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School of Physical, Environmental and Mathematical Sciences |
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Physical Geographer
Research Interests:
Fluvial geomorphology; Quaternary environmental reconstruction; hillslope erosion and hydrology.
Biography
I have studied Fluvial Geomorphology for 20 years following a PhD from University College, Ireland on floodplain sedimentation and the storage of heavy metal pollutants. I came to Australia on an Australian European Awards Program (AEAP) Scholarship in 1989 and realised that Australia's landscape was the best ever. I was awarded an Australian Research Council Postdoctoral Fellowship in 1991 and went to the Australian National University to study with Prof. John Chappell and Dr John Magee. The research involved dating fluvial and deltaic sediments in the western side of the Lake Eyre Basin (Fig. 1). I had some amazing experiences and saw a landscape that is truly remarkable.
Figure 1: Lake Eyre Landscape.
I joined CSIRO Land and Water as a Senior Research Scientists and led a group on Forestry Activities and Water Quality. This research involved a lot of experimental work using a large rainfall simulator (Fig. 2 ). This work involved very productive collaboration with State Agencies and Industry Partners who later funded an Australian Research Council SPIRT Project on Forest Harvesting and Water Quality.
I joined ADFA in 1999 as a Lecturer and commenced teaching in Geomorphology at First, Second and Third Year Levels. I was promoted to Senior Lecturer in 2000.
Figure 2: Rainfall Simulators.
Research
I am currently involved in three major research projects.
The first involves work on forest activities and water quality funded from 2000-2004 by an ARC SPIRT Grant. This work included one Postdoctoral Fellow and currently supports one PhD student Chris Thompson. Chris is looking at the potential impact of forest activities on upland mountain streams, their form and ecology (link to Poster (PDF)).
The second involves a large ARC Discovery funded Project on floodplain sedimentation in the Fitzroy Basin, Queensland (Fig. 3) . This project which commenced in 2004 is investigating changes in floodplain storage over a variety of timescales throughout the basin with particular emphasis on the stability of floodplain forms as alluvial sinks. Preliminary work on the characterisation of the streams in this 160,00km2 basin, indicate considerable variability in fluvial form with a dominance of multi-thread anabranching river systems (Fig. 4).
This project is supporting one Postdoctoral Research Fellow, one Research Assistant and two PhD students who will commence in late 2004.
Thirdly, I continue my interests in the Lake Eyre Basin with a URSP funded Project on Hydrological and Geomorphological Change in the Neales River, western Lake Eyre Basin (Fig. 5). Recent dating of these inset fluvial deposits indicates significant fluvial activity over the last 100 years in the basin (Figs 6 & 7).
Figure 6 : Evidence of fluvial activity in the Lake Eyre Basin.
Figure 7 : Further Evidence of fluvial activity in the Lake Eyre Basin.
I am also currently serving as Task Force Coordinator for the International Union of Forest Research (IUFRO)'s group on water and Forests and are preparing for a special session at the Congress's meeting in Brisbane, 2005.
Teaching
I currently teach part of First Year; Geographies of Contemporary Australia, Second Year Geomorphology and Third Year Geomorphic Systems. I also make contributions to Resource Management and Geographic Research Methods.
Selected Publications
Journal Publications:
Thompson, C. Croke, J, Ogden, R and Wallbrink, P. (in review). Mountain streams in Australia: A morpho-statistical characterisation. Geomorphology.
Bracken, L and Croke, J. (in review). The concept of connectivity and its application in geomorphology. Geomorphology.
Croke, J, Takken, I., and Mockler, S. (in review). Hydrological connectivity in forested catchments. Geomorphology.
Croke, J. (in review). Runoff and sediment generation from unsealed forest roads: the effects of road usage and landscape position. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms.
Lane, P., Hairsine, P., Croke, J and Takken, I. (in review). Quantifying diffuse pathways for overland flow between the roads and streams of the Mountain Ash forests of central Victoria Australia.
Lane, P. Croke, J and Dignan, P. (2004). Runoff generation from logged and burnt convergent hillslopes: rainfall simulation and modelling. Hydrological Processes,18(5): 879-892.
Nanson, G.C and Croke, J.C (2002). Emerging issues in flood plain research. In (Eds) Dyer, F., Thoms, M and Olley, J.M. The Structure, Function and Management Implications of Fluvial Sedimentary Systems, IAHS Pub., No 276, pp. 271-278.
