Dr Paul Carnell

Research fellow

Deakin Marine Research and Innovation Centre
Deakin University, Queenscliff campus
2A Bellarine Hwy, Queenscliff VIC 3225

paul.carnell@deakin.edu.au

Paul’s research

Paul’s research aims to support government and non-government organisations to manage, protect and rehabilitate marine, coastal and freshwater ecosystems. This is done by:

Evaluating the ecosystem services (eg. blue carbon, coastal protection, fisheries) of marine, coastal and freshwater ecosystems, and how this varies in time and space
Utilising data on ecosystem extent, condition and services to create Environmental- Economic accounts that aim to optimise the benefits of nature through protection and restoration.
Developing effective and efficient monitoring programs that report against Limits of Acceptable Change in an Adaptive Management Framework

Underpinning these research goals, is experience in marine and freshwater ecosystems over the last 13 years. Here, Paul has established a career in aquatic ecology that allows him to merge pure and applied research via:

Strong field and laboratory research skills, having conducted research on many different ecosystems. During these projects, Paulhas conducted logistically difficult aquatic experiments involving over 450 logged scientific dives and more than 300 boat hours.
Paul’s experience working in experimental design and data analysis with Prof. Mick Keough has meant that he is both able to design and analyse robust research within the Blue Carbon Lab, but also have been sought out to analyse complex datasets for government departments.
Paul works effectively both independently and as part of team. This is evident in his experience in both leading individual projects and being involved in fieldwork and papers with groups of researchers.
Paul enjoys and is proficient establishing links with other researchers and stakeholders in his area of research. This is evident through collaborations on multiple projects.

Keywords

Carbon stocks, coastal and freshwater wetlands, Victoria, ecosystem services, wetland restoration, overgrazing sea urchins, Mapping Ocean Wealth Australia

Education

Postdoctoral Fellow, Deakin University (2016 – ongoing)
PhD, University of Melbourne, AUS (2010-2015)
Research Assistant, Keough Lab, University of Melbourne, AUS (2008-2010)
BSc (Hons) Marine Biology and Ecology, University of Melbourne, AUS (2004-2008)

Grants

Optimal Management of overabundant sea urchins in Victoria, DELWP
The Victorian Coastal Wetland Restoration Program, DELWP
Development of an ongoing monitoring program for saltmarsh & seagrass in Port Phillip Heads Marine National Park, Parks Victoria

Selected publications

Carnell, P.E., Palacios, M.M., Waryszak, P., Trevathan-Tackett, S.M., Masqué, P. and Macreadie, P.I., 2022. Blue carbon drawdown by restored mangrove forests improves with age. Journal of Environmental Management, 306, p.114301.

Moritsch, M.M., Young, M., Carnell, P.E., Macreadie, P.I., Lovelock, C., Nicholson, E., Raimondi, P.T., Wedding, L.M. and Ierodiaconou, D., 2021. Estimating blue carbon sequestration under coastal management scenarios. Science of The Total Environment, 777, p.145962.

Young, M.A., Serrano, O., Macreadie, P.I., Lovelock, C.E., Carnell, P.E., and Ierodiaconou, D., 2021. National scale predictions of contemporary and future blue carbon storage. Science of the Total Environment, 800, p.149573.

Gulliver, A., Carnell, P.E., Trevathan-Tackett, S.M., Duarte de Paula Costa, M., Masqué, P. and Macreadie, P.I., 2020. Estimating the Potential Blue Carbon Gains From Tidal Marsh Rehabilitation: A Case Study From South Eastern Australia. Frontiers in Marine Science, 7, p.403.

Carnell, P.E. and Keough, M.J., 2020. More severe disturbance regimes drive the shift of a kelp forest to a sea urchin barren in south-eastern Australia. Scientific reports, 10(1), pp.1-11

Limpert KE, Carnell PE, Trevathan-Tackett SM, Macreadie PI.2020. Reducing emissions from degraded floodplain wetlands. Frontiers in Environmental Science| https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2020.00008

Treby S, Carnell PE, Trevathan-Tackett SM, Bonetti G, Macreadie PI. 2020. Assessing passive rehabilitation for carbon gains in rain-filled agricultural wetlands. Journal of Environmental Management 256: 109971.

Carnell P, Ierodiaconou D, Atwood T, Macreadie PI. 2020. Overgrazing of seagrass by sea urchins diminish blue carbon stocks. Ecosystems. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10021-020-00479-7

Jänes, H., Macreadie, P.I., Zu Ermgassen, P.S., Gair, J.R., Treby, S., Reeves, S., Nicholson, E., Ierodiaconou, D. and Carnell, P., 2020. Quantifying fisheries enhancement from coastal vegetated ecosystems. Ecosystem Services, 43, p.101105.

PE Carnell, SE Reeves, E Nicholson, PI Macreadie, D Ierodiaconou, M Young, J Kelvin, H Janes, A Navarro, J Fitzsimons, CL Gillies. 2019. Mapping Ocean Wealth Australia: The value of coastal wetlands to people and nature. The Nature Conservancy Australia.

Carnell P, Windecker S, Brenker M, Baldock J, Maque P, Brunt K, Macreadie PI (2018) Carbon stocks, sequestration, and emission of wetlands in south eastern Australia. Global Change Biology | https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.14319

Huang B, Young M, Carnell P, Conron S, Ierodiaconou D, Macreadie PI, and Nicholson E. 2019. Quantifying welfare gains of coastal and estuarine ecosystem rehabilitation for recreational fisheries. Science of the Total Environment. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.134680

Carnell P & Keough MJ 2019. Reconstructing historical marine populations reveals major decline of a kelp forest ecosystem in Australia. Estuaries and Coasts. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12237-019-00525-1

Jänes H, Macreadie PI, Nicholson E, Ierodioconou D, Reeves S, Taylor M, Carnell PE. 2019. Stable isotopes infer the value of Australia’s coastal vegetated ecosystems from fisheries. Fish and Fisheries. https://doi.org/10.1111/faf.12416

Atwood TB, Connolly RM, Almahasheer H, Carnell P, Duarte CM, Ewers C, Irigoien X, Kelleway J, Lavery PS, Macreadie PI, Serrano O, Sanders C, Santos I, Steven A, Lovelock CE (2017). Global patterns in mangrove soil carbon stocks and losses. Nature Climate Change 7: 523-528.

Carnell P and Keough MJ (2015) The influence of herbivores on primary producers can vary spatially and interact with disturbance. Oikos 125: 1273-1283.

Carnell P and Keough MJ (2014) Spatially variable synergistic effects of disturbance and additional nutrients on kelp recruitment and recovery. Oecologia 175: 409–416.

See all publications