Dr Jenifer Ticehurst
Areas of expertise
- Agricultural Hydrology (Drainage, Flooding, Irrigation, Quality, Etc.) 079901
- Natural Resource Management 050209
- Decision Support And Group Support Systems 080605
- Soil Sciences 0503
- Sustainable Agricultural Development 070108
- Surfacewater Hydrology 040608
- Environmental Management 050205
- Crop And Pasture Protection (Pests, Diseases And Weeds) 070308
Research interests
Jenifer’s research interests are motivated by her desire to increase the sustainability of Australia’s agricultural industry, while protecting the natural environment. Her early research focused on the biophysical components of agriculture in soil, water and the agronomic system. While more recently she broadened her interests to include economic, ecological, social and governance criteria when informing the management of agricultural and natural resources. She has a strong interest in integrated assessment and modelling, with a particular focus on developing decision support tools using participatory processes, such as Bayesian networks.
Her recent research focuses on the conjunctive use and management of water within the Murray Darling Basin, and the potential for Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) to provide an adaptation option suitable for irrigators and the environment. A new research area for her is using general surveillance (i.e. people from all walks of life) to assist in the early detection of biosecurity threats to Australia’s agricultural production and natural environments.
Biography
After completing a BSc (Resource and Environmental Management) with Honours at the Australian National University in 1996 Jenifer worked as a technical officer with CSIRO (Division of Environmental Mechanics), NSW Agriculture and then CSIRO (Division of Plant Industry). The associated research projects were on the treatment of sewerage waste water through crop irrigation, sustainable grazing systems on the central tablelands, and wheat breeding. She completed her PhD at the Australian National University in 2004, with an investigation into how hillslope hydrology effects locating tree belt plantations to utilise excess water.
After completing her PhD she worked for 15 years at the Fenner School of Environment and Society (FSES) and its' predecessors, as part of the Integrated Catchment Assessment and Management (iCAM) Centre. For many of those years she was heavily embedded in the National Centre for Groundwater Resource and Training (NCGRT). While at iCAM her research projects included the development of the Coastal Lake Assessment and Management (CLAM) tool, Landscape Logic and an invesitgation into the feasibility of Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) for Australia's cotton industry.
She began working at the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES) in the Department of Agriculture, Water and Environment in March 2020, as part of the Biosecurity and social science team. Most recently she has developed guidelines to help program staff, funders and policy-makers plan, implement and monitor general surveillance programs and developed and analysed a national landholder survey about the occurrence and management of pests and weeds.
Researcher's projects
- Development of the Coastal Lake Assessment and Management (CLAM) tool: Completed in 2006, this project developed Bayesian network models for eight case study coastal lakes/ estuaries in NSW in collaboration with their local stakeholders. The models were designed to assist in management by identifying the biophyscial, economic and social trade-offs of possible future scenarios.
- Northern River CLAM project: Following on from the success and interest in the inital CLAM project another 16 CLAM tools were developed for lakes/ estuaries in northern NSW in collaboration with the Northern Rivers CMA. This work further developed the methodology, and also engaged local environmental consultants to develop and maintain the tools into the future.
- Landscape Logic (www.Landscapelogic.org.au) completed 2010: This was a large collaborative project funded by the Commonwealth Environment Research and Facilities (CERF) program, where Jenifer worked as part of the integration team. The project had a strong focus on building research collaborations with the regional NRMs in Tasmania and CMAs in Victoria to provide evidence based tools to assist in the management of water quality and native vegetation.
- Several project were completed as part of the National Centre for Groundwater Research and Training (NCGRT http://www.groundwater.com.au/) with Jenifers' work having a strong focus on groundwater- surface water hydrology and conjunctive use and management of water in the Murray Darling Basin. This work used integrative assessment and modelling to assess the social, economic, governance and ecological trade-offs of water allocation in the Namoi and Campaspe catchments.
- The feasibility of Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) for the Australian Cotton Industry. Completed in 2022, this project assessed the feasibility of MAR in three existing or emerging cotton growing regions of Australia (Coleambally, Namoi and Gilbert) against a framework of the technical, environmental, social, hydrological, economic and governance potential.
