The University of Western Australia

UWA Staff Profile


Pauline Grierson

Dr Pauline Grierson

Senior Lecturer

Contact details

Address School of Plant Biology
The University of Western Australia (M090)
35 Stirling Highway
CRAWLEY WA 6009
Australia
Phone 6488 7926
Fax 6488 1126
Personal homepage http://www.plants.uwa.edu.au/home/research/research_centres/ergo

Location

Room 216, Botany and Biology Building, Crawley campus

Key research

  • Ecosystem biogeochemistry, particularly cycling of carbon, phosphorus & nitrogen;
  • Fire ecology - spatial patterning and links with key ecological processes;
  • Root architecture & functioning in water and nutrient uptake;
  • Stable isotopes in ecology;
  • Belowground processes in natural ecosystems
  • Dendroclimatology of Callitris
  • Mulga ecology and ecophysiology;
  • Jarrah forest ecology;
  • Riparian zone biogeochemistry & functioning

Major research interests

  • Agroforestry
  • Analytical techniques for plants and soil
  • Ecology of native plant communities and ecosystems
  • Fire ecology
  • Forest soils
  • Modelling of complex systems
  • Nutrient cycling and biogeochemistry
  • Rangeland ecology
  • Root adaptations
  • Stable isotope techniques
  • Stable isotopes in plant ecology/ecophysiology and soils
  • Tree root physiology and hydraulic architecture

Qualifications

BSc PhD Melb.

Publications

Jones M et al. Chapter 15. In situ or field-based methods. In: Methods of Soil Enzymology. (Eds Richard Dick and Richard Burns). Soil Science Society of America, Madison Wisconsin. pp XX-XX. (in press)

Anderson P, Brundrett MD, Grierson PF and Robinson R. (2009). Impact of severe forest dieback caused by Phytophthora cinnamomi on macrofungal diversity in the northern jarrah forest of Western Australia. Forest Ecology & Management (in press)

Sadler RJ, Hazelton M, Boer MM and Grierson PF. (2009). Deriving state-and-transition models from an image series of grassland pattern dynamics. Ecological Modelling (in press)

O’Donnell A, McCaw L, Cullen LE, Boer MM, Grierson PF. (2009). Dendroecological potential of Callitris preissii for dating historical fires in semi-arid shrublands of southern Western Australia. Dendrochronologia (in press)

Boer MB, Sadler RJ, Wittkuhn R, McCaw L and Grierson PF. (2009). Long-term impacts of prescribed burning on regional extent and incidence of wildfires – evidence from fifty years of active fire management in SW Australian forests. Forest Ecology & Management 259, 132-142.

Pekin BK, Boer MM, Macfarlane C, and Grierson PF. (2009). Impacts of increased fire frequency and aridity on eucalypt forest structure, biomass and composition in southwest Australia. Forest Ecology & Management 258, 2136-2142.

Bougoure J, Ludwig M, Brundrett M, and Grierson PF. (2009). Identity and specificity of the fungi forming mycorrhizas with rare, mycoheterotrophic Rhizanthella gardneri (Orchidaceae). Mycological Research 113, 1097-1106.

Cullen L and Grierson PF. (2009) Multi-decadal scale variability in autumn-winter rainfall in south-western Australia since 1655 BP as reconstructed from tree rings of Callitris columellaris. Climate Dynamics 33, 433-444.

McIntyre RES, Adams MA, Ford DJ and Grierson PF. (2009). Drying-rewetting pulses in an intermittent stream increase net nitrogen and carbon mineralization. Soil Biology & Biochemistry 41, 92-101.

McIntyre RES, Adams MA and Grierson PF. (2009) Nitrogen mineralization potential in rewetted soils from a semi-arid stream landscape, north-west Australia. Journal of Arid Environments 73, 48-54.

