape

2022

Journal Article

Northern quolls in the Pilbara persist in high‐quality habitat, despite a decline trajectory consistent with range eclipse by feral cats

Hernandez‐Santin, Lorna, Goldizen, Anne W. and Fisher, Diana O. (2022). Northern quolls in the Pilbara persist in high‐quality habitat, despite a decline trajectory consistent with range eclipse by feral cats. Conservation Science and Practice, 4 (8) e12733, 1-13. doi: 10.1111/csp2.12733

Northern quolls in the Pilbara persist in high‐quality habitat, despite a decline trajectory consistent with range eclipse by feral cats

2022

Other Outputs

A roadmap for adapting to technological change in remote sensing and monitoring capabilities

Hernandez-Santin, Lorna, Erskine, Peter D. and Bartolo, Renee E. (2022). A roadmap for adapting to technological change in remote sensing and monitoring capabilities. Brisbane, QLD, Australia: CRC TiME.

A roadmap for adapting to technological change in remote sensing and monitoring capabilities

2022

Other Outputs

Data relating to the Complex Orebodies Review of the Izok Lake Corridor Project (Izok-Dataroom-UQ)

Micklethwaite, Steven, Verster, Lizette, Antonio, Christian, Ziemski, Marcin, Hilden, Marco, Ghoreishi-Madiseh, Ali, Kuyuk, Ali, Kalantari, Hossein, Sasmito, Agus, Hernandez-Santin, Lorna, Erskine, Peter, Cote, Claire, Lebre, Eleanor and Seligman, Benjamin (2022). Data relating to the Complex Orebodies Review of the Izok Lake Corridor Project (Izok-Dataroom-UQ). The University of Queensland. (Dataset) doi: 10.48610/9a95ed5

Data relating to the Complex Orebodies Review of the Izok Lake Corridor Project (Izok-Dataroom-UQ)

2022

Journal Article

Community structure of dasyurid marsupials in the arid Pilbara is consistent with a top-down system, their distribution and abundance depend on that of larger members of the guild

Hernandez-Santin, Lorna and Fisher, Diana O. (2022). Community structure of dasyurid marsupials in the arid Pilbara is consistent with a top-down system, their distribution and abundance depend on that of larger members of the guild. Journal of Arid Environments, 198 104680, 104680. doi: 10.1016/j.jaridenv.2021.104680

Community structure of dasyurid marsupials in the arid Pilbara is consistent with a top-down system, their distribution and abundance depend on that of larger members of the guild

2021

Other Outputs

Detection of weed species using high-resolution drone imagery: phase II draft report for Ensham Mine

Erskine, Peter, McKenna, Phillip, Hernandez-Santin, Lorna and Ufer, Natasha (2021). Detection of weed species using high-resolution drone imagery: phase II draft report for Ensham Mine. Brisbane, QLD Australia: The University of Queesnland.

Detection of weed species using high-resolution drone imagery: phase II draft report for Ensham Mine

2021

Other Outputs

Review of Terrestrial Baseline Report: Sub-report on wildlife impacts

Hernandez-Santin, Lorna and Erskine, Peter D. (2021). Review of Terrestrial Baseline Report: Sub-report on wildlife impacts. Complex Orebodies Review of the Izok Lake Corridor Project Brisbane, QLD, Australia: The University of Queensland.

Review of Terrestrial Baseline Report: Sub-report on wildlife impacts

2021

Other Outputs

Sustainability indicators: summaries of peer-reviewed papers read

Hernandez-Santin, Lorna (2021). Sustainability indicators: summaries of peer-reviewed papers read. Sustainability indicators Brisbane, QLD Australia: The University of Queensland.

Sustainability indicators: summaries of peer-reviewed papers read

2021

Other Outputs

Plot size does matter in vegetation assessments of savanna ecosystems

Hernandez-Santin, Lorna and Erskine, Peter D. (2021). Plot size does matter in vegetation assessments of savanna ecosystems. Brisbane, QLD Australia: The University of Queensland.

Plot size does matter in vegetation assessments of savanna ecosystems

2021

Journal Article

Reference site selection protocols for mine site ecosystem restoration

Hernandez‐Santin, Lorna, Rudge, Mitchel L., Bartolo, Renee E., Whiteside, Timothy G. and Erskine, Peter D. (2021). Reference site selection protocols for mine site ecosystem restoration. Restoration Ecology, 29 (1) rec.13278. doi: 10.1111/rec.13278

Reference site selection protocols for mine site ecosystem restoration

Funding

Current funding

  • 2024 - 2027
    Optimising future copper production in the NW Mineral Province -Stage 1 scoping
    Queensland Department of Resources
    Open grant
  • 2023 - 2026
    Rehabilitation Options for Ponded Areas Due to Longwall Coal Mining
    Australian Coal Association Research Program
    Open grant
  • 2022 - 2025
    High-resolution monitoring of Newlands and Collinsville mine rehabilitation
    NC Coal Company Pty Ltd
    Open grant

Past funding

  • 2021
    Knowledge gaps and opportunities for earth observation tools in mine-rehabilitation at the property scale
    SmartSat CRC
    Open grant
  • 2021
    A Complex Orebodies Review of the Izok Lake Corridor Project (304MMGIZOK)
    MMG Australia Limited
    Open grant
  • 2020 - 2021
    Transforming disparate approaches to remote sensing and monitoring to industry best practice (CRC TiME project administered by Dept Agriculture Water and the Environment)
    CRC TIME Limited
    Open grant
  • 2019 - 2023
    Provision of services and advice for ecosystem establishment and landform studies
    Commonwealth Department of the Environment and Energy
    Open grant

Supervision

Availability

Dr Lorna Hernandez Santin is:
Available for supervision

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Media

Enquiries

For media enquiries about Dr Lorna Hernandez Santin's areas of expertise, story ideas and help finding experts, contact our Media team:

communications@uq.edu.au