Professor James Watson
Professor

James Watson

Email: 
Phone: 
+61 7 334 61645

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

Ecology Environmental Sciences

Qualifications

  • Doctor of Philosophy, University of Oxford

Research interests

  • Conservation policy and practice

Search Professor James Watson’s works on UQ eSpace

500 works between 2001 and 2025
All (500) Journal Article (415) Book Chapter (20) Conference Publication (6) Book (2) Other Outputs (57)

381 - 400 of 500 works

2015

Journal Article

Assessing species vulnerability to climate change

Pacifici, Michela, Foden, Wendy B, Visconti, Piero, Watson, James E. M, Butchart, Stuart H. M, Kovacs, Kit M, Scheffers, Brett R, Hole, David G, Martin, Tara G, Akcakaya, H. Resit, Corlett, Richard T, Huntley, Brian, Bickford, David, Carr, Jamie A, Hoffmann, Ary A, Midgley, Guy F, Pearce-Kelly, Paul, Pearson, Richard G, Williams, Stephen E, Willis, Stephen G, Young, Bruce and Rondinini, Carlo (2015). Assessing species vulnerability to climate change. Nature Climate Change, 5 (3), 215-225. doi: 10.1038/nclimate2448

Assessing species vulnerability to climate change

2015

Journal Article

Ser “climáticamente inteligente” significa mirar hacia el futuro y hacia el pasado: Conservación eficiente en tiempos de cambio climático

Watson, James, Butt, Nathalie and Iwamura, Takuya (2015). Ser “climáticamente inteligente” significa mirar hacia el futuro y hacia el pasado: Conservación eficiente en tiempos de cambio climático. Decision Point en Español (E01), 8-9.

Ser “climáticamente inteligente” significa mirar hacia el futuro y hacia el pasado: Conservación eficiente en tiempos de cambio climático

2015

Journal Article

Improving policy efficiency and effectiveness to save more species: A case study of the megadiverse country Australia

McDonald, Jane A., Carwardine, Josie, Joseph, Liana N., Klein, Carissa J., Rout, Tracy M., Watson, James E. M., Garnett, Stephen T., McCarthy, Michael A. and Possingham, Hugh P. (2015). Improving policy efficiency and effectiveness to save more species: A case study of the megadiverse country Australia. Biological Conservation, 182, 102-108. doi: 10.1016/j.biocon.2014.11.030

Improving policy efficiency and effectiveness to save more species: A case study of the megadiverse country Australia

2015

Journal Article

Galápagos, ¿por dónde empezar? Espacializando perturbaciones y priorizando acciones de conservación en uno de los archipiélagos más icónicos del mundo

Watson, James (2015). Galápagos, ¿por dónde empezar? Espacializando perturbaciones y priorizando acciones de conservación en uno de los archipiélagos más icónicos del mundo. Decision Point en Español (E01), 14-15.

Galápagos, ¿por dónde empezar? Espacializando perturbaciones y priorizando acciones de conservación en uno de los archipiélagos más icónicos del mundo

2015

Other Outputs

Ecosystem-based adaptation: essential for achieving the sustainable development goals

Donatti, C. I., Dunlop, M., Harvey, C. A., Hole, D., Lavorel, S., Locatelli, B., Mumba, M., Vignola, R., Watson, J. E. M. and Wise, R. (2015). Ecosystem-based adaptation: essential for achieving the sustainable development goals. Arlington VA, United States: Conservation International.

Ecosystem-based adaptation: essential for achieving the sustainable development goals

2015

Journal Article

Shortfalls and solutions for meeting national and global conservation area targets

Butchart, Stuart H. M., Clarke, Martin, Smith, Robert J., Sykes, Rachel E., Scharlemann, Jorn P., Harfoot, Mike, Buchanan, Graeme M., Angulo, Ariadne, Balmford, Andrew, Bertzky, Bastian, Brooks, Thomas M., Carpenter, Kent E., Comeros-Raynal, Mia T., Cornell, John, Ficetola, G. Francesco, Fishpool, Lincoln D. C., Fuller, Richard A., Geldmann, Jonas, Harwell, Heather, Hilton-Taylor, Craig, Hoffmann, Michael, Joolia, Ackbar, Joppa, Lucas, Kingston, Naomi, May, Ian, Milam, Amy, Polidoro, Beth, Ralph, Gina, Richman, Nadia ... Burgess, Neil D. (2015). Shortfalls and solutions for meeting national and global conservation area targets. Conservation Letters, 8 (5), 329-337. doi: 10.1111/conl.12158

Shortfalls and solutions for meeting national and global conservation area targets

2015

Book Chapter

A global perspective on the role of protected areas in protecting natural capital

Watson, James (2015). A global perspective on the role of protected areas in protecting natural capital. Valuing Nature: Protected Areas and Ecosystem Services. (pp. 54-57) edited by Penelope Figgis, Brendan Mackey, James Fitzsimons, Jason Irving and Pepe Clarke. Sydney, Australia: Australian Committee for IUCN.

