Dr Halina Kobryn
PhD Murdoch, PostGrad Dip Curtin, BSc Wroclaw

My research profile covers spatial analysis of natural and modified environments, including the applications of Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Global Positioning Systems (GPS) and remote sensing. My research interests are in the application of these geospatial technologies in terrestrial, coastal and marine environments.

My research projects can be grouped into the following themes:

• Baseline investigations. Mapping and monitoring of the natural ecosystems such as marine habitats (e.g. Ningaloo), land cover and vegetation mapping (e.g. Timor Leste or Rottnest Island) or mangroves (e.g. Exmouth Gulf or Darwin Harbour).
• Agriculture applications. Assessment of spatial patterns condition of agricultural intervention practices to improve productivity through spatial data and remotely sensed imagery (e.g. WA wheatbelt dryland salinity, Tibetan livestock nutrition study or detection of nitrogen deficiency in plants).
• Wildlife ecology and behaviour. Investigations of interactions between animals and their environment, (e.g. dolphins, whale sharks or marsupials such as quokka, bandicoot, bilby or foxes in remote or urban areas).
• Humans in the environment. Assessing patterns of human use or human values and management preferences in natural environments (e.g. Ningaloo or Kimberley). 

I teach into units with major components of GIS and remote sensing at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels:

• Env303 Geographic Information Systems for Environmental Management
• ENV333 Coastal and Marine Management
• ENV558 Environmental Management

I also contribute to ENV102 Foundations of the Environment and ENV246 Protected Area Management and Planning.

I supervise student research projects which use spatial data analysis and /or remote sensing in marine and environmental applications

I enjoy the opportunity to see my specific skillset translated across many disciplines and have brought together the applications of remote sensing, data analysis. Over the years I have engaged in a range of projects that span from urban catchment land use, land management and agriculture, through to coastal and marine habitat mapping and monitoring to investigations in animal use of space (movement and home ranges and habitat use). My collaborative work enables fellow researchers in different disciplines to substantially enhance their data capture, analysis methods and outcomes, including data visualisations. However, I have also made substantial contributions to my discipline in its own right.

• Mapping marine habitats in the temperate and subtropical waters using hyperspectral and multispectral remote sensing instruments.
• Human values and aspirations for coastal waters of the Kimberley (http://www.wamsi.org.au/research-site/social-values)
• Spatial data and tools in protected area management and monitoring
• Use of remote sensing in precision agriculture

Recent grants include

• Council of Grain Growers Organisation Ltd Grants: Refining remote sensing technologies to give real-time estimation of crop nitrogen status for application in precision agriculture. ($95k)
• Western Australian Marine Science Institution (WAMSI) : Human use patterns, impacts, values and aspirations for coastal waters of the Kimberley ($340k)
• Wealth from Oceans funding for the study of the Ningaloo Reef ($300k)
• Dept. of Water : investigation of the efficacy of deep drains in agricultural areas with remote sensing ($50k)

I regularly present at national and international conferences. Details available on request.

• Academic Chair, Postgraduate Coursework in Environmental Science
• Board member of the Qualifications Accreditation Scheme (EIANZ)
• Board and Technical Committee Member of the Western Australian Satellite Technology Application Centre, representing Murdoch University.
• Member of the Editorial Advisory Board of The Polish Cartographical Review

Most recent, selected students co-supervised with various colleagues:

PhD

• Matt Harvey (2009) (Development of techniques to classify marine benthic habitats using hyperspectral imagery in oligotrophic, temperate waters)
• Holly Smith (2012) (Population dynamics and habitat use of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops aduncus), Bunbury, Western Australia)
• Kate Sprogis (2015) (Predictive habitat modelling and population dynamics of Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops aduncus) in Bunbury, Western Australia)
• Felipe Burgess (current) (Application of remote sensing to estimate rates of legume symbiotic nitrogen fixation and their influence into a cereal – legume rotation across different soil conditions )
• Stuart Dawson (2018) (Critical habitat and foraging range of bilbies)

