Dr Ralph Trancoso | Coral Reef Ecosystems Lab

Research Fellow

School of Biological Sciences

r.trancoso@uq.edu.au

+61 7 3170 5713

Overview

Ralph is an Earth System scientist with expertise in ecohydrology, climate change, spatial sciences and data analysis. He integrates these knowledge branches to address relevant issues for society. Ralph worked in a broad range of environmental job sectors spanning academia, industry, government and consultancy in both Australia and Brazil. He is currently a Research Fellow in climate change working at the School of Biological Sciences (University of Queensland) and the Department of Environment and Science (Queensland Government).

Ralph has broad research interest spanning several fields in Earth System sciences. His science constrains two most important drivers detrimentally impacting coral reefs: climate change and catchment processes. Ralph tackle these processes at a range of spatial and temporal scales with innovative techniques and engaging visualization. Ralph’s scientific outputs are generally designed to support environmental and climate policies in addition to the purely applied science.

Ralph’s main areas of knowledge and how they complement each other to understand earth surface processes and deliver scientific outputs.

Ecohydrology is a core theme in Ralph’s research portfolio. He is particularly interested in how catchment processes are changing due to landscape- and climate-induced changes and how these changes may impact other systems (e.g., coral reefs) and society (e.g. water supply, flood regime). Ralph has been investigating catchments with varying hydrological regimes over the world and his scientific contribution helped understanding critical processes and leveraged theoretical knowledge.

Ralph’s current main research projects are in climate sciences to underpin adaptation and mitigation of climate change. Ralph and his team have developed the Queensland Future Climate dashboard – an interactive regionalization platform with high-resolution climate change data and information for a range of regions within Queensland.

Check how high-resolution climate models project future temperature in Queensland under moderate and high emissions in the video below.

Qualifications

PhD in Earth and Environmental Sciences (University of Queensland)
MSc of Applied Geosciences (University of Brasilia)
MSc of Tropical Forests Sciences (National Institute for Research in the Amazon)
BSc in Forest Engineering (University Federal Rural of Rio de Janeiro)

Prospective projects

Ralph is usually keen to collaborate in research projects related to his fields of expertise. Prospective students and colleagues are welcome to get in touch.

Selected Publications

Peer reviewed journals

Chapman, S., Syktus, J. I., TRANCOSO, R., Salazar, A., Thatcher, M. J., Watson, J. E., … & McAlpine, C. A. (2020). Compounding impact of deforestation on Borneo’s climate during El Niño events. Environmental Research Letters.
Liu, Y., TRANCOSO, R., Ma, Q., Yue, C., Wei, X., & Blanco, J. A. (2020). Incorporating climate effects in Larix gmelinii improves stem taper models in the Greater Khingan Mountains of Inner Mongolia, northeast China. Forest Ecology and Management, 464, 118065.
Liu, Y., Yue, C., Wei, X., Blanco, J. A., & TRANCOSO, R. (2020). Tree profile equations are significantly improved when adding tree age and stocking degree: an example for Larix gmelinii in the Greater Khingan Mountains of Inner Mongolia, northeast China. European Journal of Forest Research, 1-16.
Guo, Y., Peng, C., TRANCOSO, R., Zha, Q., Zhou, X. (2019) Stand carbon density drivers and changes under future climate scenarios across global forests. Forest Ecology and Management, 449, 117463.
Berghuijs, R. W., Aalbers, E.E., Archfield, S.A., Larsen, J.R., TRANCOSO, R., Woods, R.A. (2017) Recent changes in extreme floods across multiple continents. Environmental Research Letters v.12 114035, doi:10.1088/1748-9326/aa8847.
TRANCOSO, R., McVicar, T.R., Larsen, J.R., Phinn, S., McAlpine, C. (2017) CO2 – vegetation feedbacks and other climate changes implicated in reducing baseflow. Geophysical Research Letters v.44 (5), p.2310-2318.
TRANCOSO, R., Phinn, S., McVicar, T.R., Larsen, J.R., McAlpine, C. (2017) Regional variation in streamflow drivers across a continental climatic gradient. Ecohydrology. v.10 (3), doi:10.1002/eco.1816.
TRANCOSO, R., Larsen, J.R., McAlpine, C., McVicar, T.R., Phinn, S. (2016) Linking the Budyko framework and the Dunne diagram. Journal of Hydrology, v.535, p.581-597.
TRANCOSO, R., Sano, E., Meneses, P. (2015) The spectral changes of deforestation in the Brazilian tropical savanna. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, v.187:4145, p.1-15.
Monteiro, V., TRANCOSO, R. (2014) Monitoramento de ações governamentais de combate ao desmatamento por intermédio de ferramentas gerencias e satelitais. Revista Brasileira de Monitoramento e Avaliação, v.5, p. 130-141.
Cuartas, L. A., Tomasella, J., Nobre, A. D., Nobre, C. A., Hodnett, M. G., Waterloo, M. J., Oliveira, S. M., Von Randow, R. C., TRANCOSO, R.; Ferreira., M. (2012) Distributed hydrological modeling of a micro-scale rainforest watershed in Amazonia: Model evaluation and advances in calibration using the new HAND terrain model. Journal of Hydrology, v.462-463, p.15-27.
Pinho, R.C. Alfaia, S.S., Miller, R.P., Uguen, K., Magalhães, L.D., Ayres, M., Freitas, V., TRANCOSO, R. (2011) Islands of fertility: Soil improvement under indigenous homegardens in the savannas of Roraima, Brazil. Agroforestry Systems, v.81, p.235-247.
TRANCOSO, R., Carneiro Filho, A., Tomasella, J., Forsberg, B.R., Schietti, J., Miller, R.P. (2010) Deforestation and conservation in major watersheds of the Brazilian Amazon. Environmental Conservation, v.36, p. 277-288.
TRANCOSO, R., Carneiro Filho, A., Tomasella, J. (2007) Amazônia, desflorestamento e água: a interação entre a floresta tropical e a maior bacia hidrográfica do planeta. Ciência Hoje, v.239, p.30-37.

