Paul Close

Dr Paul Close is a Lecturer at The University of Western Australia's Albany Centre, where he has been a teaching and research academic since 2016. His work focuses on the application of ecological knowledge to conservation challenges, with particular expertise in aquatic and urban ecology.

Education and Career:

• Bachelor of Science with Honours from Australian National University (1995)
• PhD in estuarine fish ecology from The University of Western Australia
• Research assistant with Griffith University in Far North Queensland
• Fish ecologist at the Arthur Rylah Institute (Victoria, Australia) until 2002

Research Interests:

Dr Close's research spans three primary areas: aquatic ecology (particularly fish ecology), urban ecology, and the integration of socio-cultural and ecological knowledge systems. His aquatic ecology work focuses on tropical-temperate estuarine and freshwater fish ecology, habitat requirements of native fishes, and other aquatic fauna including macroinvertebrates and mussels. His urban ecology research examines fauna responses to urbanization threats and conservation opportunities in urban landscapes. His work on socio-cultural knowledge systems explores how to incorporate cultural values into mainstream conservation.

Research Trends:

Dr Close's recent research demonstrates a strong focus on urban conservation, particularly examining how residential gardens can serve as habitats for native wildlife. His work increasingly integrates citizen science approaches and examines the intersection between human activities and biodiversity conservation in urban settings. He maintains an active research program in freshwater ecology, with particular attention to threatened species and ecosystem health in southwestern Australia.

Scientific Recognition:

• h-index of 15
• 701 Citations
• Active researcher with 74 research outputs

Supervision and Grants:

Dr Close has supervised 12 Honours, 18 Masters, and 5 PhD students (as of 2020), with a current focus on aquatic ecology, urban ecology, and socio-cultural knowledge systems. He serves as Graduate Research Coordinator and Honours Coordinator at the Albany campus. His research is supported by multiple grants, including projects on urban ringtail possum conservation, turning gardeners into conservationists, cultural wetland assessment, and monitoring ecological impacts of farm forestry.

Research Groups:

Dr Close leads two research groups: Fish Ecology and Urban Ecology. His research teams include students and collaborators working on various aspects of conservation ecology, with particular emphasis on applying ecological knowledge to real-world conservation challenges.