
Overview
Background
James is an applied conservation scientist and bioegeographer working at the interface between ecology, policy and management to improve outcomes for biodiversity. He has a particular interest in understanding how humanity influences landscape and the climate, and what this means for biodiversity and ecosystem service outcomes, and the implications of this for environmental policy setting and management.
As a Professor of Conservation Science at The University of Queensland, he leads two research groups. The Green Fire Science research group (www.greenfirescience.com) mission is to do applied research that is linked directly to the practice of large-scale conservation and the Research and Recovery of Endangered Species (https://raresgroup.com.au) mission is to focus on Australia's rarest, least studied species to try and work out their needs and work with those on-ground practioners to try and save them.
James has been passionate conservation for decades. As a Rhodes Scholar, James undertook his PhD research studying in Madagascar, trying to come up with conservation plans to save endemic bird species inhabiting the country’s remaining littoral forest. Since then he has published more than 400 peer-reviewed papers, book chapters and reports on conservation related matters, ranging from assessing the impacts of climate change on species to mapping the effectiveness of protected areas on biodiversity conservation outcomes globally. He has served on the International Panel for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) Data and Knowledge Task Force, and is a Research Fellow for the United Nation’s Environment Program, a Senior Technical expert for the United Nations Development Program’s Global Programme on Nature for Development, and was the founding chair of the International Union for Nature Conservation Climate Change Specialist Group. James sits on the scientific committees of BirdLife Australia and SUBAC. James was global president of the Society for Conservation Biology in 2015-17.
I am also an affiliated researcher at the Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science.
Availability
- Professor James Watson is:
- Available for supervision
- Media expert
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Doctor of Philosophy, University of Oxford
Research interests
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Conservation policy and practice
Works
Search Professor James Watson’s works on UQ eSpace
2025
Journal Article
Global land cover maps do not reveal mining pressures to biodiversity
Sonter, Laura J., Nursamsi, Ilyas, Bennun, Leon, Graham, Jamie, Maus, Victor, Rainey, Hugo, Starkey, Malcolm, Turner, Joseph A., Watson, James E. M. and Prescott, Graham W. (2025). Global land cover maps do not reveal mining pressures to biodiversity. Scientific Reports, 15 (1) 22421, 1. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-01959-3
2025
Journal Article
Effect of climate on traits of dominant and rare tree species in the world’s forests
Hordijk, Iris, Poorter, Lourens, Liang, Jingjing, Reich, Peter B., de-Miguel, Sergio, Nabuurs, Gert-Jan, Gamarra, Javier G. P., Chen, Han Y. H., Zhou, Mo, Wiser, Susan K., Pretzsch, Hans, Paquette, Alain, Picard, Nicolas, Hérault, Bruno, Bastin, Jean-Francois, Alberti, Giorgio, Abegg, Meinrad, Adou Yao, Yves C., Almeyda Zambrano, Angelica M., Alvarado, Braulio V., Alvarez-Davila, Esteban, Alvarez-Loayza, Patricia, Alves, Luciana F., Amaral, Iêda, Ammer, Christian, Antón-Fernández, Clara, Araujo-Murakami, Alejandro, Arroyo, Luzmila, Avitabile, Valerio ... Crowther, Thomas W. (2025). Effect of climate on traits of dominant and rare tree species in the world’s forests. Nature Communications , 16 (1) 4773. doi: 10.1038/s41467-025-59754-7
2025
Journal Article
Groundhog Day: the EPBC Act reform process
Bell-James, Justine, Maron, Martine, McCormack, Phillipa C. and Watson, James E. M. (2025). Groundhog Day: the EPBC Act reform process. Environmental and Planning Law Journal, 41, 19-40.
