Overview
Background
Dr. Vilim Filipović’s area of interest are in environmental soil science and ecohydrology with expertise in soil physical processes, vadose zone hydrology, contaminant/nutrient transport, and numerical modelling. His research explores the complex interactions between soil, water, and contaminants/nutrients, with applications in environmental sustainability, agricultural resilience, and mine rehabilitation. By integrating long-term field monitoring, experimental research, and computational modelling, his work assesses environmental pressures and evaluates management strategies for soil and water resources.
Dr. Filipović obtained his PhD in Environmental Soil Science and Hydrology from the University of Zagreb, Croatia. He has held academic and research positions in Europe and Australia, and still currently holds an Adjunct Associate Professor position at the University of Zagreb. In 2022, he joined The University of Queensland, where he contributes to research and teaching in environmental soil science, vadose zone ecohydrology, and numerical modelling.
With an extensive international network, Dr. Filipović has led numerous national and international research projects on soil-plant-atmosphere interactions, preferential flow, and contaminant fate in soil systems. His research collaborations span institutions in Australia, Europe, and North America, and he has been a visiting scholar at CSIRO (Australia), SLU (Sweden), Penn State University, University of California, University of Florida (USA), BOKU (Austria), and ZALF (Germany), among others.
At UQ, Dr. Filipović plays an active role in undergraduate and postgraduate education, employing a research-led teaching approach in environmental soil science. He coordinates and lectures in key courses, including LAND2003, AGRC7053, LAND3005, and GEOS1100, emphasizing hands-on field and laboratory experiences, active learning methodologies, and the integration of cutting-edge research into student learning.
Dr. Filipović is a recognized leader in his field, serving as an Associate Editor for the Soil Science Society of America Journal, Vadose Zone Journal and Applied Soil Ecology. His contributions have been acknowledged with prestigious awards, including the Soil Science Society of America Early Career Award (2019) Visiting Fellowship at the Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (2021) in Germany and CRC TiME Award winner for Outstanding Research Communication award (2024), among other recognitions.
Dr. Filipović has held significant leadership roles, including Head of Department at the University of Zagreb, leadership of a Critical Zone Observatory, panel membership for national science foundations, curriculum development, and various committee positions. His work continues to contribute to advancing soil science research, education, and environmental management on national and international scale.
Research Interests
- Environmental sciences and agroecology
- Preferential flow and non-equilibrium transport processes in heterogeneous soils
- Fate of contaminants in soil (i.e., nutrients, pesticides, trace metals, pharmaceuticals)
- Vadose (critical) zone processes
- Soil physics and hydrology
- Soil hydraulic properties estimation
Teaching
- LAND2003 The Soil Environment (coordinator)
- LAND3005 Soil Plant Relationships
- AGRC7053 Sustainable Soil Management (coordinator)
- GEOS1100 Environment & Society
Availability
- Dr Vilim Filipović is:
- Available for supervision
Fields of research
Research interests
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Soil Hydraulic Properties and Their Role in Ecosystem Functions
Soil water dynamics influence biogeochemical cycling, plant water uptake, contaminant mobility, and ecosystem resilience. Understanding soil hydraulic properties is essential for predicting water movement in natural and managed landscapes and agroecosystems. Dr. Filipović’s research advances methodologies for estimating soil hydraulic properties using in-field, laboratory, and inverse numerical approaches, with applications in environmental monitoring, land rehabilitation, and ecosystem restoration.
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Transport Processes in the Soil-Plant-Atmosphere Continuum
The vadose zone acts as a critical interface regulating water and solute fluxes across soil, vegetation, and the atmosphere. Dr. Filipović investigates how preferential flow and non-equilibrium transport processes affect water availability, contaminant movement, and ecosystem sustainability. His research employs cutting-edge techniques such as displacement soil cores, lysimeter experiments, CT imaging, and in-situ monitoring to enhance the understanding of water and solute fluxes in structured soils.
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Numerical Modelling of Water Flow and Solute Transport in Heterogeneous Soils
Numerical modelling is an essential tool for predicting the effects of environmental change and land management strategies on soil-water interactions and transport of various contaminants or nutrients. Dr. Filipović applies advanced numerical models (e.g., HYDRUS suite) to simulate water flow and solute transport (i.e., nutrients, pesticides, trace metals, pharmaceuticals) in one-, two-, and three-dimensional porous media. His work emphasizes preferential flow and non-uniform solute transport in structured soils, contributing to improved environmental risk assessments and more sustainable land-use practices.