MPhil

• Kate Candy (2004) (Mapping fire affected areas in northern Western Australia- towards an automatic approach)
• Laily Mukarommah (2017) ( Rottnest Island: A Hyperspectral and field based analysis of native vegetation condition, risk of invasion and options for remediation)

MSc

• Louisa D’Andrea (2007) (Using hyperspectral imagery to map vegetation condition and ground cover of the coastal area at Coral Bay, WA)
• Denis Rouillard (2008) (The Use of Hyperspectral Imagery in Mapping Marine and Terrestrial Sediment Distribution on the Cape Range Peninsula)
• Jess Bunning (2008) (Hyperspectral Techniques to Detect Off-Road Vehicle Tracks along the Ningaloo Coastline)
• Simon Wee (2008) (Extent and density of roads and tracks along the Ningaloo coastline, North West Australia)
• Helen Hunt (2011) (Monitoring interactions between marine wildlife and commercial tour-vessels in Shark Bay, Western Australia )
• Robert Wochenslander (2011) (Investigating the possible use of carbon sequestration for wetland restoration: A scoping study on the Swan Coastal Plain )
• Jessica Rutherford (2012) (A comprehensive approach to assessing the tourism potential of geological sites in a natural area tourism destination: Rottnest Island as a case study)
• Daniel Gibbons (2012) (Spatial distribution of coastal access tracks in the remote west Kimberley)
• Chris Johnston (2012) (Modern and historical data identify sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) habitat offshore of south-western Australia )
• Tanya Carroll (2012) (Classification of Ningaloo beach material using hyperspectral data: A turtle nesting beach application)
• Kylie Jones (2012) (A system for setting management priorities for national parks in Western Australia)
• Ashley Godwin (2014) (Landcover  change in Timor Leste)
• Daniella Hanf (2014) (Species distribution modelling of southern Pilbara coastal dolphins)