A global perspective on the role of protected areas in protecting natural capital

2015

Book Chapter

Tropical forests in a changing climate

Watson, J. E. M., Segan, D. B. and Tewksbury, J. (2015). Tropical forests in a changing climate. Climate change and biodiversity. (pp. 196-207) New Haven, CT, United States: Yale University Press. doi: 10.2307/j.ctv8jnzw1.26

Tropical forests in a changing climate

2015

Journal Article

Global status of and prospects for protection of terrestrial geophysical diversity

Sanderson, Eric W., Segan, Daniel B. and Watson, James E. M. (2015). Global status of and prospects for protection of terrestrial geophysical diversity. Conservation Biology, 29 (3), 649-656. doi: 10.1111/cobi.12502

Global status of and prospects for protection of terrestrial geophysical diversity

2015

Other Outputs

Responding to Climate Change: Guidance for protected area managers and planners: Best Practice

Gross, J., Watson, J. E. M., Woodley, S., Welling, L. and Harmon, D. (2015). Responding to Climate Change: Guidance for protected area managers and planners: Best Practice. Gland, Switzerland: IUCN.

Responding to Climate Change: Guidance for protected area managers and planners: Best Practice

2015

Journal Article

Climate-induced resource bottlenecks exacerbate species vulnerability: A review

Maron, Martine, Mcalpine, Clive A., Watson, James E. M., Maxwell, Sean and Barnard, Phoebe (2015). Climate-induced resource bottlenecks exacerbate species vulnerability: A review. Diversity and Distributions, 21 (7), 731-743. doi: 10.1111/ddi.12339

Climate-induced resource bottlenecks exacerbate species vulnerability: A review

2015

Journal Article

Quantifying the relative irreplaceability of important bird and biodiversity areas

Di Marco, Moreno, Brooks, Thomas, Cuttelod, Annabelle, Fishpool, Lincoln D. C., Rondinini, Carlo, Smith, Robert J., Bennun, Leon, Butchart, Stuart H., Ferrier, Simon, Foppen, Ruud P. B., Joppa, Lucas, Juffe-Bignoli, Diego, Knight, Andrew T., Lamoreux, John F., Langhammer, Penny F., May, Ian, Possingham, Hugh P., Visconti, Piero, Watson, James E. M. and Woodley, Stephen (2015). Quantifying the relative irreplaceability of important bird and biodiversity areas. Conservation Biology, 30 (2), 392-402. doi: 10.1111/cobi.12609

Quantifying the relative irreplaceability of important bird and biodiversity areas

2015

Book Chapter

A collaborative approach for mining, environment organisations and Traditional Owners to manage and conserve biodiversity in Australia’s Great Western Woodlands

Watson, Alexander W. T., Judd, Simon, O’Sullivan, Wayne and Watson, James E. M. (2015). A collaborative approach for mining, environment organisations and Traditional Owners to manage and conserve biodiversity in Australia’s Great Western Woodlands. Mining in ecologically sensitive landscapes. (pp. 251-264) edited by Mark Tibbett. Collingwood, VIC, Australia: CSIRO Publishing.

A collaborative approach for mining, environment organisations and Traditional Owners to manage and conserve biodiversity in Australia’s Great Western Woodlands

2015

Journal Article

Conservation in the face of climate change: Recent developments

Lawler, Joshua, Watson, James and Game, Edward (2015). Conservation in the face of climate change: Recent developments. F1000 Research, 4 1158, 1158. doi: 10.12688/f1000research.6490.1

Conservation in the face of climate change: Recent developments

2014

Journal Article

Preventing species extinctions resulting from climate change

Akçakaya, H. Resit, Butchart, Stuart H. M., Watson, James E. M. and Pearson, Richard G. (2014). Preventing species extinctions resulting from climate change. Nature Climate Change, 4 (12), 1048-1049. doi: 10.1038/nclimate2455

Preventing species extinctions resulting from climate change

2014

Journal Article

Fulfilling the broken promise of nature reserves

Watson, James (2014). Fulfilling the broken promise of nature reserves. LiveScience

Fulfilling the broken promise of nature reserves

2014

Journal Article

The performance and potential of protected areas

Watson, James E. M., Dudley, Nigel, Segan, Daniel B. and Hockings, Marc (2014). The performance and potential of protected areas. Nature, 515 (7525), 67-73. doi: 10.1038/nature13947

