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

501 works between 2001 and 2025
All (501) Journal Article (416) Book Chapter (20) Conference Publication (6) Book (2) Other Outputs (57)

121 - 140 of 501 works

2021

Other Outputs

Mismatch between bird species sensitivity and the protection of intact habitats across the Americas

Cazalis, Victor, Barnes, Megan D., Johnston, Alison, Watson, James E.M., Şekercioğlu, Cagan H. and Rodrigues, Ana S.L. (2021). Mismatch between bird species sensitivity and the protection of intact habitats across the Americas. doi: 10.1101/2021.03.28.437197

Mismatch between bird species sensitivity and the protection of intact habitats across the Americas

2021

Other Outputs

Matrix condition mitigates the effects of habitat fragmentation on species extinction risk

Ramírez-Delgado, Juan, Marco, Moreno Di, Watson, James, Johnson, Chris, Rondinini, Carlo, Llano, Xavier Corredor, Arias, Miguel and Venter, Oscar (2021). Matrix condition mitigates the effects of habitat fragmentation on species extinction risk. doi: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-340760/v1

Matrix condition mitigates the effects of habitat fragmentation on species extinction risk

2021

Journal Article

Australia faces environmental crisis

Ward, Michelle, Barmand, Shayan, Watson, James and Williams, Brooke (2021). Australia faces environmental crisis. Science, 371 (6534), 1115-1116. doi: 10.1126/science.abg9225

Australia faces environmental crisis

2021

Journal Article

Deforestation and bird habitat loss in Colombia

Negret, Pablo Jose, Maron, Martine, Fuller, Richard A., Possingham, Hugh P., Watson, James E.M. and Simmonds, Jeremy S. (2021). Deforestation and bird habitat loss in Colombia. Biological Conservation, 257 109044, 1-10. doi: 10.1016/j.biocon.2021.109044

Deforestation and bird habitat loss in Colombia

2021

Other Outputs

Forest quality mitigates extinction risk in humid tropical vertebrates

Pillay, Rajeev, Watson, James, Hansen, Andrew, Aragon-Osejo, Jose, Armenteras, Dolors, Atkinson, Scott, Burns, Patrick, Ervin, Jamison, Goetz, Scott, Gonzalez-del-Pliego, Pamela, Jantz, Patrick, Supples, Christina, Virnig, Anne Lucy, Williams, Brooke and Venter, Oscar (2021). Forest quality mitigates extinction risk in humid tropical vertebrates. doi: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-199037/v1

Forest quality mitigates extinction risk in humid tropical vertebrates

2021

Other Outputs

Limiting the loss of terrestrial ecosystems to safeguard nature for biodiversity and humanity

Simmonds, Jeremy S., Suarez-Castro, Andres Felipe, Reside, April E., Watson, James E.M., Allan, James R., Borrelli, Pasquale, Dudley, Nigel, Edwards, Stephen, Fuller, Richard A., Game, Edward T., Linke, Simon, Maxwell, Sean L., Panagos, Panos, Puydarrieux, Philippe, Quétier, Fabien, Runting, Rebecca K., Santini, Talitha, Sonter, Laura J. and Maron, Martine (2021). Limiting the loss of terrestrial ecosystems to safeguard nature for biodiversity and humanity. doi: 10.1101/2021.02.07.428694

Limiting the loss of terrestrial ecosystems to safeguard nature for biodiversity and humanity

2021

Journal Article

Four steps for the Earth: mainstreaming the post-2020 global biodiversity framework

Milner-Gulland, E. J., Addison, Prue, Arlidge, William N.S., Baker, Julia, Booth, Hollie, Brooks, Thomas, Bull, Joseph W., Burgass, Michael J., Ekstrom, Jon, zu Ermgassen, Sophus O.S.E., Fleming, L. Vincent, Grub, Henry M.J., von Hase, Amrei, Hoffmann, Michael, Hutton, Jonathan, Juffe-Bignoli, Diego, ten Kate, Kerry, Kiesecker, Joseph, Kümpel, Noëlle F., Maron, Martine, Newing, Helen S., Ole-Moiyoi, Katrina, Sinclair, Cheli, Sinclair, Sam, Starkey, Malcolm, Stuart, Simon N., Tayleur, Cath and Watson, James E.M. (2021). Four steps for the Earth: mainstreaming the post-2020 global biodiversity framework. One Earth, 4 (1), 75-87. doi: 10.1016/j.oneear.2020.12.011

Four steps for the Earth: mainstreaming the post-2020 global biodiversity framework

2021

Journal Article

Descriptions of the vocalisations of the Chestnut-backed Button-quail Turnix castanotus

