Dr Anita Chalmers

Dr Anita Chalmers is a plant ecologist/botanist within the School of Environmental and Life Sciences. Her research interests aims to improve the management of vegetation by understanding its response to natural and human disturbances. She has of research experience in a number of different terrestrial ecosystems (rainforest, grassland, heath, riverine and wetland), but has a particular passion for grasses, sedges and rushes.

In collaboration with fluvial geomorphologist, Professor Wayne Erskine, and researchers at Southern Cross University she completed research on the vegetation at Widden Brook in the Hunter Valley of NSW. This research showed the important role that Casuarina cunninghamiana (River Oak) plays in river restoration (by enhancing the formation of in-channel benches). She also established the flow regimes typically experienced by River Oaks at Widden Brook.

Anita is currently working on the riparian vegetation of Wollombi Brook, and its tributaries, with Professor Erskine as well as vegetation on Gulungal Creek in the Northern Territory with Professor Erskine and Dr Saynor. More research on the the links between vegetation, fluvial processes and sediment dynamics is needed if we are to effectively manage and restore riverine vegetation. Understanding how riparian and floodplain plant species respond to wet and dry climatic periods is also needed to help us predict the impacts of climate change on riparian vegetation.

Anita has also collaborated with the Australian Plants Society (Central Coast Group) and Gosford City Council on a field experiment established in the edge of a rainforest at Katandra Reserve near Gosford. The experiment tested how useful the long-stem planting technique (developed by Bill Hicks for riparian zones) is for rainforest restoration. This research was aimed at improving on-ground restoration outcomes.

Anita's botanical skills and expertise helps Dr Quan Vuong's research identifying, extracting and purifying bioactive compounds for use in the pharmaceutical and neutraceutical industries and Associate Professor Chris Scarlett's research testing the efficacy of bioactive compounds as novel therapeutics in the treatment of pancreatic cancer.

Research Expertise

• Ecology of riparian & floodplain plants and their role in river recovery, i.e. interaction between riparian plants, floods, water-table, sediment deposition.
• Threatened wetland plant communities and threatened species - e.g. woody wetland EECs (Swamp Sclerophyll Forest and Parramatta Red Gum woodland), Prostanthera junonis, Darwinia glaucophylla and Grevillea shiressii.
• Plant traits  - e.g. plant traits and plant functional groups in relation to disturbance
• Fire disturbance - e.g. effects in Wallum Heath (dominated by Banksia aemula),  Flannel flower (Actinotis helianthi), Hanging Swamps.

Teaching Expertise
Dr Anita Chalmers has been teaching in the disciplines of Sustainable Resource Management and Environmental Science and Management since 1999. She has taught a wide range of courses resulting in a broad interdisciplinary understanding of ecosystems and their management. Her teaching expertise includes:

• Vegetation ecology, assessment, botany and plant identification (ENVS2005 & SRMT3010);
• Sustainable agriculture and forestry (SRMT3050);
• Land/vegetation degradation (ENVS2005 & SRMT3050)- including threatened plant species and communities;
• Restoration ecology (SRMT3060) ;
• Freshwater ecosystems (SRMT2030);
• Environmental values and attitudes (SRMT2010).

Administrative Expertise
 

• Course co-ordination;
• Honours Program Convenor - Discipline of Applied Science July 2006 - July 2010;
• Member - Faculty Student Recruitment Committee (2003/2004) and Faculty Community & Marketing Working Group (2009-2012);
• Member – Central Coast Regional Vegetation Committee (Ministerial Appointment) (2001-2003);
• Member – NSW Scientific Committee (Ministerial Appointment) (2014 – 2016).
  
  

Collaborations

• Collaboration with fluvial geomorphologists to investigate the links between vegetation and river processes.
• Collaboration with Landcare/bushcare groups to obtain better on-ground outcomes for restoration projects.
• Collaboration with biochemists to investigate the medicinal properties of plants.