The performance and potential of protected areas

2014

Journal Article

A call for inclusive conservation

Tallis, Heather, Lubchenco, Jane, Adams-Hosking, Christine, Kark, Salit, Beger, Maria, Butt, Nathalie, Di Fonzo, Martina M. I., Giakoumi, Sylvaine, Guerrero, Angela M., Maggini, Ramona, Martin, Tara G., Mills, Morena, Renwick, Anna, Polsenberg, Johanna, Shanahan, Danielle F., Wilson, Kerrie A., Carwardine, Josie, Corrigan, Colleen, Watson, James and Klein, Carissa (2014). A call for inclusive conservation. Nature, 515 (7525), 27-28. doi: 10.1038/515027a

A call for inclusive conservation

2014

Journal Article

Sustainability: root targets in consensus

Maxwell, Sean, Rhodes, J. R., Bal, P., Bunnefeld, N., Earle, S., Knight, A.T., Milner-Gulland, E.J., Jones, J. P. G., Nuno, A. and Watson, J. E. M. (2014). Sustainability: root targets in consensus. Nature, 514 (7253), 434-434. doi: 10.1038/514434d

Sustainability: root targets in consensus

2014

Journal Article

Publishing trends on climate change vulnerability in the conservation literature reveal a predominant focus on direct impacts and long time-scales

Chapman, Sarah, Mustin, Karen, Renwick, Anna R., Segan, Daniel B., Hole, David G., Pearson, Richard G. and Watson, James E. M. (2014). Publishing trends on climate change vulnerability in the conservation literature reveal a predominant focus on direct impacts and long time-scales. Diversity and Distributions, 20 (10), 1221-1228. doi: 10.1111/ddi.12234

Publishing trends on climate change vulnerability in the conservation literature reveal a predominant focus on direct impacts and long time-scales

Current funding

  • 2023 - 2025
    Queensland regional planning assessments
    Queensland Conservation Council
    Open grant
  • 2023 - 2025
    Mapping environmental, social and governance (ESG) risks to Australia's mining sector - a tool for responsible investment
    Commonwealth Government Geoscience Australia
    Open grant
  • 2022 - 2025
    A critical pathway for Australia's Conservation Future (Ian Potter Foundation grant administered by the University of Melbourne)
    University of Melbourne
    Open grant