Webster, Patrick T.D., Jackett, Nigel A., Swann, George, Leseberg, Nicholas P., Murphy, Stephen and Watson, James E. (2021). Descriptions of the vocalisations of the Chestnut-backed Button-quail Turnix castanotus. Australian Field Ornithology, 38, 137-144. doi: 10.20938/afo38137144

Descriptions of the vocalisations of the Chestnut-backed Button-quail Turnix castanotus

2021

Other Outputs

A Pandemic Treaty and Wildlife Trade

Gallo-Cajiao, Eduardo, Lieberman, Susan, Dolšak, Nives, Prakash, Aseem, Labonté, Ronald, Biggs, Duan, Morrison, Tiffany, Viens, A.M., Fuller, Richard A, Aguiar, Raphael, Fidelman, Pedro, Watson, James E.M., Aenishaenslin, Cécile and Wiktorowicz, Mary (2021). A Pandemic Treaty and Wildlife Trade. doi: 10.2139/ssrn.3966292

A Pandemic Treaty and Wildlife Trade

2021

Journal Article

Toward monitoring forest ecosystem integrity within the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework

Hansen, Andrew J., Noble, Benjamin P., Veneros, Jaris, East, Alyson, Goetz, Scott J., Supples, Christina, Watson, James E. M., Jantz, Patrick A., Pillay, Rajeev, Jetz, Walter, Ferrier, Simon, Grantham, Hedley S., Evans, Thomas D., Ervin, Jamison, Venter, Oscar and Virnig, Anne L. S. (2021). Toward monitoring forest ecosystem integrity within the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework. Conservation Letters, 14 (4) e12822. doi: 10.1111/conl.12822

Toward monitoring forest ecosystem integrity within the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework

2021

Other Outputs

Review of monitoring, evaluation and reporting approaches and outcomes in Parks Australia

Jacobson, Chris, Hockings, Marc, Watson, James, Head, Brian and Fidelman, Pedro (2021). Review of monitoring, evaluation and reporting approaches and outcomes in Parks Australia . Online: University of Queensland.

Review of monitoring, evaluation and reporting approaches and outcomes in Parks Australia

2021

Journal Article

Conservation birding: a quantitative conceptual framework for prioritizing citizen science observations

Callaghan, Corey T., Watson, James E. M., Lyons, Mitchell B., Cornwell, William K. and Fuller, Richard A. (2021). Conservation birding: a quantitative conceptual framework for prioritizing citizen science observations. Biological Conservation, 253 108912, 1-6. doi: 10.1016/j.biocon.2020.108912

Conservation birding: a quantitative conceptual framework for prioritizing citizen science observations

2021

Journal Article

Setting robust biodiversity goals

Maron, Martine, Juffe-Bignoli, Diego, Krueger, Linda, Kiesecker, Joseph, Kümpel, Noëlle F., ten Kate, Kerry, Milner-Gulland, E. J., Arlidge, William N. S., Booth, Hollie, Bull, Joseph W., Starkey, Malcolm, Ekstrom, Jonathan M., Strassburg, Bernardo, Verburg, Peter H. and Watson, James E. M. (2021). Setting robust biodiversity goals. Conservation Letters, 14 (5) e12816. doi: 10.1111/conl.12816

Setting robust biodiversity goals

2021

Journal Article

Essential indicators for measuring site-based conservation effectiveness in the post-2020 global biodiversity framework

Geldmann, Jonas, Deguignet, Marine, Balmford, Andrew, Burgess, Neil D., Dudley, Nigel, Hockings, Marc, Kingston, Naomi, Klimmek, Helen, Lewis, Alanah Hayley, Rahbek, Carsten, Stolton, Sue, Vincent, Claire, Wells, Sue, Woodley, Stephen and Watson, James E. M. (2021). Essential indicators for measuring site-based conservation effectiveness in the post-2020 global biodiversity framework. Conservation Letters, 14 (4) e12792, 1-9. doi: 10.1111/conl.12792

Essential indicators for measuring site-based conservation effectiveness in the post-2020 global biodiversity framework

2021

Journal Article

A 2021 horizon scan of emerging global biological conservation issues

Sutherland, William J., Atkinson, Philip W., Broad, Steven, Brown, Sam, Clout, Mick, Dias, Maria P., Dicks, Lynn V., Doran, Helen, Fleishman, Erica, Garratt, Elizabeth L., Gaston, Kevin J., Hughes, Alice C., Le Roux, Xavier, Lickorish, Fiona A., Maggs, Luke, Palardy, James E., Peck, Lloyd S., Pettorelli, Nathalie, Pretty, Jules, Spalding, Mark D., Tonneijck, Femke H., Walpole, Matt, Watson, James E.M., Wentworth, Jonathan and Thornton, Ann (2021). A 2021 horizon scan of emerging global biological conservation issues. Trends in Ecology and Evolution, 36 (1), 87-97. doi: 10.1016/j.tree.2020.10.014