Research impacts
Soil, particularly the vadose (critical) zone, is a key component of terrestrial ecosystems, regulating water flow, solute transport, and biogeochemical cycling. As global environmental pressures intensify, there is an urgent need to enhance our understanding of soil-water-atmosphere interactions to mitigate pollution, support water security, soil health, and promote ecosystem resilience.
Dr. Filipović’s research is dedicated to understanding the transport processes within the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum, with an emphasis on reducing environmental pressures on soil and water resources. His work integrates advanced soil monitoring techniques and numerical modeling approaches to address key challenges in soil water dynamics, preferential flow, contaminant fate, mine rehabilitation ecohydrology, and ecosystem restoration. His research spans large-scale field experiments, lysimeter studies, glasshouse trials, and laboratory investigations, with a particular focus on numerical modeling of soil-water processes.
Through national and international research initiatives, Dr. Filipović contributes to sustainable environmental management and land-use strategies that minimize contamination risks and support ecosystem services.
Works
Search Professor Vilim Filipović’s works on UQ eSpace
2022
Conference Publication
Soil hydraulic properties and water flow estimation using uni- and bimodal porosity models in erosion-affected hillslope
Filipović, Vilim, Defterdarović, Jasmina, Krevh, Vedran, Filipović, Lana, Magdić, Ivan, He, Hailong, Haghverdi, Amir and Gerke, Horst H. (2022). Soil hydraulic properties and water flow estimation using uni- and bimodal porosity models in erosion-affected hillslope. EGU General Assembly 2022, Vienna, Austria, 23–27 May 2022. doi: 10.5194/egusphere-egu22-8062
2022
Conference Publication
Identification and quantification of arable hillslope transport processes e.g. preferential flow using soil column study
Defterdarović, Jasmina, Krevh, Vedran, Filipović, Lana, Kovač, Zoran and Filipović, Vilim (2022). Identification and quantification of arable hillslope transport processes e.g. preferential flow using soil column study. 2022 SSSA International Annual Meeting, Baltimore, MD, United States, 6–9 November 2022.
2022
Conference Publication
Determination of water flow on the arable hillslope soil using infiltration measurements and dye tracer
Defterdarović, Jasmina, Krevh, Vedran, Han, Luka, Filipović, Lana and Filipović, Vilim (2022). Determination of water flow on the arable hillslope soil using infiltration measurements and dye tracer. 14th Congress of the Croatian Society of Soil Science, Sveti Martin na Muri, Croatia, 12–16 September 2022.
2022
Conference Publication
Linking lysimeter and field sensor data to investigate water flow in a heterogeneous setting at the SUPREHILL vadose zone observatory
Krevh, Vedran, Defterdarović, Jasmina, Han, Luka, Filipović, Lana, Kovač, Zoran, Groh, Jannis, He, Hailong and Filipović, Vilim (2022). Linking lysimeter and field sensor data to investigate water flow in a heterogeneous setting at the SUPREHILL vadose zone observatory. EGU General Assembly 2022, Vienna, Austria, 23–27 May 2022. doi: 10.5194/egusphere-egu22-5968
2022
Conference Publication
Estimation of soil hydraulic properties and preferential flow at agricultural hillslope under controlled conditions
Defterdarović, Jasmina, Filipović, Lana, Kovač, Zoran, Krevh, Vedran, Han, Luka, Kodešová, Radka, Gerke, Horst H. and Filipović, Vilim (2022). Estimation of soil hydraulic properties and preferential flow at agricultural hillslope under controlled conditions. EGU General Assembly 2022, Vienna, Austria and online, 23–27 May 2022. doi: 10.5194/egusphere-egu22-7218
2022
Conference Publication
Using the dual porosity approach to quantify non-uniform fluxes for the estimation of hydrological and stability performance of sloped covers over coal
Baumgartl, Thomas, Shao, Qi and Filipović, Vilim (2022). Using the dual porosity approach to quantify non-uniform fluxes for the estimation of hydrological and stability performance of sloped covers over coal. EGU General Assembly 2022, Vienna, Austria, 23–27 May 2022. doi: 10.5194/egusphere-egu22-10859
2022
Conference Publication
Investigation of surface and subsurface water runoff on a hillslope vineyard using TDR and soil-water collection instrument
Krevh, Vedran, Filipović, Lana, Kovač, Zoran, Bogunović, Ivan, Mustać, Ivan, Defterdarović, Jasmina, Han, Luka and Filipović, Vilim (2022). Investigation of surface and subsurface water runoff on a hillslope vineyard using TDR and soil-water collection instrument. 14th Congress of the Croatian Society of Soil Science, Sveti Martin na Muri, Croatia, 12–16 September 2022.
