075: Scale mismatches and theory building with Graeme Cumming

In this episode, Stefan spoke with Graeme Cumming.  Graeme is a Professor at James Cook University in Townsville, Australia and the Director of the Australian Research Council (ARC) Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies. Graeme has a wide range of interests centering around understanding spatial aspects of ecology and the relevance of scale in ecosystem and social-ecological system function and resilience. He is also interested in the applications of landscape ecology and complexity theory to conservation and the sustainable management of natural resources. 

In the conversation, they discuss his extensive international experience, and the topics he has focused on throughout his career, including his upbringing in Zimbabwe. We discuss how theory is often lacking in applied research, and how building theory, particularly at the relevant scales, is an important challenge in his research program. We close the interview with his vision for examining what is beyond resilience, and the theoretical ideas he is interested in over the coming years.

Link to Post-Ostrom agenda paper:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1877343520300129

Link to scale mismatch on GBR paper:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590332220303511

University page

https://www.coralcoe.org.au/person/gscumming

Google Scholar page

 

 

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