A 2021 horizon scan of emerging global biological conservation issues

2020

Journal Article

A robust goal is needed for species in the Post‐2020 Global Biodiversity Framework

Williams, Brooke A., Watson, James E.M., Butchart, Stuart H.M., Ward, Michelle, Brooks, Thomas M., Butt, Nathalie, Bolam, Friederike C., Stuart, Simon N., Mair, Louise, McGowan, Philip J. K., Gregory, Richard, Hilton‐Taylor, Craig, Mallon, David, Harrison, Ian and Simmonds, Jeremy S. (2020). A robust goal is needed for species in the Post‐2020 Global Biodiversity Framework. Conservation Letters, 14 (3) e12778. doi: 10.1111/conl.12778

A robust goal is needed for species in the Post‐2020 Global Biodiversity Framework

2020

Journal Article

Author Correction: Area-based conservation in the twenty-first century (Nature, (2020), 586, 7828, (217-227), 10.1038/s41586-020-2773-z)

Maxwell, Sean L., Cazalis, Victor, Dudley, Nigel, Hoffmann, Michael, Rodrigues, Ana S. L., Stolton, Sue, Visconti, Piero, Woodley, Stephen, Kingston, Naomi, Lewis, Edward, Maron, Martine, Strassburg, Bernardo B. N., Wenger, Amelia, Jonas, Harry D., Venter, Oscar and Watson, James E. M. (2020). Author Correction: Area-based conservation in the twenty-first century (Nature, (2020), 586, 7828, (217-227), 10.1038/s41586-020-2773-z). Nature, 588 (7837), E14-E14. doi: 10.1038/s41586-020-2952-y

Author Correction: Area-based conservation in the twenty-first century (Nature, (2020), 586, 7828, (217-227), 10.1038/s41586-020-2773-z)

2020

Journal Article

Anthropogenic modification of forests means only 40% of remaining forests have high ecosystem integrity

Grantham, H. S., Duncan, A., Evans, T. D., Jones, K. R., Beyer, H. L., Schuster, R., Walston, J., Ray, J. C., Robinson, J. G., Callow, M., Clements, T., Costa, H. M., DeGemmis, A., Elsen, P. R., Ervin, J., Franco, P., Goldman, E., Goetz, S., Hansen, A., Hofsvang, E., Jantz, P., Jupiter, S., Kang, A., Langhammer, P., Laurance, W. F., Lieberman, S., Linkie, M., Malhi, Y., Maxwell, S. ... Watson, J. E.M. (2020). Anthropogenic modification of forests means only 40% of remaining forests have high ecosystem integrity. Nature Communications, 11 (1) 5978, 1-10. doi: 10.1038/s41467-020-19493-3

Anthropogenic modification of forests means only 40% of remaining forests have high ecosystem integrity

2020

Journal Article

Modelling the habitat of the endangered Carpentarian Grasswren (Amytornis dorotheae): The importance of spatio-temporal habitat availability in a fire prone landscape

Stoetzel, Henry J., Leseberg, Nicholas P., Murphy, Stephen A., Andrew, Margaret E., Plant, Kayler J., Harrington, Graham N. and Watson, James E.M. (2020). Modelling the habitat of the endangered Carpentarian Grasswren (Amytornis dorotheae): The importance of spatio-temporal habitat availability in a fire prone landscape. Global Ecology and Conservation, 24 e01341, e01341. doi: 10.1016/j.gecco.2020.e01341

Modelling the habitat of the endangered Carpentarian Grasswren (Amytornis dorotheae): The importance of spatio-temporal habitat availability in a fire prone landscape

2020

Journal Article

Using intrinsic and contextual information associated with automated signal detections to improve call recognizer performance: A case study using the cryptic and critically endangered Night Parrot Pezoporus occidentalis

Leseberg, Nicholas P., Venables, William N., Murphy, Stephen A. and Watson, James E. M. (2020). Using intrinsic and contextual information associated with automated signal detections to improve call recognizer performance: A case study using the cryptic and critically endangered Night Parrot Pezoporus occidentalis. Methods in Ecology and Evolution, 11 (11), 1520-1530. doi: 10.1111/2041-210x.13475

Using intrinsic and contextual information associated with automated signal detections to improve call recognizer performance: A case study using the cryptic and critically endangered Night Parrot Pezoporus occidentalis

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

  • 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

    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

  • 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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