2022
Conference Publication
Quantifying environmental processes and pressures in soil–plant–atmosphere nexus
Filipović, Vilim and Baumgartl, Thomas (2022). Quantifying environmental processes and pressures in soil–plant–atmosphere nexus. 19th Biennial Conference of the Australian & New Zealand Associations of von Humboldt Fellows, Geelong, VIC, Australia, 18 – 20 November 2022.
2022
Conference Publication
Chemical quality of leachates from wick lysimeters installed at SUPREHILL Hillslope Observatory – First results
Han, Luka, Defterdarović, Jasmina, Krevh, Vedran, Filipović, Vilim, Kovač, Zoran and Filipović, Lana (2022). Chemical quality of leachates from wick lysimeters installed at SUPREHILL Hillslope Observatory – First results. 14th Congress of the Croatian Society of Soil Science, Sveti Martin na Muri, Croatia, 12–16 September 2022.
2022
Journal Article
Utilizing stable water isotopes (δ2H and δ18O) to study soil-water origin in a sloped vineyard: first results Korištenje stabilnih izotopa vode (δ2H i δ18O) za proučavanje podrijetla vode u tlu padinskoga vinograda: prvi rezultati
Kovač, Zoran, Krevh, Vedran, Filipović, Lana, Defterdarović, Jasmina, Buškulić, Patricia, Han, Luka and Filipović, Vilim (2022). Utilizing stable water isotopes (δ2H and δ18O) to study soil-water origin in a sloped vineyard: first results Korištenje stabilnih izotopa vode (δ2H i δ18O) za proučavanje podrijetla vode u tlu padinskoga vinograda: prvi rezultati. Rudarsko Geolosko Naftni Zbornik, 37 (3), 1-14. doi: 10.17794/rgn.2022.3.1
2021
Journal Article
Estimation of stagnosol hydraulic properties and water flow using uni-and bimodal porosity models in erosion-affected hillslope vineyard soils
Filipović, Vilim, Defterdarović, Jasmina, Krevh, Vedran, Filipović, Lana, Ondrašek, Gabrijel, Kranjčec, Filip, Magdić, Ivan, Rubinić, Vedran, Stipičević, Sanja, Mustać, Ivan, Kovačić, Marina Bubalo, He, Hailong, Haghverdi, Amir and Gerke, Horst H. (2021). Estimation of stagnosol hydraulic properties and water flow using uni-and bimodal porosity models in erosion-affected hillslope vineyard soils. Agronomy, 12 (1) 33, 1-19. doi: 10.3390/agronomy12010033
2021
Conference Publication
Copper transport by surface runoff and subsurface lateral flow in vineyard hillslope soils
Filipović, Lana, Krevh, Vedran, Defterdarović, Jasmina, Kovač, Zoran and Filipović, Vilim (2021). Copper transport by surface runoff and subsurface lateral flow in vineyard hillslope soils. ASA CSSA SSSA International Annual Meeting, Salt Lake City, UT USA, 7-10 Nov 2021.