Petrone K, Richards J and Grierson PF. (2009). Composition and bioavailability of dissolved organic carbon and nitrogen in a near-coastal catchment, south-western Australia.
Biogeochemistry 92, 27-40. DOI 10.1007/s10533-008-9238-z

Boer MM, Macfarlane C, Norris J, Wallace J, and Grierson PF. (2008). Retrospective mapping of burn severity in Australian eucalypt forest using remotely-sensed changes in leaf area index. Remote Sensing of Environment 112, 4358-4369.

Bougoure J, Brundrett M, Brown A and Grierson PF. (2008). Habitats characteristics of the rare Western Underground Orchid, Rhizanthella gardneri. Australian Journal of Botany 56, 501–511.

Boer MM, Bradstock RA, Gill AM, Sadler RJ, Grierson PF. (2008). Endogenous and exogenous controls of wildfire complexity. Landscape Ecology 23, 899-913.

Cullen LE, Adams MA, Anderson M, Grierson PF. (2008). Analysis of δ13C and δ18O in tree rings of Callitris columellaris provides evidence of a change in stomatal control of photosynthesis in response to regional changes in climate. Tree Physiology 28, 1525–1533.

Arndt SK, Livesley SJ, Merchant A, Bleby TM, Grierson PF (2008). Quercitol and osmotic adaptation of field grown Eucalyptus under seasonal drought stress. Plant Cell & Environment 31, 915-924.

Cookson WR, Murphy DV, O’Donnell AJ, Grant CD and Grierson PF (2008). Impact of ecosystem management on microbial community physiological profiles of a forest rehabilitation site. Microbial Ecology 55, 321–332. DOI 10.1007/s00248-007-9278-2.

Abe H, Katayama A, Sah BP, Toriu T, Samy S, Pheach P, Adams MA and Grierson PF (2007). Potential for rural electrification based on biomass gasification in Cambodia. Biomass & Bioenergy 31, 656-664.

Cullen LE and Grierson PF. (2007). A stable oxygen, but not carbon, isotope chronology of Callitris columellaris reflects recent climate change in north-western Australia. Climatic Change 85, 213-229.

Ford DJ, Cookson WR, Adams MA and Grierson PF (2007). Nitrogen mineralization and microbial dynamics in semi-arid soils with progressive drying. Soil Biology & Biochemistry 39, 1557-1569.

Livesley SJ, Adams MA and Grierson PF (2007). Soil water nitrate and ammonium dynamics under an effluent irrigated eucalypt plantation. Journal of Environmental Quality 36, 1883-1894.

Cookson WR, Müller C, O’Brien P, Murphy DV and Grierson PF (2006). Nitrogen dynamics in an Australian semi-arid grassland soil. Ecology 87, 2047 –2057.

Cullen LE and Grierson PF. (2006). Cellulose extraction is necessary for inferring climatic history from stable carbon and oxygen ratios of Callitris glaucophylla tree-rings. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 236, 206-216.

Hokmabadi H, Arzani K and Grierson PF (2005). Growth, chemical composition and carbon isotope discrimination of pistachio (Pistacia vera L.) rootstock seedlings under salinity. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 56, 135-144.

Marschner P, Grierson PF and Rengel Z (2005). Microbial community composition and functioning in the rhizosphere of three Banksia species in native woodland in Western Australia. Applied Soil Ecology 28, 191-201.

Radersma S and Grierson PF (2004). Phosphorus mobilization in agroforestry: Organic anions, phosphatase activity and phosphorus fractions in the rhizosphere. Plant & Soil 259, 209-219.

Adams MA, Grierson PF (2001). Stable isotopes at natural abundance in terrestrial plant ecology and ecophysiology: An update. Plant Biology 3, 299-310.

Schneider K, Turrion MB, Grierson PF, et al. (2001). Phosphatase activity, microbial phosphorus, and fine root growth in forest soils in the Sierra de Gata, western central Spain. Biology & Fertility of Soils 34, 151-155.

Grierson PF and Adams MA (2000). Acid phosphatase, ergosterol and microbial P relationships in a jarrah forest in south-western Australia. Soil Biology & Biochemistry 32, 1817-1827.