REFEREED JOURNALS

1. Kobryn, HT, Swinhoe, EJ, Bateman, PW, Adams, PJ, Shephard, JM, and Fleming, PA (2022). Foxes at your front door? Habitat selection and home range estimation of suburban red foxes (Vulpes vulpes). Urban Ecosystems. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11252-022-01252-5
2. Roddick, S, Kreplins, TL, Kobryn, HT, and Fleming, PA (2022). Livestock guardian dog protection of free-range poultry from the red fox. Animal Production Science, https://doi.org/10.1071/AN21229.
3. Kobryn HT, Beckley, LE, and Wouters, K (2022). Bathymetry Derivatives and Habitat Data from Hyperspectral Imagery Establish a High-Resolution Baseline for Managing the Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia. Remote Sensing 14, 1827. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs14081827
4. Hanf, D, Hodgson, AJ, Kobryn, H, Bejder, L, Smith, JN (2022) Dolphin distribution and habitat suitability in North Western Australia: Applications and implications of a broad-scale, non-targeted dataset. Frontiers in Marine Science, 8, https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2021.733841.
5. Hopkins, AJM, Tay, NE, Bryant, GL, Ruthrof, KX, Valentine, LE, Kobryn, H, Burgess, T I, Richardson, BB, Hardy, GESJ, and Fleming, PA (2021), Urban remnant size alters fungal functional groups dispersed by a digging mammal. Biodiversity and Conservation. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-021-02287-4
6. Dawson, SJ, Broussard, L , Adams, PJ, Moseby, KE, Waddington, KI, Kobryn, HT, Bateman, PW and Fleming, PA (2019), An outback oasis: the ecological importance of bilby burrows. Journal of  Zoology, 308: 149-163. doi:10.1111/jzo.12663
7. Sequeira, A R, Admiraal, R, Herculano, L L M, Conceição, F, Monguela, A, McHenry, M P, Kobryn, HT, and Doepel, D (2019). Assessing the short-term outcomes of a piped water supply intervention in peri-urban Mozambique. https://doi.org/10.2166/washdev.2019.158
8. Sprogis, KR, Christiansen, F, Raudino, HC, Kobryn, HT, Wells, RS, and Bejder, L (2018). Sex-specific differences in the seasonal habitat use of a coastal dolphin population. Biodiversity and Conservation 27, 3637-3656.
9. Gstaettner, AM, Kobryn, HT, Rodger, K, Phillips, M, and Lee, D (2018). Monitoring visitor injury in protected areas – analysis of incident reporting in two Western Australian parks. Journal of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jort.2018.04.002
10. Povh, LF, Bencini, R, Chambers, BK, Kreplins, TL, Willers, N, Adams, PJ, Wann, J, Kobryn, HT, and Fleming, PA (2018). Shedding light on a cryptic macropodid: home ranges and habitat preferences of translocated western brush wallabies (Notamacropus irma). Australian Mammology https://doi.org/10.1071/AM17041
11. Dawson, SJ, Adams, PJ, Moseby, KE, Waddington, KI, Kobryn, HT, Bateman, PW, and Fleming, PA (2018). Peak hour in the bush: linear anthropogenic clearings funnel predator and prey species. Austral Ecology 43, 159-171
12. Bryant, GL, Kobryn, HT, Hardy, GES, and Fleming, PA (2017). Habitat islands in a sea of urbanisation. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening 28, 131-137.
13. Kobryn, HT, Brown, G, Munro, J, and Moore, SA (2017). Cultural ecosystem values of the Kimberley coastline: An empirical analysis with implications for coastal and marine policy. Ocean & Coastal Management. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2017.09.002
14. Munro, J, Pearce, J, Brown, G, Kobryn, H, Moore, SA, (2017). Identifying ‘public values’ for marine and coastal planning: Are residents and non-residents really so different? Ocean & Coastal Management 148, 9-21.
15. Allen, SJ, Pollock, KH, Bouchet, PJ, Kobryn, HT, McElligott, DB, Nicholson, KE, Smith, J N, and Loneragan, NR (2017). Preliminary estimates of the abundance and fidelity of dolphins associating with a demersal trawl fishery. Scientific Reports 7, 4995.
16. Munro, J, Kobryn, H, Palmer, D, Bayley, S, and Moore, SA (2017). Charting the coast: spatial planning for tourism using public participation GIS. Current Issues in Tourism, 1-19.
17. Kobryn, HT, Beckley, L E, Cramer, V, and Newsome, D (2017). An assessment of coastal land cover and off-road vehicle tracks adjacent to Ningaloo Marine Park, north-western Australia. Ocean & Coastal Management 145, 94-105.
18. Moore, SA, Brown G, Kobryn, H  and Strickland-Munro, J (2017). Identifying conflict potential in a coastal and marine environment using participatory mapping. Journal of Environmental Management 197: 706-718. doi:http://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2016.12.026.
19. Brown, G, Strickland-Munro, J,  Kobryn, H and Moore SA  (2017) Mixed methods participatory GIS: An evaluation of the validity of qualitative and quantitative mapping methods. Applied Geography 79: 153-166. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.apgeog.2016.12.015.