Book chapters

Avelino, A.S., Rosa, C., Freitas, D.M., Guimarães, F.B., Tatagiba, F., Domingos, F.R., Griffith, J.J., TRANCOSO, R., de Souza, R.A., Sabbag, S.C., Júnior, Y.C. (2013) Florestas. In: Instituto Brasileiro de meio Ambiente e Recursos Naturais Renováveis (Org.) Relatorio de Qualidade Ambiental no Brasil – RQMA. Brasilia, p.186-216.
Porro, R., Miller, R.P., Tito, M.R., Donovan, J.A., Vivan, J.L., TRANCOSO, R., Kanten, R.F., Grijalva, J.E., Ramirez, B.L., Gonçalves, A.L. Agroforestry in the Amazon Region: A Pathway for Balancing Conservation and Development. In: Nair, P.K. Ramachandran; Garrity, Dennis (Org.) Agroforestry – The Future of Global Land Use. 1ed. 2012, p.391-428.
TRANCOSO, R., Miller, R.P., Goulart, A. (2012) EtnoSIGs: Ferramentas para Gestão Territorial e Ambiental de Terras Indígenas. In: Paese, A., Uezu, A., Lorini, M.L., Cunha, A. (Org.). Conservação da biodiversidade com SIG. 1ed. São Paulo: Oficina de Textos, 2012, p.107. (In portuguese).

Books and reports

Chesnais, M., Green, A., Phillips, B., Aitken, P., Dyson, J., TRANCOSO, R. , Rajan, J., Dunbar, C. (2019) Queensland state heatwave risk assessment. Queensland Fire and Emergency Services, State of Queensland. 104p.
Ministério do Meio Ambiente (2014) PPCerrado – Plano de Ação para prevenção e controle do desmatamento e das queimadas no Cerrado: 2ª fase (2014-2015). Brasilia. 132p.
Larsen, J., Leon, J., McGrath, C., TRANCOSO, R. (2013) Review of the catchment processes relevant to the Great Barrier Reef region. Australian Government. Great Marine Park Authority. e-book, 48p.
Ministério do Meio Ambiente (2013) Plano de Ação para prevenção e controle do desmatamento na Amazônia Legal (PPCDAm): 3ª fase (2012-2015) pelo uso sustentável e conservação da Floresta. Brasilia, 174p.
Miller, R.P., Uguen, K., Pedri, M.A., Creado, E. S. J., Martins, L.L., TRANCOSO, R. (2008) Levantamento Etnoambiental das Terras Indígenas do Complexo Macuxi-Wapixana, Roraima. Brasília, FUNAI, PPTAL, GTZ, 192p.

Conference Proceedings

TRANCOSO, R., Syktus, J. (2020) Reconciling global projections of precipitation with CMIP6 and CMIP5 multi model trends. 2020 EGU General Assembly.
TRANCOSO, R., Syktus, J. (2020) Reconciling projections of global precipitation with multi-model trends. AMOS-ICTMO 2020.
Syktus, J., TRANCOSO, R., Wong, K., Toombs, N., Jeffrey, S. (2019) Will rainfall decrease in SW Western Australia recover in the future? – CSIRO Mk3.6 Large Ensemble. The Large Ensembles Workshop 2019.
TRANCOSO, R., Syktus, J. (2019) Trends in downscaled projected precipitation across Queensland indicate a wetter summer with higher intensity events and drier winter with prolonged dry spells. AMOS-ICTMO 2019
TRANCOSO, R., Syktus, J. (2018) Heatwaves intensification in Australia: a consistent trajectory across past, present and future. 2019 AGU Fall Meeting.
Syktus, J., TRANCOSO, R. Projected changes in extreme climate indices at 1.5, 2 and 3 degrees of global warming in Queensland. 2018 EGU General Assembly.
Larsen, J., Sabburg, L., McIntire, N., TRANCOSO, R. (2017) Climatic controls on groundwater recharge and sensitivity to change. 2017 AGU Fall Meeting.
Berghuijs, W., Woods, R.A., Aalbers, E., TRANCOSO, R., Larsen, J. (2016). Recent changes in extreme floods across multiple continents. 2017 EGU General Assembly.
TRANCOSO, R., Larsen J.R., McVicar T.R., Phinn S., McAlpine C. (2016). CO2 – vegetation feedbacks implicated in reducing streamflow in addition to other climate changes. 2017 EGU General Assembly.
Berghuijs, W., Woods, R.A., Aalbers, E., TRANCOSO, R., Larsen, J. (2016). Recent changes in extreme floods across multiple continents. 2016 AGU Fall Meeting.
TRANCOSO, R. (2015). Catchment biophysical drivers of streamflow characteristics. 2015 AGU Fall Meeting.
TRANCOSO, R., McAlpine C., Phinn S., Larsen J.R., McVicar T.R. (2014). Hydrological similarity and controls of streamflow behaviour in eastern Australian catchments. 2014 AGU Fall Meeting.