2025
Journal Article
Bridging conservation gaps under climate change at multiple scales to protect 30% of Earth's surface by 2030
Wu, Hui, Yu, Le, Shen, Xiaoli, Watson, James E. M., Wan, Huawei, Cao, Yue, Hua, Ting, Liu, Tao, Zhao, Jianqiao, Liu, Jianguo, Gao, Jixi and Ma, Keping (2025). Bridging conservation gaps under climate change at multiple scales to protect 30% of Earth's surface by 2030. Conservation Biology, e70054. doi: 10.1111/cobi.70054
2025
Journal Article
Negotiating risks to natural capital in net-zero transitions
Pascale, Andrew C., Watson, James E. M., Davis, Dominic, Smart, Simon, Brear, Michael, Jones, Ryan and Greig, Chris (2025). Negotiating risks to natural capital in net-zero transitions. Nature Sustainability, 8 (6) eadh2458, 1-10. doi: 10.1038/s41893-025-01576-y
2025
Journal Article
Half of the habitat of Australia's highly imperilled narrow-range species is outside protected areas
Ward, Michelle, Maron, Martine, Simmonds, Jeremy S., Lintermans, Mark, Whiterod, Nick S., Chapple, David G., Possingham, Hugh P., Legge, Sarah M., Gallagher, Rachael V., Wintle, Brendan A., Vine, Samantha, Ashman, Kita, Hoskin, Conrad J., Garnett, Stephen T., Woinarski, John C.Z., Scheele, Ben C., Loane, Cerin, Fitzsimons, James A., Stewart, Romola R., Tulloch, Ayesha I.T., Hyman, Isabel T., Pearce, Kate, Burbidge, Allan H., Raadik, Tarmo A., Kuchling, Gerald, Georges, Arthur, West, Matthew, Adams, Vanessa M., Emery, J.P. and Watson, James E.M. (2025). Half of the habitat of Australia's highly imperilled narrow-range species is outside protected areas. Biological Conservation, 308 111195, 111195. doi: 10.1016/j.biocon.2025.111195
2025
Journal Article
Ability of new protected areas to counteract losses from downgrading, downsizing, and degazettement
Yan, Yanyun, Tan, Song Ling, Webb, Edward L., Watson, James E. M. and Carrasco, L. Roman (2025). Ability of new protected areas to counteract losses from downgrading, downsizing, and degazettement. Conservation Biology, 39 (2) e14381, 1-11. doi: 10.1111/cobi.14381
2025
Journal Article
Ambitions in national plans do not yet match bold international protection and restoration commitments
Bell-James, Justine and Watson, James E. M. (2025). Ambitions in national plans do not yet match bold international protection and restoration commitments. Nature Ecology & Evolution, 9 (3) 2096, 1-8. doi: 10.1038/s41559-025-02636-4
2025
Journal Article
Australia’s inadequate marine protection
Davey, Madeline and Watson, James E. M. (2025). Australia’s inadequate marine protection. Science, 387 (6734), 586-587. doi: 10.1126/science.adt7848
2025
Journal Article
The estimated cost of preventing extinction and progressing recovery for Australia’s priority threatened species
Ward, Michelle, Possingham, Hugh P., Wintle, Brendan A., Woinarski, John C. Z., Marsh, Jessica R., Chapple, David G., Lintermans, Mark, Scheele, Ben C., Whiterod, Nick S., Hoskin, Conrad J., Aska, Bora, Yong, Chuanji, Tulloch, Ayesha, Stewart, Romola and Watson, James E. M. (2025). The estimated cost of preventing extinction and progressing recovery for Australia’s priority threatened species. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 122 (6) e2414985122, 1-10. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2414985122
2025
Journal Article
Accounting for the true costs of recovery of threatened species
Reside, April E., Carwardine, Josie and Watson, James E. M. (2025). Accounting for the true costs of recovery of threatened species. Nature Ecology & Evolution, 9 (3), 372-373. doi: 10.1038/s41559-024-02621-3
2025
Journal Article
Conservation in troubled times
Dudley, Nigel, Mitchell, Brent A., Redford, Kent H., Stolton, Sue, Timmins, Hannah L. and Watson, James E.M. (2025). Conservation in troubled times. Oryx, 59 (1), 1-3. doi: 10.1017/s0030605325000286
2025
Journal Article
Educating and empowering Australians through a digital approach to biodiversity conservation
Kindler, Gareth S., Kelly, Nick, Carden, Tim and Watson, James E. M. (2025). Educating and empowering Australians through a digital approach to biodiversity conservation. Conservation Science and Practice, 7 (4) e70039. doi: 10.1111/csp2.70039
2025
Journal Article
Role of protected areas in mitigating range loss and local extinctions of terrestrial mammals
Cristiano, Andrea, Pillay, Rajeev, Ramírez-Delgado, Juan Pablo, Watson, James E. M., Venter, Oscar and Pacifici, Michela (2025). Role of protected areas in mitigating range loss and local extinctions of terrestrial mammals. Conservation Biology. doi: 10.1111/cobi.70092
2025
Journal Article
A horizon scan of biological conservation issues for 2025
