Personal profile
Personal profile
Dr Nicole McCasker is a freshwater ecologist and senior lecturer in the School of Agricultural, Environmental and Veterinary Sciences. Nicole’s research explores the early-life stages of freshwater fish, ecosystem responses to environmental water, and the functional role of freshwater mussels in riverine landscapes.
Over the last 15 years Nicole has worked in an array of riverine and floodplain environments throughout the Murray-Darling Basin. She has a decade of experience in contributing to large multi-disciplinary, multi-stake holder projects which monitor and evaluate ecological responses to environmental water delivery.
Since her time at CSU Nicole has contributed as a chief investigator to projects worth over $7.6 million. She was a recipient of the Vice-chancellor’s Team Award for Research Excellence in 2016, and has held both research and teaching positions at CSU since 2011. Nicole continues to enjoy supervising honours and higher degree students.
Research Interests
- river and floodplain ecology
- flow-ecology relationships
- conservation and ecology of freshwater mussels
- early life history of freshwater fish
Education/Academic qualification
Doctor of Philosophy, Charles Sturt University
2011
Bachelor of Science (First Class Honours), Monash University
2002
Bachelor of Conservation Ecology, Deakin University
2000
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
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SDG 2 Zero Hunger -
SDG 14 Life Below Water
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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
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Extreme hydrological drought threatens the endemic freshwater mussel, Alathyria jacksoni Iredale, 1934, northern Murray–Darling Basin, Australia
Hobbs, M., McCasker, N., Humphries, P., Jones, H. A., Klunzinger, M. W., Kennard, M. & Sheldon, F., Oct 2025, In: Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems. 35, 10, p. 1-17 17 p., e70232.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile72 Downloads (Pure) -
Fishing on Facebook: Using social media and citizen science to crowd-source trophy Murray cod
O'Connell, M., Spennemann, D., Bond, J., Kopf, R. K., McCasker, N. & Humphries, P., Jan 2025, In: Citizen Science: Theory and Practice. 10, 1, p. 1-15 15 p., 5.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile4 Link opens in a new tab Citations (Scopus)14 Downloads (Pure) -
Mid-Murray Area, Annual Implementation Plan 2025-2026: Flow-MER program
Watts, R. J., McCasker, N., Arrowsmith, C., Crew, J., Healy, S., Liu, X., Spencer, J., Stuart, I. & Trethewie, J., Jul 2025, Canberra, ACT: Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder. 47 p.Research output: Book/Report › Commissioned report (public)
Open Access -
Trophy fish heads are a source of body size information for historical and contemporary ecology
O'Connell, M., Humphries, P., Kopf, R. K., Bond, J., Spennemann, D. H. R. & McCasker, N., Apr 2025, In: Hydrobiologia: the international journal on limnology and marine sciences. 852, 7, p. 1847-1868 22 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile2 Link opens in a new tab Citations (Scopus)1 Downloads (Pure) -
Using eDNA to investigate estuarine fish assemblage composition and detect changes during consecutive extreme events of drought, bushfire, and flood
Tout-Lyon, J., Furlan, E., Morris, S., Murray, S., Ajani, P., Kawasaki, A., Rees, M., Knott, N., Humphries, P., Price, A., McCasker, N., Jeffries, P., Lungu, R., Baumgartner, L. J., Stat, M. & Duncan, M., 30 Apr 2025, Port Macquarie, NSW: Charles Sturt University. 177 p. (Gulbali Report; no. 21)Research output: Book/Report › Commissioned report (non-public)
Prizes
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2015 Vice-Chancellor's Awards for Excellence (Research Excellence)
Watts, R. (Recipient), Abell, J. (Recipient), Allan, C. (Recipient), Amos, C. (Recipient), Bellio, M. (Recipient), Clarke-Wood, B. K. (Recipient), Finlayson, C. (Recipient), Greenwood, T. (Recipient), Hall, A. (Recipient), Howitt, J. (Recipient), Humphries, P. (Recipient), Jenkins, K. (Recipient), Kopf, R. (Recipient), McCasker, N. (Recipient), Robinson, W. (Recipient), Janel, V. (Recipient), Wassens, S. (Recipient), Wolfenden, B. (Recipient) & Zander, A. (Recipient), 05 Aug 2015
Prize: Award › Internal award
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2021 Faculty of Science and Health Research Award
McCasker, N. (Recipient), 03 Dec 2021
Prize: Award › Internal award
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Institute for Land, Water and Society Research Support
Liu, X. (Recipient), Watts, R. (Recipient), Howitt, J. (Recipient) & McCasker, N. (Recipient), Sept 2018
Prize: Grant › Successful
Activities
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Wodonga Urban Landcare Network Talk
McCasker, N. (Keynote speaker)
29 Feb 2024Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Public lecture/debate/seminar/presentation › Community
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Freshwater Sciences 2023
McCasker, N. (Speaker)
03 Jun 2023Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Conference/Symposium › Academic
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Werai Forest Group meetings
Watts, R. (Speaker), McCasker, N. (Participant), Liu, X. (Participant) & Trethewie, J. (Participant)
27 May 2022Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Public lecture/debate/seminar/presentation › Community
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Edward/Kolety-Wakool Environmental Water Reference Group
Watts, R. (Speaker), Trethewie, J. (Speaker), McCasker, N. (Participant) & Liu, X. (Participant)
15 Sept 2022Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Public lecture/debate/seminar/presentation › Community
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FLOW MER Annual Forum 2022
Watts, R. (Speaker), McCasker, N. (Participant) & Liu, X. (Participant)
20 Sept 2022 → 21 Sept 2022Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Workshop/course/forum › Academic
Press/Media
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Freshwater mussels in the Goulburn Murray region
15/02/24
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Press / Media
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These relationships have gone the distance but they're now under threat
08/02/24
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Press / Media
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These relationships have gone the distance but they're now under threat
07/02/24
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Press / Media
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