20. Strickland-Munro J, Kobryn H, Moore SA, Brown G (2016) Valuing the wild, remote and beautiful: using Public Participation GIS to inform tourism planning in the Kimberley, Western Australia. International Journal of Sustainable Development and Planning 11: 355-364.
21. Strickland-Munro J, Kobryn H, Brown G, Moore SA (2016) Marine spatial planning for the future: Using Public Participation GIS (PPGIS) to inform the human dimension for large marine parks. Marine Policy 73: 15-26.
22. Johnson CM, Beckley LE, Kobryn H, Johnson GE,Kerr  I, Payne R (2016) Crowdsourcing modern and historical data identifies sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) habitat offshore of south-western Australia. Frontiers in Marine Science 3, 167.
23. Smith H, Frère C, Kobryn H, Bejder L (2016) Dolphin sociality, distribution and calving as important behavioural patterns informing management. Animal Conservation: doi:10.1111/acv.12263.
24. Davies HN, Beckley LE, Kobryn HT, Lombard AT, Radford B and Heyward A (2016) Integrating Climate Change Resilience Features into the Incremental Refinement of an Existing Marine Park. PLoS ONE 11: e0161094.
25. Brown G, Strickland-Munro J, Kobryn H, Moore SA (2016) Stakeholder analysis for marine conservation planning using public participation GIS. Applied Geography 67: 77-93.
26. Rutherford, J, Newsome, D, and Kobryn, H (2015). Interpretation as a vital ingredient of geotourism in coastal environments: The geology of sea level change, Rottnest Island, Western Australia. Tourism in Marine Environments 11, 55-72.
27. Rutherford J, Kobryn H, Newsome D (2015) A case study in the evaluation of geotourism potential through geographic information systems: application in a geology-rich island tourism hotspot. Current Issues in Tourism 18: 267-285.
28. Poole H, Mukaromah L, Kobryn HT, Fleming P (2015) Spatial analysis of limiting resources on an island: diet and shelter use reveal sites of conservation importance for the Rottnest Island quokka. Wildlife Research 41: 510-521.
29. Kobryn HT, Lantzke R, Bell R, Admiraal R (2015) Remote sensing for assessing the zone of benefit where deep drains improve productivity of land affected by shallow saline groundwater. Journal of Environmental Management 150: 138-148.
30. Anderson DJ, Kobryn HT, Norman BM, Bejder L, Tyne JA and Loneragan NR (2014) Spatial and temporal patterns of nature-based tourism interactions with whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) at Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 148: 109-119.
31. Allen SJ, Tyne JA, Kobryn HT, Bejder L, Pollock KH, et al. (2014) Patterns of Dolphin Bycatch in a North-Western Australian Trawl Fishery. PLoS ONE 9: e93178.
32. Speed C, Babcock R, Bancroft K, Beckley LB, Bellchambers LM, Depczynski M, Field SN, Friedman KJ, Gilmour JP, Hobbs JA, Kobryn HT, Moore JAY, Nutt C, Shedrawi G, Thomson DP, Wilson SK (2013) Dynamic Stability of Coral Reefs on the West Australian Coast. PLoS ONE 8: e69863.
33. Kobryn HT, Wouters K, Beckley LE, Heege T (2013) Ningaloo Reef: shallow marine habitats mapped using a hyperspectral sensor. PLoS ONE 8: e70105.
34. Smallwood CB, Beckley LE, Moore SA, Kobryn HT (2011) Assessing patterns of recreational use in large marine parks: A case study from Ningaloo Marine Park, Australia. Ocean & Coastal Management 54: 330-340.
35. Ohlendorf S, Müller A, Heege T, Cerdeira-Estrada S, Kobryn HT (2011) Bathymetry mapping and sea floor classification using multispectral satellite data and standardized physics-based data processing. Proc SPIE 8175, Remote Sensing of the Ocean, Sea Ice, Coastal Waters, and Large Water Regions: 817503-817503.
36. Ligtermoet E, Chambers JM, Kobryn HT, Davis J (2009) Determining the extent and condition of riparian zones in drinking water supply catchments in Sarawak, Malaysia. Water Science and Technology: Water Supply 9: 517-531.
37. Paling EI, Kobryn HT, Humphreys G (2008) Assessing the extent of mangrove change caused by Cyclone Vance in the eastern Exmouth Gulf, northwestern Australia. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 77: 603-613.
38. Harvey MJ, Kobryn HT, Beckley LE, Heege T, Hausknecht P, et al. Mapping the shallow marine benthic habitats of Rottnest Island, Western Australia; 2007; Bolzano, Italy. EARSEL. pp. 11.
39. Standish RJ, Cramer VA, Hobbs RJ, Kobryn HT (2006) Legacy of land-use evident in soils of Western Australia’s wheatbelt. Plant and Soil 280: 189-207.
40. Bouma GA, Kobryn HT (2004) Vegetation cover in East Timor, 1989-1999. Natural Resources Forum 28: 1-12.
41. Hartley LR, Arnold PK, Kobryn H, MacLeod C (1989) Vigilance, visual search and attention in an agricultural task. Applied Ergonomics 20: 9-16.