Sutherland, William J., Brotherton, Peter N.M., Butterworth, Holly M., Clarke, Stewart J., Davies, Tammy E., Doar, Nigel, Esmail, Nafeesa, Fleishman, Erica, Gaston, Kevin J., Herbert-Read, James E., Hughes, Alice C., Hughes, Jonathan, Kaartokallio, Hermanni, Koh, Lian Pin, Kumar, Ritesh, Lickorish, Fiona A., Littler, Hannah, Palardy, James E., Pearce-Higgins, James W., Peck, Lloyd S., Pettorelli, Nathalie, Pretty, Jules, Schloss, Irene R., Spalding, Mark D., ten Brink, Dirk, Tew, Eleanor R., Timoshyna, Anastasiya, Tubbs, Nicolas, Watson, James E.M. ... Thornton, Ann (2025). A horizon scan of biological conservation issues for 2025. Trends in Ecology and Evolution, 40 (1), 80-89. doi: 10.1016/j.tree.2024.11.002
2024
Journal Article
The cost of recovering Australia’s threatened species
Reside, April E., Carwardine, Josie, Ward, Michelle, Yong, Chuanji, Venegas Li, Ruben, Rogers, Andrew, Wintle, Brendan A., Silcock, Jennifer, Woinarski, John, Lintermans, Mark, Taylor, Gary, Pintor, Anna F. V. and Watson, James E. M. (2024). The cost of recovering Australia’s threatened species. Nature Ecology & Evolution, 9 (3) e12682, 425-435. doi: 10.1038/s41559-024-02617-z
2024
Journal Article
Global rarity of high-integrity tropical rainforests for threatened and declining terrestrial vertebrates
Pillay, Rajeev, Watson, James E. M., Hansen, Andrew J., Burns, Patrick, Virnig, Anne Lucy Stilger, Supples, Christina, Armenteras, Dolors, González-del-Pliego, Pamela, Aragon-Osejo, Jose, A. Jantz, Patrick, Ervin, Jamison, Goetz, Scott J. and Venter, Oscar (2024). Global rarity of high-integrity tropical rainforests for threatened and declining terrestrial vertebrates. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 121 (51) e2413325121, e2413325121. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2413325121
2024
Journal Article
Author Correction: Global potential for natural regeneration in deforested tropical regions
Williams, Brooke A., Beyer, Hawthorne L., Fagan, Matthew E., Chazdon, Robin L., Schmoeller, Marina, Sprenkle-Hyppolite, Starry, Griscom, Bronson W., Watson, James E. M., Tedesco, Anazélia M., Gonzalez-Roglich, Mariano, Daldegan, Gabriel A., Bodin, Blaise, Celentano, Danielle, Wilson, Sarah Jane, Rhodes, Jonathan R., Alexandre, Nikola S., Kim, Do-Hyung, Bastos, Diego and Crouzeilles, Renato (2024). Author Correction: Global potential for natural regeneration in deforested tropical regions. Nature, 637 (8044), E9-E9. doi: 10.1038/s41586-024-08481-y
2024
Journal Article
Global potential for natural regeneration in deforested tropical regions
Williams, Brooke A., Beyer, Hawthorne L., Fagan, Matthew E., Chazdon, Robin L., Schmoeller, Marina, Sprenkle-Hyppolite, Starry, Griscom, Bronson W., Watson, James E. M., Tedesco, Anazélia M., Gonzalez-Roglich, Mariano, Daldegan, Gabriel A., Bodin, Blaise, Celentano, Danielle, Wilson, Sarah Jane, Rhodes, Jonathan R., Alexandre, Nikola S., Kim, Do-Hyung, Bastos, Diego and Crouzeilles, Renato (2024). Global potential for natural regeneration in deforested tropical regions. Nature, 636 (8041) e1701345, 131-137. doi: 10.1038/s41586-024-08106-4
2024
Journal Article
Dominance and rarity in tree communities across the globe: patterns, predictors and threats
Hordijk, Iris, Bialic-Murphy, Lalasia, Lauber, Thomas, Routh, Devin, Poorter, Lourens, Rivers, Malin C., ter Steege, Hans, Liang, Jingjing, Reich, Peter B., de-Miguel, Sergio, Nabuurs, Gert-Jan, Gamarra, Javier G. P., Chen, Han Y. H., Zhou, Mo, Wiser, Susan K., Pretzsch, Hans, Paquette, Alain, Picard, Nicolas, Hérault, Bruno, Bastin, Jean-Francois, Alberti, Giorgio, Abegg, Meinrad, Adou Yao, Yves C., Almeyda Zambrano, Angelica M., Alvarado, Braulio V., Alvarez-Davila, Esteban, Alvarez-Loayza, Patricia, Alves, Luciana F., Ammer, Christian ... Crowther, Thomas W. (2024). Dominance and rarity in tree communities across the globe: patterns, predictors and threats. Global Ecology and Biogeography, 33 (10), 1-21. doi: 10.1111/geb.13889
Funding
Current funding
Past funding
Supervision
Availability
- Professor James Watson is:
- Available for supervision
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Supervision history
Current supervision
-
Doctor Philosophy
Autecology of an endangered Australian passerine: CarpentarianGrasswren (Amytornis dorotheae)
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Martine Maron
-
Doctor Philosophy
Managing grazing in the grasslands of Queenslands Channel Country: a critical refuge for the Critically Endangered Plains Wanderer
Principal Advisor
-
Doctor Philosophy
Biogeography and conservation assessment of the endangered Northern Masked Owl
Principal Advisor
-
Doctor Philosophy
Classifying and understanding the effectiveness of ecological corridors and their role in wider landscape and seascape integrity
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Carissa Klein
-
Doctor Philosophy
Using Barn Owls to detect Endangered or cryptic species in western Queensland
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Diana Fisher
