Research interests

• ecology of marine invertebrates & seaweeds
• sustainable use of aquatic resources
• aquatic pests
• monitoring & evaluating change in aquatic ecosystems

Background

Bob Creese received his tertiary education at the University of Sydney, majoring in marine ecology. Following postdoctoral fellowships in New Zealand and the USA, Bob was appointed to the permanent academic staff at the University of Auckland in 1985. He was based at the University’s Leigh Marine Laboratory and conducted teaching and research in the fields of marine ecology, conservation biology and aquaculture. He had a long involvement with the New Zealand Marine Sciences Society (NZMSS) during that time and was awarded the NZMSS Award in 2000 for outstanding services to marine ecological research and postgraduate training in New Zealand.

Bob returned to Australia in 2000 as the Principal Conservation Scientist within the NSW Fisheries department. Following the incorporation of NSW Fisheries into DPI in 2004, Bob was appointed Research Leader for Aquatic Ecosystems research. The research within the Aquatic Ecosystems research unit covers a wide range of marine and freshwater topics including biodiversity assessments, threatened species, aquatic pests, habitat assessment and rehabilitation and ecosystem modelling. Bob’s direct involvement with this research effort is centred around aquatic components of the NSW Government’s MER program, particularly the marine theme.

Bob represents NSW on several national bodies including the National Marine Bioregionalisation working group (for the National Oceans Office), the Native Fish Strategy Implementation working group (for the Murray Darling Basin Commission), the Marine Biodiversity Decline working group (for the Department of Environment & Water, DEW) and the River Health Contact Group (also for DEW).
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Qualifications

• BSc (Hons),
• PhD. University of Sydney

Current projects

• management of DPI’s research activities relating to aquatic biodiversity, habitats & ecosystems
• Assessment of aquatic threatened species in the Hawkesbury-Nepean catchment
• Developing indicators for natural resource assessment in marine and estuarine environments
• Coordinating the Marine Waters theme for the NSW Monitoring, Evaluation & Reporting (MER) strategy
• Integrated monitoring of environmental flows (fish component)

Recent Publications

Glasby TM & Creese RG (2007) Invasive Marine Species Management and Research. Chapter 22 in: Marine Ecology (S. Connell & B. Gillanders, eds). Oxford University Press. Pp 569-594.

Newton KL, Creese RG & Raftos R (2007) Spatial patterns of ascidian assemblages on rocky reefs in the Port-Stephens – Great Lakes Marine Park, NSW. Marine & Freshwater Research 58: 843-855.

Williams RJ, West G, Morrison N & Creese RG (2006) Estuarine Resources of NSW. Report prepared for the NSW Department of Planning, 61pp.

Forrest BM & Creese RG (2006) Benthic impacts of intertidal oyster culture, with consideration of taxonomic sufficiency. Environmental Monitoring & Assessment 112, 159-176.

Rayner TS & Creese RG (2006) A review of rotenone use for the control of non-indigenous fish in Australian fresh waters, and an attempted eradication of the noxious fish, Phalloceros caudimaculatus. NZ Journal of Marine & Freshwater Research 40: 477–486.

Howell TD, Arthington AH, Pusey BJ, Brooks AP, Creese RG & Downes B (2005) Measuring the effect of river rehabilitation for fish: logistical constraints on experimental design in I.D. Rutherfurd et al. (Eds.) Proceedings of the 4th Australian Stream Management Conference: linking rivers to landscapes, 19-22 October 2004, Country Club Casino, Launceston, Tasmania, 299-305.

Glasby TM, Creese RG & Gibson PT (2005) Experimental use of salt to control the invasive marine alga Caulerpa taxifolia in New South Wales, Australia. Biological Conservation 122, 573-580.

Creese RG, Davis A & Glasby TM (2004) Eradicating and preventing the spread of the invasive alga Caulerpa taxifolia in NSW. NSW Fisheries Final Report Series # 64, 100pp.

Kroon FJ, Bruce AM, Housefield GP & Creese RG (2004) Coastal floodplain management in eastern Australia: barriers to fish and invertebrate recruitment in acid sulfate soil catchments. NSW Fisheries Final Report Series # 67, 210pp.

Professional associations and activities

• Honorary Life Membership of New Zealand Marine Sciences Society

Fields of Research

• 060204 Freshwater Ecology
• 060205 Marine and Estuarine Ecology (incl. Marine Icthyology)
• 050202 Conservation and Biodiversity

Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification (ANZSRC)

Keyword/phrase list of research interests

• Aquatic ecology 
• fish 
• molluscs 
• marine, estuarine & freshwater habitats

Contact details