BOOK CHAPTERS

1. Kobryn, H. T., and Newsome, D. 2018. The application of geographical information systems in geotourism. In: Dowling R.  and Newsome D. (eds.)   Geotourism: definition, characteristics and international perspectives, pp. 94-107. Elgaronline.
2. Heege T, Kobryn HT, Harvey MJ, 2008. How can I map littoral sea bottom properties and bathymetry? In: Fitoka, E., Keramitsoglou, I. (Eds.), Inventory, assessment and monitoring of Mediterranean Wetlands: Mapping wetlands using Earth Observation techniques. EKBY & NOA. MedWet publication, pp. 92-93.
3. Kobryn HT., Harvey MJ, Heege T, 2008. Sea floor and bathymetry mapping: Rottnest Island, Western Australia, AU. In: Fitoka, E., Keramitsoglou, I. (Eds.), Inventory, assessment and monitoring of Mediterranean Wetlands: Mapping wetlands using Earth Observation techniques. EKBY & NOA. MedWet publication, pp. 130-133.

selected REFEREED CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS and REPORTS

1. Strickland-Munro J., Kobryn, H., Bayley, S., Moore, S.A. and Palmer, D. 2016. Human values and aspirations for coastal waters of the Kimberley: Port Smith (Purnturrpurnturr) visitor survey. Technical Report. Kimberley Marine Research Program Node of the Western Australian Marine Science Institution, WAMSI, Perth, Western Australia. pp. 96.
2. Strickland-Munro J., Kobryn, H., Moore, S.A., Brown, G. 2016. Human values and aspirations for coastal waters of the Kimberley: Social values and management preferences using Public Participation GIS. Technical Report. Kimberley Marine Research Program Node of the Western Australian Marine Science Institution, WAMSI, Perth, Western Australia. pp. 93.
3. Strickland-Munro J., Kobryn, H., Moore, S.A. and Brown, G. 2015. Human values and aspirations for coastal waters of the Kimberley: Social values and management preferences using Public Participation GIS. Technical Report. Kimberley Marine Research Program Node of the Western Australian Marine Science Institution, WAMSI, Perth, Western Australia. pp. 85.
4. Bryant, G., Kobryn, H.T., Hopkins, A., Hardy, G. and Flemming, T. 2014. Role of Australian digging mammals in ecosystem health. Prepared for the City of Mandurah, milestone report 2-Dec-2014, Murdoch University, School of VLS. pp.25.
5. Spiegel, N., Zhu, S., Costa, N., Kobryn, H., Judson, G., Tashi, N., Thomson, P., Lu, L., Qi, S., Shunxiang Y. and Luo, X. 2014. Improving the animal nutrition of Tibetan livestock. Report LPS/2010/028, Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research pp.97.
6. Strickland-Munro, J., Moore, S., Kobryn, H.T. and Palmer, D. 2014. Values and aspirations for coastal waters of the Kimberley: social values and participatory mapping using interviews. Milestone report for Project 2.1.2 for Western Australian Marine Institution, Murdoch University, pp. 95.
7. Kobryn, H.T., Bell, R. and Lantzke, R. 2011, Remote sensing for monitoring the land productivity of deep drains. Prepared for Department of Water, Western Australia pp.88.
8. Pedretti, Y.M., Kobryn, H.T., Sommerville, E.F. and Wienczugow, K. 2011. Snapshot survey of the distribution and abundance of macrophytes in the Peel-Harvey Estuary from November/December 2009. Institute for Environmental Science Report No. MAFRA 11/1, Murdoch University, February 2011 pp.89.
9. Kobryn, H.T., Wouters, K. and Beckley, L.E. 2011, Habitats and biodiversity of the Ningaloo Reef lagoon and adjacent coastal areas with hyperspectral imagery. Ningaloo Collaboration Cluster Final Report 1b, May 2011 CSIRO pp.210.
