Rupert Mathwin

Dr Rupert Mathwin

Freshwater Ecologist and Modeller

Gulbali Institute

Biography

Rupert Mathwin is an experienced ecologist and biologist who has worked on aquatic ecosystems of South Australia and the Northern Territory since 2010. He has an excellent knowledge of fish and frog ecology in the Murray-Darling Basin, Mount Lofty Ranges, Adelaide plains, Northern and Yorke agricultural district, Lake Eyre Basin and Artesian springs. He has strengths in project design and implementation, stakeholder and Indigenous engagement and reporting. Rupert's analytical skill set includes multivariate spatio-temporal analyses, population and agent-based modelling (including species occupancy models and population viability analysis), and optimised machine learning. Rupert has experience providing scientifically defensible management advice to state and federal government on environmental water use, ecological response models, ecosystem health and data management strategies.

Rupert is currently using machine learning and big data to develop predictive models to act as decision support tools to guide aquatic conservation.

Research
  • Predictive ecological modelling
  • Threatened species
  • Frog conservation
  • Environmental water
  • ‘Big data’ and open data
Publications

Recent Publications

  • Mathwin, R., Wassens, S., Young, J., Ye, Q. and Bradshaw, C.J., (2021). Manipulating water for amphibian conservation. Conservation Biology, 35(1), pp.24-34.
  • Lintermans, M., Lutz, M., Whiterod, N.S., Gruber, B., Hammer, M.P., Kennard, M.J., Morgan, D.L., Raadik, T.A., Unmack, P., Brooks, S. and Ebner, B.C., (2024). Troubled waters in the land down under: Pervasive threats and high extinction risks demand urgent conservation actions to protect Australia's native freshwater fishes. Biological conservation, 300, p.110843.
  • Mathwin, R., Wassens, S., Gibbs, M.S., Young, J., Ye, Q., Saltré, F. and Bradshaw, C.J., (2023). Modeling the effects of water regulation on the population viability of a threatened amphibian. Ecosphere, 14(1), p.e4379.
  • Bower, D.S., McKnight, D.T., Sullivan, K., Macdonald, S.L., Georges, A., Clulow, S., Mathwin, R., Connell, M.J., Nelson, H.V., Santoro, A. and Nordstrom, B., (2023). Opportunities for research and conservation of freshwater turtles in Australia. Austral ecology, 48(8), pp.1483-1491.
  • Mathwin, R. (2024). The establishment of frog monitoring methods and sites to inform ecological targets of the Weir Pool Manipulation Strategy. A report to the Department for Environment and Water. Rupert.Mathwin. Ecology, Belair, South Australia.