2021
Journal Article
Bioashes and their potential for reuse to sustain ecosystem services and underpin circular economy
Ondrasek, G., Bubalo Kovačić, M., Carević, I., Štirmer, N., Stipičević, S., Udiković-Kolić, N., Filipović, V., Romić, D. and Rengel, Z. (2021). Bioashes and their potential for reuse to sustain ecosystem services and underpin circular economy. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 151 111540, 1-18. doi: 10.1016/j.rser.2021.111540
2021
Journal Article
Hyperaccumulators for potentially toxic elements: a scientometric analysis
Zhang, Dongming, Dyck, Miles, Filipović, Lana, Filipović, Vilim, Lv, Jialong and He, Hailong (2021). Hyperaccumulators for potentially toxic elements: a scientometric analysis. Agronomy, 11 (9) 1729, 1-13. doi: 10.3390/agronomy11091729
2021
Journal Article
Effect of sewage sludge derived compost or biochar amendment on the phytoaccumulation of potentially toxic elements and radionuclides by Chinese cabbage
Černe, Marko, Palčić, Igor, Major, Nikola, Pasković, Igor, Perković, Josipa, Užila, Zoran, Filipović, Vilim, Romić, Marija, Goreta Ban, Smiljana, Jaćimović, Radojko, Benedik, Ljudmila, Heath, David John and Ban, Dean (2021). Effect of sewage sludge derived compost or biochar amendment on the phytoaccumulation of potentially toxic elements and radionuclides by Chinese cabbage. Journal of Environmental Management, 293 112955, 1-12. doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.112955
2021
Journal Article
Determination of soil hydraulic parameters and evaluation of water dynamics and nitrate leaching in the unsaturated layered zone: a modeling case study in central croatia
Defterdarović, Jasmina, Filipović, Lana, Kranjčec, Filip, Ondrašek, Gabrijel, Kikić, Diana, Novosel, Alen, Mustać, Ivan, Krevh, Vedran, Magdić, Ivan, Rubinić, Vedran, Bogunović, Igor, Dugan, Ivan, Čopec, Krešimir, He, Hailong and Filipović, Vilim (2021). Determination of soil hydraulic parameters and evaluation of water dynamics and nitrate leaching in the unsaturated layered zone: a modeling case study in central croatia. Sustainability, 13 (12) 6688, 1-20. doi: 10.3390/su13126688
2021
Journal Article
Growth and element uptake by salt-sensitive crops under combined NaCl and Cd stresses
Ondrasek, Gabrijel, Rengel, Zed, Maurović, Nada, Kondres, Nada, Filipović, Vilim, Savić, Radovan, Blagojević, Boško, Tanaskovik, Vjekoslav, Gergichevich, Cristian Meriño and Romić, Davor (2021). Growth and element uptake by salt-sensitive crops under combined NaCl and Cd stresses. Plants, 10 (6) 1202, 1202. doi: 10.3390/plants10061202
2021
Journal Article
Biomass bottom ash & dolomite similarly ameliorate an acidic low-nutrient soil, improve phytonutrition and growth, but increase Cd accumulation in radish
Ondrasek, Gabrijel, Kranjčec, Filip, Filipović, Lana, Filipović, Vilim, Bubalo Kovačić, Marina, Badovinac, Ivana Jelovica, Peter, Robert, Petravić, Mladen, Macan, Jelena and Rengel, Zed (2021). Biomass bottom ash & dolomite similarly ameliorate an acidic low-nutrient soil, improve phytonutrition and growth, but increase Cd accumulation in radish. Science of the Total Environment, 753 141902, 141902. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.141902
2021
Journal Article
Succession of microbial community in a small water body within the alluvial aquifer of a large river
Kulaš, Antonija, Marković, Tamara, Žutinić, Petar, Kajan, Katarina, Karlović, Igor, Orlić, Sandi, Keskin, Emre, Filipović, Vilim and Udovič, Marija Gligora (2021). Succession of microbial community in a small water body within the alluvial aquifer of a large river. Water, 13 (2) 115, 115. doi: 10.3390/w13020115
2021
Book Chapter
A review of time domain reflectometry (TDR) applications in porous media
He, Hailong, Aogu, Kailin, Li, Min, Xu, Jinghui, Sheng, Wenyi, Jones, Scott B., González-Teruel, Juan D., Robinson, David A., Horton, Robert, Bristow, Keith, Dyck, Miles, Filipović, Vilim, Noborio, Kosuke, Wu, Qingbai, Jin, Huijun, Feng, Hao, Si, Bingcheng and Lv, Jialong (2021). A review of time domain reflectometry (TDR) applications in porous media. Advances in Agronomy. (pp. 83-155) Maryland Heights, MO United States: Academic Press. doi: 10.1016/bs.agron.2021.02.003
Funding
Current funding
Supervision
Availability
- Dr Vilim Filipović is:
- Available for supervision
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Supervision history
Current supervision
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Doctor Philosophy
Estimation of soil hydraulic properties and related predictive modelling challenges
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Michael Bell, Dr Tim McLaren
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Doctor Philosophy
Impact of Soil Organic Carbon on Nitrogen and Water Dynamics under Rainfed and Irrigated Sweetpotato Production in Papua New Guinea Highlands
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Gunnar Kirchhof
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Doctor Philosophy
Wheat responses to different sources of nitrogen as affected by phosphorus in the northern grain region of eastern Australia
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Michael Bell, Dr Tim McLaren
Media
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