Past funding

  • 2023
    Wilderness Inventory Data Review
    Minister for Climate, Environment and Water (South Australia)
    Open grant
  • 2022 - 2023
    Mapping threatened species recovery across Federal electorates
    World Wide Fund for Nature Australia
    Open grant
  • 2021 - 2022
    Climate Change Adaptation Planning for Threatened Species: pilot project
    Australian Capital Territory - Environment, Planning and Sustainable Development Directorate - Conservation Research Branch
    Open grant
  • 2021
    Apply Key Biodiversity Criteria to Bush Heritage Priority Landscapes to determine intactness and land condition
    Bush Heritage Australia
    Open grant
  • 2020 - 2024
    Linking assessment of global goals for ecosystems and species by coupling WCS and CSIRO capabilities in landscape integrity mapping and biodiversity modelling
    Wildlife Conservation Society (USA)
    Open grant
  • 2020 - 2024
    A conservation metric for business to measure biodiversity
    Wildlife Conservation Society (USA)
    Open grant
  • 2020 - 2024
    Assessing the biotic response to intact forest metrics
    Wildlife Conservation Society (USA)
    Open grant
  • 2020 - 2023
    Vibrant Oceans: Applied Coral Reef Conservation
    Wildlife Conservation Society (USA)
    Open grant
  • 2019 - 2021
    KBA mapping for Australia
    Birdlife Australia
    Open grant
  • 2019 - 2020
    The ecology and conservation biogeography of the buff-breasted button-quail
    Birds Queensland
    Open grant
  • 2019 - 2021
    ACF Key Biodiversity Areas Mapping Project
    Australian Conservation Foundation
    Open grant
  • 2019 - 2023
    Ecosystem risk assessment (ARC Linkage Project administered by The University of New South Wales)
    University of New South Wales
    Open grant
  • 2018 - 2021
    Global priorities for terrestrial biodiversity
    Wildlife Conservation Society (USA)
    Open grant
  • 2018 - 2024
    Land clearing assessment on species
    Australian Conservation Foundation
    Open grant
  • 2018 - 2021
    Identifying Nature's Strongholds
    Wildlife Conservation Society (USA)
    Open grant
  • 2018 - 2019
    Conservation Priority Setting
    Wildlife Conservation Society (USA)
    Open grant
  • 2018 - 2019
    Africa Climate Change and Biodiversity - ABCG II
    Wildlife Conservation Society (USA)
    Open grant
  • 2018
    Identifying the most important terrestrial wilderness areas on the planet
    Wildlife Conservation Society (USA)
    Open grant
  • 2017 - 2018
    Australia wide analysis for threatened species
    Australian Conservation Foundation
    Open grant
  • 2017 - 2019
    Intact Forests - Framework Metric
    Wildlife Conservation Society (USA)
    Open grant
  • 2017 - 2018
    SNAPP Compensatory Conservation Working Group
    The Nature Conservancy
    Open grant
  • 2017 - 2021
    Macarthur Intact Forests
    Wildlife Conservation Society (USA)
    Open grant
  • 2017 - 2018
    Rapid response to significant unanticipated threat - testing novel feral cat control strategies to support conservation of the endangered alwal/golden-shouldered parrot [...]
    Queensland Department of Environment and Heritage Protection
    Open grant
  • 2017 - 2020
    Night Parrot Research, Pullen Pullen Reserve, Qld
    Bush Heritage Australia
    Open grant
  • 2017 - 2019
    Africa Spatial Planning - ABCG II
    Wildlife Conservation Society (USA)
    Open grant
  • 2016 - 2020
    Optimising community-based climate change adaptation in the Pacific Islands
    ARC Linkage Projects
    Open grant
  • 2016 - 2021
    GIS support to WCS Indonesia Program's Sulawesi project
    Wildlife Conservation Society (USA)
    Open grant
  • 2016 - 2019
    Intact forests values assessment
    Wildlife Conservation Society (USA)
    Open grant
  • 2016 - 2017
    Provide MARXAN analysis of WCS Papua New Guinea program
    Wildlife Conservation Society (USA)
    Open grant
  • 2016 - 2022
    The capacity of forests to protect regional climate under global warming
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2016 - 2018
    Assessing biodiversity priorities and carbon values across the Great Eastern Ranges
    Australian Conservation Foundation
    Open grant
  • 2016 - 2017
    Africa Biodiversity Consultative Group II
    Wildlife Conservation Society (USA)
    Open grant
  • 2016 - 2021
    Support for Research Assistants
    Wildlife Conservation Society (USA)
    Open grant
  • 2016 - 2018
    The Luc Hoffman Institute Fellow - Pathways for Drivers of Positive Change
    WWF International
    Open grant
  • 2016 - 2019
    Planning for the impacts of land-uses on coral reef fisheries
    ARC Linkage Projects
    Open grant
  • 2016 - 2017
    Analysis of the public protected area framework in NSW and future opportunities
    UniQuest Pty Ltd
    Open grant
  • 2016 - 2020
    Assimilating development objectives in conservation planning
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2016 - 2017
    ECO-SMarT
    Wildlife Conservation Society (USA)
    Open grant
  • 2015 - 2017
    Integrating human response to climate change into conservation planning: developing an integrated decision framework
    Research Donation Generic
    Open grant
  • 2015 - 2018
    MacArthur Foundation - Lower Mekong
    Wildlife Conservation Society (USA)
    Open grant
  • 2015 - 2019
    `MacArthur Foundation - Portfolio Approach
    Wildlife Conservation Society (USA)
    Open grant
  • 2015 - 2018
    MacArthur Foundation - Tanzania - Green Economies
    Wildlife Conservation Society (USA)
    Open grant
  • 2014 - 2021
    NESP Threatened Species Recovery Hub
    National Environmental Science Program
    Open grant
  • 2014 - 2015
    Africa Biodiversity Consultative Group
    Wildlife Conservation Society (USA)
    Open grant
  • 2014 - 2015
    Conservation strategy fund - Uganda
    Wildlife Conservation Society (USA)
    Open grant
  • 2014 - 2015
    MacArthur Foundation - Birdlife subgrant - Support WCS's East Africa climate assessment work for Rwanda and Tanzania
    Wildlife Conservation Society (USA)
    Open grant
  • 2014 - 2018
    MacArthur Foundation - West Indian Ocean spatial planning assessment
    Wildlife Conservation Society (USA)
    Open grant
  • 2014 - 2015
    U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Eastern DRC spatial planning
    Wildlife Conservation Society (USA)
    Open grant
  • 2013 - 2016
    Climate adaptation on coral reefs
    Wildlife Conservation Society (USA)
    Open grant

Availability

Professor James Watson is:
Available for supervision

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Supervision history

Current supervision

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Ecology and conservation of the Buff-breasted Button-quail (Turnix olivii)

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Martine Maron

  • Master Philosophy

    Engaging elected representatives and constituencies for biodiversity conservation success

    Principal Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy

    The Conservation Biogeography of the Red Goshawk

    Principal Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Managing grazing in the grasslands of Queenslands Channel Country: a critical refuge for the Critically Endangered Plains Wanderer

    Principal Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Autecology of an endangered Australian passerine: CarpentarianGrasswren (Amytornis dorotheae)

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Martine Maron

  • Master Philosophy

    Engaging elected representatives and constituencies for biodiversity conservation success

    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

    Biogeography and conservation assessment of the endangered Northern Masked Owl

    Principal Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Megafauna losses and predatory interactions in tropical forests

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Associate Professor Matthew Luskin

Completed supervision

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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