-
Doctor Philosophy
The Conservation Biogeography of the Red Goshawk
Principal Advisor
-
Doctor Philosophy
Conserving migratory species
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Hugh Possingham, Professor Richard Fuller
Completed supervision
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2024
Master Philosophy
Engaging elected representatives and constituencies for biodiversity conservation success
Principal Advisor
-
2024
Doctor Philosophy
Ecology and conservation of the Buff-breasted Button-quail (Turnix olivii)
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Martine Maron
-
2022
Doctor Philosophy
Assessing the state and planning for the conservation of intact ecosystems
Principal Advisor
-
2022
Doctor Philosophy
Conservation Biogeography of the Night Parrot (Pezoporus occidentalis)
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Richard Fuller
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2021
Doctor Philosophy
Improving Australia's response to the biodiversity crisis
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr April Reside
-
2020
Doctor Philosophy
Environmental implications of meeting future demand for sugarcane-based ethanol in Brazil.
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Anthony Halog
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2019
Doctor Philosophy
Improving Marine Conservation Planning in a Time of Global Change
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Hugh Possingham, Associate Professor Carissa Klein
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2019
Doctor Philosophy
Wilderness Conservation in the Anthropocene
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Hugh Possingham
-
2018
Doctor Philosophy
Assessment and planning for emerging impacts of climate change on species
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Eve McDonald-Madden
-
2024
Doctor Philosophy
Megafauna losses and predatory interactions in tropical forests
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Matthew Luskin
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2023
Doctor Philosophy
Ecological restoration planning for effective conservation of terrestrial biodiversity
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Hugh Possingham
-
2022
Doctor Philosophy
Biodiversity Risks and Safeguards of Global Infrastructure Finance: The Case of China's Belt and Road Initiative
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Martine Maron
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2021
Doctor Philosophy
Reducing fishing impacts on species of conservation concern at multiple scales
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Salit Kark, Associate Professor Carissa Klein
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2021
Doctor Philosophy
Planning for Australian threatened species' recovery
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Hugh Possingham
-
2020
Doctor Philosophy
Assessing the effectiveness of planned adaptation in rural Pacific Island communities: case studies from Fiji and Kiribati
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Karen McNamara
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2020
Doctor Philosophy
Impact mitigation in marine and coastal environments: policy challenges and shortfalls
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Martine Maron
-
2020
Doctor Philosophy
The exposure and contribution of predators and scavengers to humans
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Matthew Holden, Professor Eve McDonald-Madden
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2020
Doctor Philosophy
Development, armed conflict and conservation: improving the effectiveness of conservation decisions in conflict hotspots using Colombia as a case study
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Hugh Possingham, Associate Professor Laura Sonter, Professor Martine Maron
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2020
Doctor Philosophy
Natural capital and distributive justice; a multidisciplinary, multi-scalar assessment
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Bradd Witt
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2018
Doctor Philosophy
The impact of urban growth and climate change on heat stress in a sub-tropical Australian city
Associate Advisor
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2016
Doctor Philosophy
Using fine and coarse conservation targets to maximize cost-effectiveness of road mitigation and protected areas
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Hugh Possingham
Media
Enquiries
Contact Professor James Watson directly for media enquiries about:
- biodiversity
- climate change
- extinction
- landclearing
- landuse planning
- logging
- saving species
- species loss
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