Wallbrink, P and Croke, J. (2002). A combined rainfall simulator and tracer approach to assess the role of Best Management Practices in minimising sediment redistribution and loss in forests after harvesting. Forest Ecology and Management, 170(1-3): 217-232.
Hairsine, P., Croke, J., Mathews, H., Fogarty, P. and Mockler, S. (2002). Modelling plumes of overland flow plumes from logging tracks. Hydrological Processes, 16(12): 2311-2327.
Croke, J.C., Hairsine, P. and Fogarty, P. (2001). Soil recovery from track construction and harvesting changes in surface infiltration, erosion and sediment delivery rates with time. Forest Ecology and Management, 143(1-3): 3-12.
Croke, J. and Mockler, S. (2001). Gully initiation and road-to-stream linkage in a forested catchment, Southeastern Australia. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, 26(2): 205-217.
Croke, J. and Hairsine, P. (2001). Managing sediment movement and sources in forests. Journal of Australian Water Association, 28(1): 20-22.
Croke, J.C., Hairsine, P. and Fogarty, P. (2000) Nutrient movement due to overland flow in managed native Eucalyptus forests, southeastern Australia. Water, Air and Soil Pollution, 122: 17-35.
Croke, J.C., Hairsine, P. and Fogarty, P. (1999) Sediment transport, redistribution and storage on logged forest hillslopes in south-eastern Australia. Hydrological Processes, 13(17): 2705-2720.
Croke, J.C., Hairsine, P. and Fogarty, P. (1999). Runoff generation and re-distribution in logged eucalyptus forests, south-eastern Australia. Journal of Hydrology, 216(1-2): 56-77.
Croke J.C. Magee, J.M and Wallensky, E.P. (1999). The role of the Australian Monsoon in the western catchment of Lake Eyre, Central Australia, during the Last Interglacial. Quaternary International, 57/58: 71-80.
Croke J.C. Magee, J.M and Price, D.M. (1998). Stratigraphy and sedimentology of the lower Neales River, West Lake Eyre, Central Australia: from Palaeocene to Holocene. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 144(3-4): 331-350
Croke J.C, Magee JM and Price DM (1996). Major episodes of Quaternary activity in the lower Neales River, northwest of Lake Eyre, central Australia, Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 124(1-2): 1-15
Chapters in Books:
Croke, J. (2004). Hydrology: Forests and soil erosion control. In: Encyclopedia of Forest Sciences. Chapter 7. Elsevier, Amsterdam.
Croke, J and Hairsine, P. 2001. Sediment routing from source to stream in managed forests. Chapter 7, International Union of Forest Research (IUFRO) Hydrology Task Force, Eds: Vertessy R and Elsenbeer, H. (Elsevier Pub.) pp. 25.
Croke, J.C. 1996. Australian Arid Geomorpholgy. Chapter 25. Arid Zone Geomorphology. 2nd Edition. Edited by D.S Thomas. John Wiley Publication.
Published Reports:
Croke, J. Takken, I., and Mockler, S. 2004. Erosion in Forests: Proceedings of the 4th Meeting in Canberra, March 2004. Cooperative Research Centre for Catchment Hydrology, Technical Report 10/04.
Croke, J., Wallbrink, P., Fogarty, P, Hairsine, P., Mockler, S., McCormack, B and Brophy, J. 1999. Managing Sediment Sources and Movement in Forests: The Forest Industry and Water Quality. Cooperative Research Centre for Catchment Hydrology Industry Report 99/11, 38pp.
Croke, J and Lane, P. 1999. Forest Management for the protection of water quality and quantity: Proceedings of the 2nd Erosion in Forests Workshop, May 1999, Warburton Victoria. Cooperative Research Centre for Catchment Hydrology Report 99/6.
Croke, J., and Fogarty, P. 1998. Proceedings of the Erosion in Forests Workshop, Bermagui 1997. Cooperative Research Centre for Catchment Hydrology Report 98/2.
Croke, J., Hairsine, P., Fogarty, P., Mockler, S. and Brophy, J. 1997. Runoff and Sediment Movement on Disturbed Hillslopes in the Eden Management Area of NSW. Cooperative Research Centre for Catchment Hydrology Report 97/2.
Croke, J., Fogarty, P., and Hairsine, P. 1997. Sediment Movement in Forestry Environments. NSW Department of Land and Water Conservation, pp. 50.