- With social scientists at ABARES, used systems thinking, developed guidelines and checklists designed to support policy-makers, funders and program staff to plan, implement and monitor general surveillance programs.
- With social scientists at ABARES, developed and analysing the occurrance and management of established pests and weeds across Australia via a national survey of landholders.
Available student projects
* Social research exploring the potential for groundwater to buffer impacts of drought and climate change in Australia's Murray-Darling Basin. Possible topics include the social accepatability of different options; and the institutional constraints to changes in governance required to achieve change.
* Social research exploring the influence of risk interpretation on irrigator decisions about trading groundwater.
* Social research examining the stability of rural landholder values, beliefs and attitudes over time. This research would draw on a unique time-series data set gathered at five-yearly intervals between 2002 and 2016 to compare the values, beliefs and attitudes of different occupational groups, enterprise types and modes of residence.
Publications
- Zare, F, Guillaume, J, Elsawah, S et al. 2021, 'A formative and self-reflective approach to monitoring and evaluation of interdisciplinary team research: An integrated water resource modelling application in Australia', Journal of Hydrology, vol. 596.
- Iwanaga, T, Partington, D, Ticehurst, J et al. 2020, 'A socio-environmental model for exploring sustainable water management futures: Participatory and collaborative modelling in the Lower Campaspe catchment', Journal of Hydrology: Regional Studies, vol. 28.
- Iwanaga, T, Zare, F, Croke, B et al 2018, 'Development of an integrated model for the Campaspe catchment: A tool to help improve understanding of the interaction between society, policy, farming decision, ecology, hydrology and climate', 8th International Symposium on Integrated Water Resources Management, IWRM 2018, ed. Z. Xu, D. Peng, W. Sun, B. Pang, D. Zuo, A. Schumann, and Y. Chen, Copernicus Publications, TBC, pp. 1-12.
- Ticehurst, J & Curtis, A 2018, 'The intention of irrigators to adopt water use efficient measures: case studies in the north and south of the Murray–Darling Basin', Australasian Journal of Water Resources, vol. 22, no. 2, pp. 149-161.
- Merritt, W, Fu, B, Ticehurst, J et al 2017, 'Realizing modelling outcomes: A synthesis of success factors and their use in a retrospective analysis of 15 Australian water resource projects', Environmental Modelling and Software, vol. 94, pp. 63-72pp.
- Ticehurst, J & Curtis, A 2015, 'Can existing practices expected to lead to improved on-farm water use efficiency enable irrigators to effectively respond to reduced water entitlements in the Murray-Darling Basin?', Journal of Hydrology, vol. 528, pp. 613-620.
- Merritt, W, Fu, B, Ticehurst, J et al 2015, 'Synthesising and evaluating the criteria of successful decision support models to support water resource assessment and management', 21st International Congress on Modelling and Simulation (MODSIM2015), ed. Weber, T., McPhee, M.J. and Anderssen, R.S., The Modelling and Simulation Society of Australia and New Zealand Inc., Australia, pp. 498pp.
- Ticehurst, J, El Sawah, S & Richardson, L 2015, 'An approach to consider the impact of co-designed science: Case study of Bayesian networks to set NRM targets', 21st International Congress on Modelling and Simulation (MODSIM2015), ed. Weber, T., McPhee, M.J. and Anderssen, R.S., The Modelling and Simulation Society of Australia and New Zealand Inc., Australia, pp. 1958-1964.
- Croke, B, Blakers, R, El Sawah, S et al. 2014, 'Marrying Hydrological Modelling and Integrated Assessment for the needs of Water Resource Management', Bologna IAHS 2014 - 6th IAHS-EGU International Symposium on Integrated Water Resources Management, IAHS Press, Italy, pp. 351-356.