Grierson PF, Comerford NB (2000) Non-destructive measurement of acid phosphatase activity in the rhizosphere using nitrocellulose membranes and image analysis. Plant & Soil 218, 49-57.

Todd MC, Adams MA and Grierson PF (2000). Mineralisation of nitrogen in a chronosequence of mine rehabilitation sites in south western Australia. Australian J Soil Research 38, 435-451.

Todd MCL, Grierson PF, Adams MA (2000). Litter cover as an index of nitrogen availability in rehabilitated mine sites Australian J Soil Research 38, 423-433.

Grierson PF, Comerford NB and Jokela EJ (1999). Phosphorus mineralization and microbial biomass in a Florida Spodosol: effects of water potential, temperature and fertilizer application. Biology & Fertility of Soils 28, 244-252.

Bentley D, Grierson PF, Bennett LT, Adams MA (1999). Evaluation of anion exchange membranes to estimate bioavailable phosphorus in native grasslands of semi-arid northwestern Australia. Communications in Soil Science & Plant Analysis 30, 2231-2244

Grierson PF and Adams MA (1999). Nutrient cycling and growth in forest ecosystems of south-western Australia - Relevance to agricultural landscapes. Agroforestry Systems 45, 215-244.

Grierson PF, Comerford NB and Jokela EJ (1998). Phosphorus mineralization kinetics and response of microbial phosphorus to drying and rewetting in a Florida Spodosol. Soil Biology & Biochemistry 30, 1323-1331.

Chen ZL, Grierson P, Adams MA (1998). Direct determination of phosphate in soil extracts by potentiometric flow injection using a cobalt wire electrode. Analytica Chimica Acta 363, 191-197.

Grierson PF (1992). Organic acids in the rhizosphere of Banksia integrifolia L.f.. Plant & Soil 144, 259-265.

Grierson PF, Adams MA and Attiwill PM (1992). Biomass of Victoria's forests. Australian Journal of Botany 40, 631-640.

Grierson PF and Attiwill PM (1989). Chemical characteristics of the proteoid root mat of Banksia integrifolia L.f. Australian Journal of Botany 37, 137-143.




Book Chapters and Reports

Adams MA, Coote M, Grierson PF, Livesley S and Williams K (2001) Improved management of the Albany Effluent Irrigation Tree Farm. Final report submitted to the Water Corporation, Western Australia. Ecosystems Research Group, Botany Department, University of Western Australia. 246 p.

Adams MA, Grierson PF and Burrows C (2003). Fires, soils and plant nutrition in West Australian forests: a focus on spatial and temporal variability. In: Fire in South-Western Australian Ecosystems: Impacts and Management of Eucalypts (Eds N Burrows and I Abbott), Backhuys Publishers, Leiden, The Netherlands.

Adams MA, Grierson PF, Bussau A and Dorling K (2001) Biomass and carbon in vegetation of the Pilbara region, Western Australia. Final report to Hamersley Iron, BHP and Robe/North. Ecosystems Research Group, Botany Department, University of Western Australia. 118 p.

Comerford, N.B., Cropper, W., Grierson, P.F., Araujo, Q., Jose S. (2006). Modeling P bioavailability and uptake in agroforestry systems (Modelagem da Biodisponibilidade e Absorção de P em Sistemas Agroflorestais). Universidade Estadual do Norte Flumiense Darcy Ribeiro, CABI.

Cullen LE, Adams MA, Landman PA and Grierson PF (2005) Using stable isotopes to understand tree responses to environmental variation and stress. Report to the Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture Coordinated Research Program The use of nuclear techniques for developing integrated nutrient and water management practices for agroforestry systems. Ecosystems Research Group, School of Plant Biology, University of Western Australia, 26 pp.

Grierson PF and Adams MA (2000) Growth and nutrient cycling in native ecosystems of southern Australia: Application to the development of sustainable agriculture. In Agriculture as a Mimic of Natural Ecosystems (Eds EJ Lefroy, RJ Hobbs, M O’Connor and JS Pate), Kluwer, Amsterdam, pp 215-244.