10. Kurup, R., George, S., Barnes, A., Kobryn, H. and Costa, N. 2011, Water quality effects on ruminant health and productivity. Meat & Livestock Australia pp.70.
11. Kobryn HT, Lantzke R, Bell R (2011) Remote sensing for monitoring the land productivity of deep drains. Murdoch, Western Australia: Murdoch University. 88 p.
12. Allen, S. Tyne, J., Kobryn, H.T., Bejder, L. and Loneragan, N. 2010. Spatial and temporal patterns of dolphin bycatch in the Pilbara Fish Trawl Interim Managed Fishery of north-western Australia, in: Chapter 3, Reducing Dolphin Bycatch in the Pilbara finfish trawl fishery, S.J.Allen, N.R. Loneragan (eds.), Centre for Fish and Fisheries Research, FRDC Project 2008/048, Murdoch University pp.20-36.
13. Beckley, L.E., Smallwood, C.B, Moore, S. A. and Kobryn, H.T. 2010. Ningaloo Collaboration Cluster: Human use of Ningaloo Marine Park. Final report No. 2, CSIRO p166.
14. Butcher, R., Hale, J., Muller, K., Kobryn, H.T. 2009. Ecological character description for the Banrock Station Wetland Complex. Prepared for Department for the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts pp.139.
15. Hale, J. and Kobryn, H.T. 2009. Peel-Yalgorup Ramsar wetlands monitoring: littoral & fringing vegetation mapping.  A report to Department of Environment and Conservation, Perth Western Australia pp.30.
16. Beckley, L.E., Smallwood, C.B., Moore, S.A., Kobryn, H.T. and Lombard, A.T. 2008. High resolution mapping of reef utilisation by humans in Ningaloo Marine Park. Ningaloo Research Progress Report: Discovering Ningaloo – latest findings and their implications for management. Ningaloo Research Coordinating Committee. Department of Environment and Conservation, Western Australia pp.70-71.
17. Hesp, A., Loneragan, N., N. Hall, Kobryn, H., Hart, A.M., Fabris, F. P. and Prince, J. 2008. Biomass and commercial catch estimates for abalone stocks in areas proposed as sanctuary zones for the Capes Marine Park. Fisheries Research Report No. 170, Department of Fisheries, Western Australia pp.52.
18. Kobryn, H.T., Pinnel, N., van Keulen, M. and Beckley, L.E. 2008. Mapping habitats and biodiversity of Ningaloo Reef lagoon using hyperspectral remote sensing data. In: Waples, K. and Hollander, E. Ningaloo Research Progress Report: Discovering Ningaloo – latest findings and their implications for management. Ningaloo Research Coordinating Committee. Department of Environment and Conservation, Western Australia, pp.46-47.
19. Butcher, R., Cottingham, P., Gippel, C., Kobryn, H and Hale, J.  2007. Prioritising off-stream wetlands for allocation of environmental water. Report to the Mallee Catchment Management Authority, North Central CMA and Wimmera CMA pp.42.
20. Hale, J. Roberts, J., Cottingham, P., Butcher, R., Gippel, C. and Kobryn, H. 2007. Riparian Zone Management:Barwon-Darling Rivers. Report to the Western Catchment Management Authority, Regional Ecosystem Services and Associates pp.56.
21. Hale, J., Kobryn, H., Butcher, R. and Phillips, B. 2006. Namoi catchment wetland inventory and mapping. Report to the Namoi Catchment Management Authority pp.37.
22. Hale, J., Kobryn, H., Roberts, J., Butcher, R. and Phillips, B. 2006. Broken Boosey and Nine Mile Creek: wetland implementation plan. Report to the Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority pp.39.
23. Hale, J., Roberts, J., Kobryn, H., Gippel, C. and Butcher, R. 2005. Riverine ecological health in the Glenelg Hopkins Region: floodplains and floodplain wetlands. Report to the Glenelg Hopkins Catchment Management Authority pp.42.