- Jakeman, A, Kelly (nee Letcher), R, Ticehurst, J et al. 2014, 'Modelling for Managing the Complex Issue of Catchment-Scale surface and Groundwater Allocation', in Obaidat, M.S., Filipe, J., Kacprzyk, J., Pina, N. (ed.), Simulation and Modelling Methodologies, Technologies and Applications, Springer, Heidelberg, pp. 25-41.
- Ticehurst, J & Curtis, A 2013, 'Using Bayesian networks to advise NRM agencies how to influence the adoption of water use efficiency practices by groundwater license holders', International Congress on Modelling and Simulation MODSIM 2013, ed. Piantadosi, J., Anderssen, R.S. and Boland J., Modelling and Simulation Society of Australia and New Zealand Inc., Australia, pp. 2987-2993.
- Jakeman, A, Merritt, W, Fu, B et al 2013, 'Decision support systems: experiences, lessons and recommendations', 22nd NSW Coastal Conference, 22nd NSW Coastal Conference, Australia, pp. 1-15pp.
- Ticehurst, J, Pollino, C & Merritt, W 2012, 'Bayesian networks as integration tools in collaborative research', in Ted Lefroy, Allan Curtis, Anthony Jakeman & James McKee (ed.), Landscape Logic, CSIRO Publishing, Collingwood, Victoria, pp. 239-254.
- Jakeman, A, Kelly, R, Ticehurst, J, Ross, A, et al 2012, 'Modelling for the complex issue of groundwater management **', International Conference on Simulation and Modeling Methodologies, Technologies and Applications (SIMULTECH 2012), Conference Organising Committee, Rome Italy, pp. IS25-IS35.
- McIntosh, B, Ascough II, J, Twery, M, Chew, J, Elmahdi, A, Haase, D, Harou, J, Hepting, D, Cuddy, S, Jakeman, A, Chen, S, Kassahun, A, Lautenbach, S, et al. 2011, 'Environmental decision support systems (EDSS) development - Challenges and best practices', Environmental Modelling and Software, vol. 26, no. 12, pp. 1389-1402.
- Ticehurst, J, Curtis, A & Merritt, W 2011, 'Using Bayesian Networks to complement conventional analyses to explore landholder management of native vegetation', Environmental Modelling and Software, vol. 26, no. 1, pp. 52-65.
- Merritt, W, Ticehurst, J, Pollino, C et al 2010, 'The value of using Bayesian Networks in Environmental Decision Support Systems to support natural resource management', International Congress on Environmental Modelling and Software (iEMSs 2010), ed. David A. Swayne, Wanhong Yang, A.A. Voinov, A. Rizzoli, T. Filatova, International Environmental Modelling and Software Society, Canada, pp. 2080-2088.
- Ticehurst, J & Pollino, C 2010, 'Build collaborative models or capacity? Reflections from two years on', International Congress on Environmental Modelling and Software (iEMSs 2010), ed. David A. Swayne, Wanhong Yang, A.A. Voinov, A. Rizzoli, T. Filatova, International Environmental Modelling and Software Society, Canada.
- Liu, Y, Mahmoud, M, Hartmann, H et al 2008, 'Formal Scenario Development for Environmental Impact Assessment Studies', in A.J. Jakeman, A.A. Voinov, A.E. Rizzoli and S.H. Chen (ed.), Environmental Modelling, Software and Decision Support: State of the art and new perspectives, Elsevier, Oxford, pp. 145-162.
- Mahmoud, M, Liu, Y, Hartmann, H et al 2009, 'A formal framework for scenario development in support of environmental decision-making', Environmental Modelling and Software, vol. 24, pp. 798-808.
- Ticehurst, J, Curtis, A & Merritt, W 2009, 'Analysing social data on adoption of conservation practices: Exploring Bayesian networks', 18th World IMACS Congress and International Congress on Modelling and Simulation: Interfacing Modelling and Simulation with Mathematical and Computational Sciences, MODSIM 2009, ed. R S Anderssen, R D Braddock & L T H Newham , Modelling and Simulation Society of Australia and New Zealand Inc., Australia, pp. 2450-2456.