Grierson PF, Smithson P, Nziguheba G, Radersma S and Comerford NB (2004) Phosphorus availability and P dynamics in agroforestry systems. In Belowground Interactions in Tropical Agroecosystems: Concepts and Models with Multiple Plant Components. (Eds C Ong, M van Noordwijk and G Cadisch). pp 127-143, CABI, UK.

Grierson PF, Williams K and Adams MA (2000) Review of Unpublished Biomass-Related Information: Western Australia, South Australia, New South Wales and Queensland. National Carbon Accounting System Technical Report No. 25. Australian Greenhouse Office, Canberra, 95 p.

Raison J, Keith H, Barrett D, Burrows W and Grierson P (2003) Spatial Estimates of Biomass in Mature Native Vegetation. National Carbon Accounting System Technical Report No. 44, Australian Greenhouse Office, Canberra, 56 pp.

Snowden P, Raison J, Keith H, Ritson P, Grierson PF, Adams M, Montagu K, Bi H, Burrows W and Eamus D (2002) Protocol for Sampling Tree and Stand Biomass. National Carbon Accounting System Technical Report No. 31. Australian Greenhouse Office, Canberra, 66 p.

Grierson PF, Adams MA, and Attiwill, P. M. (199l). Carbon Sequestration in Victoria's Forests. 83 pp. (School of Botany, University of Melbourne: Parkville, Vic.)

Grierson PF, Adams MA, and Attiwill PM (199l). Carbon Storage in Soil and in Forest Products. 44 pp. (School of Botany, University of Melbourne: Parkville, Vic.)

Roles, responsibilities and expertise

Director, West Australian Biogeochemistry Centre (John de Laeter Centre in Mass Spectrometry)
Group Leader, Ecosystems Research Group, School of Plant Biology
Co-Leader, Terrestrial Ecosystems Research Initiative (FNAS)
Project Leader B4.2 Bushfire CRC
Deputy Chief IUFRO Division 2 - Root Physiology, 2006-present
COST Action FP0803 Belowground carbon turnover in European forests (non-COST Australian representative)
NCEAS Working Group 12147 - Revisiting nutrient limitation in tropical forests

Funding received

2010 A high-resolution isotope facility for low cost analysis of water, plant, and soil/sediment samples to understand environmental change. Grierson, Kendrick, Skyrzpek, Fellman, Bowman, Grice, Waite, Stock, Froend, Lavery. ARC LIEF $100K

2010 High resolution liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (Orbitrap) for analysis of polar compounds in biomass, petroleum, potable and reclaimed water. Grice K, Murphy, Greenwood, Heitz, Grierson, Busetti, Wacey, Gleeson. ARC LIEF $300K

2008-10 Ecological water requirements of the Yule River. Water Corporation and WA Dept of water. Grierson, Adams, Pfautsch, McLean, Braimbridge, Bellhouse, Jones. Water Corporation $110K

2007-09 Productivity of the southern jarrah forest in relation to fire. Australian Greenhouse Office, Grierson, Boer Pekin, Macfarlane. $30K

2008-10 Fire management of complex rehabilitated forests – quantifying and understanding spatial variability of forest structure and fuels. ARC-Linkage, Worsley Alumina, DEC. Grierson, Macfarlane, Boer, Sadler, Vlahos, McCaw. $645K

2007-10 Using tree-rings of an Australian conifer as a bio-indicator of decadal-scale environmental change. CERF – Dept of Environment, Water, Heritage & Arts. Prof David Bowman (UTas) Grierson, Hua (ANSTO), Dodson (ANSTO), McCaw (DEC), Lynda Prior (Charles Darwin Univ.) $799K

2007-9 Impacts of environmental change on organic matter and nutrient dynamics in near - coast catchments. CSIRO Flagship Collaborative Research Fund. Grierson, Petrone, Barron (CSIRO Land & Water). $109K

