Research Fellow
Dendrochronology, alpine ecology and climatology
Phone: +61 2 6125 2745
Fax: + 61 (0)2 6125 0746
E-mail: matthew.brookhouse@anu.edu.au

Matthew completed a forestry degree with honours at ANU in 1997. His honours research investigated the identification and analysis of tree rings in Eucalyptus obliqua and E. cypellocarpa. He then joined the Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE), Victoria, where he focussed on the design and implementation of components of Victoria's Statewide Forest Resource Inventory and forest growth and yield studies. In 2008, Matthew completed a PhD at ANU that focusses on the use of eucalypt tree rings in climatology.

Professional Activities

I am primarily engaged in developing a dendrohydrological reconstruction of river flow in the Thompson catchment on behalf of Melbourne Water. In addition to this work, I am also engaged in research on an invasive weed (Senna siamea) in CapeYork and an alpine conifer (Podocarpus lawrencei) in NSW and Victoria. In addition to these dendrochronological studies, I am also involved in research on modelling forest structure, as a surrogate for biodiversity, at a landscape level. These research interests, as well as my professional experience in the design and implementation of forest inventories provide the context for my teaching.

Academic Highlights

Due to the potential significance of my work in reconstructing long-term climate histories for Australia, I received a number of awards and grants in the latter part of my PhD. Notable amongst these award was a Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries/Bureau of Rural Sciences Science and Innovation Award in 2007. This award has furthered my research on historic river flow regimes in the Murrumbidgee and Cotter Rivers.

Selected Publications

Brookhouse, M. (2006). Eucalypt dendrochronology: past, present and potential, Australian Journal of Botany, 54, 435-449.

Brookhouse, M. and Brack, C. (2006). Crossdating and analysis of eucalypt tree rings exhibiting terminal and reverse latewood, Trees: structure and function, 20, 767-781.

Brookhouse, M. and Brack, C. (2008). The effect of age and sample position on eucalypt tree-ring width series, Canadian Journal of Forest Research, 38 (5), 1144-1158

Brookhouse, M., Lindesay, J., and Brack, C. (In press). The climatological and hydrological potential of tree rings in Eucalyptus pauciflora. Geographical Research.

Brookhouse, M., Brack, C., and Bi, H. (submitted). Elevation dependent climate sensitivity in Eucalyptus pauciflora Sieb. ex Spreng. tree-ring chronologies. Austral Ecology.