- Ticehurst, J, Letcher, R & Rissik, D 2008, 'Integration modelling and decision support: A case study of the Coastal Lake Assessment and Management (CLAM) Tool', Mathematics and Computers in Simulation, vol. 78, pp. 435-449.
- Ticehurst, J 2008, 'Evolution of an approach to integrated adaptive management: The Coastal Lake Assessment and Management (CLAM) tool', Ocean and Coastal Management, vol. 51, pp. 645-658.
- Ticehurst, J, Cresswell, H, McKenzie, N et al 2007, 'Interpreting soil and topographic properties to conceptualise hillslope hydrology', Geoderma, vol. 137, no. 3, pp. 279-292.
- Ticehurst, J, Newham, L, Rissik, D et al 2007, 'A Bayesian Network approach for assessing the sustainability of coastal lakes in New South Wales, Australia', Environmental Modelling and Software, vol. 22, pp. 1129-1139.
- Croke, B, Ticehurst, J, Letcher, R et al 2007, 'Integrated assessment of water resources: Australian experiences', Water Resources Management, vol. 21, pp. 351-373.
- Croke, B, Ticehurst, J, Letcher, R et al 2007, 'Integrated assessment of water resources: Australian experiences', in Eric Craswell, Mike Bonell, Deborah Bossio, Siegfried Demuth, Nick van de Giesen (ed.), Integrated Assessment of Water Resources and Global Change: A North-South Analysis, Springer, The Netherlands, p. 3.
- Ticehurst, J & Pollino, C 2007, 'Build Collaborative Models or Capacity? Comparison of Techniques for Building Bayesian Networks for the Natural Resource Management Regions of Australia', International Congress on Modelling and Simulation (MODSIM 2007), ed. Les Oxley & Don Kulasiri, Modelling and Simulation Society of Australia and New Zealand Inc., New Zealand, pp. 274-280.
- Ticehurst, J, Rissik, D, Newham, L et al 2005, 'Development of a decision support tool for the integrated management of NSW coastal lake catchments', NSW Coastal Conference 2005, Conference Organising Committee, unknown.
- Ticehurst, J, Croke, B & Jakeman, A 2005, 'Model design for the hydrology of tree belt plantations on hillslopes', Mathematics and Computers in Simulation, vol. 69, pp. 188-212.
- Ticehurst, J, Rissik, D, Letcher, R et al. 2005, 'Development of decision support tools to assess the sustainability of coastal lakes', 2005 International Congress on Modelling and Simulation: Advances and Applications for Management and Decision Making, MODSIM 2005, ed. Andre Zerger & Robert M Argent, Modelling and Simulation Society of Australia and New Zealand Inc., Canberra, pp. 2414-.
- Ticehurst, J, Creswell, H & Jakeman, A 2003, 'Using a physically based model to conduct a sensitivity analysis of subsurface lateral flow in south-east Australia', Environmental Modelling and Software, vol. 18, pp. 729-740.
- Ticehurst, J, Croke, B, Spate, J et al 2003, 'Development of a simple cascading bucket model for hillslope hydrology.', International Congress on Modelling and Simulation (MODSIM 2003), ed. David A. Post, Modelling and Simulation Society of Australia and New Zealand Inc., UWA UniPrint, pp. 1:392-397.
- Ticehurst, J, Cresswell, H, McKenzie, N et al 2001, 'Using simulation to understand the occurrence of subsurface lateral flow in south-east Australia', International Congress on Modelling and Simulation (MODSIM 2001), ed. Ghassemi, F. et. al, Modelling and Simulation Society of Australia and New Zealand Inc., Canberra, pp. 2:561-566.
Projects and Grants
Grants information is drawn from ARIES. To add or update Projects or Grants information please contact your College Research Office.
- Feasibility study of managed aquifer recharge for improved water productivity for Australian cotton production (Secondary Investigator)
- Systems modelling for NRM planning (Primary Investigator)
- The impact of land use and climate change on water yields in upland catchments in the Murray Darling Basin (Secondary Investigator)
- Landscape Logic: linking land and water management to resource condition targets (Secondary Investigator)