2008-2011 Dynamics of woody vegetation and water in the central Pilbara – understanding and managing for environmental change. ARC-Linkage, Rio Tinto Iron Ore & BHP-Billiton Iron Ore. Grierson, Prof MA Adams (USyd), Madden, White, Van Leeuwen. $1.8M

2007-9 John de Laeter Research Fellow in Isotope Biogeochemistry. John de Laeter Centre for Mass Spectrometry. Grierson McNaughton, McWilliams. $300K

2007-8 Host-truffle relationships – dependency on host tree roots. Hazel Hill/Manjimup Wine & Truffle Company. Grierson, Bougoure, Malajczuk, Eslick. $59K

2007 A novel isotope facility to characterise high-molecular-weight fractions of natural organic matter in soils, sediments, water, petroleum and coal. ARC-LIEF. Grice (Curtin), Grierson, Greenwood, Brocks, Zhang, Heitz. $280K

2006-7 Hydraulic conductivity and functional redundancy in woody shrubs. Andrew Mellon Foundation/CSU. Grierson, Dr Jochen Schenk (California State University Fullerton). $25K

2006 Stable isotope facility for biological, ecological, and geological applications - West Aust Biogeochemistry Centre. ARC-LIEF. Grierson, McNaughton, Murphy, Greenwood, Walker, Kendrick, Roberts, Grice. $614K

2006 Laser pyrolysis system with GC-MS.ARC-LIEF. Greenwood (UWA), Grice, Watling, Grierson. $350K

2002-6 Ecological sustainability and changing land use in the Pilbara. ARC-Linkage, Pilbara Iron Pty Ltd. Grierson, Adams. $750K

2003-9 Multi-scale analysis of patterns in ecological processes in relation to fire regimes Bushfire CRC. Grierson, Dr Matthias Boer. $750K

2004-7 The role of mycorrhizal fungi in nutrient supply and habitat specificity of the rare underground orchid (Rhizanthella gardneri). ARC-Linkage, DEC Grierson Brundrett M (UWA), Brown A (DEC), Sivasithamparam K (UWA). $140K

2006-8 Dendroclimatology studies of Callitris. Hermon Slade Foundation. Dr Louise Cullen (UWA), Grierson. $120K

2005-7 Understanding coastal biodiversity: the impact of marine production subsidies upon arid coastal environments. ARC Discovery. DA Walker (UWA), CM Duarte (Spain), Grierson, Robertson (UWA). $220K

2005-8 Mulga ecology in the Pilbara. Pilbara Iron Pty Ltd. Grierson, Page (PhD student), Dr Louise Cullen. $250K

2005 State-of-the-art solid state nuclear magnetic resonance' ARC-LIEF Berners-Price (UWA). Prof SJ Berners-Price, Prof CL Raston, A/Prof MV Baker, Dr GA Koutsantonis et al. $434K

Industrial relevance

Impacts of dewatering on vegetation
Sustainable management of semi-arid landscapes
Forest management
Carbon sequestration
Environmental change

Languages

English, Spanish

Memberships

Ecological Society of America
Ecological Society of Australia
International Atomic Energy Agency
Soil Science Society of America

Previous positions

1999-2001 Senior Senior Research Associate, University of Western Australia, Botany
1998-1998 Lecturer, University of Western Australia, Faculty of Agriculture, Plant Science
1995-1997 Research Associate, University of Western Australia, Plant Science
1993-1995 Postdoctoral Research Associate, University of Florida, School of Forest Resources and Conservation, Soil and Water Science
1991-1992 Research Associate, University of Melbourne, Botany

Teaching

ENVT2250 Introduction to Ecology
ENVT3305 Ecosystem Biogeochemistry
PLNT3306 Australian Vegetation

Current projects

• Ecological water requirements in the Pilbara

• Ecosystem biogeochemistry of the Swan-Canning catchment

• Dendroclimatology of Australia using Callitris - reconstructing rainfall patterns

• Fire ecology and fire behaviour in the jarrah forest and north-west of WA

Research profile