Dr Jessie Wells
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
School of Biological Sciences
Wilson Conservation Ecology Lab
Researcher biography
I am a postdoctoral researcher working on ecosystem services and landscape planning in Borneo, as part of the Borneo Futures Project in collaboration with other scientists and NGOs. Concurrently, I am working on watershed ecosystem services in Tanzania and Laos, with James Watson and Joseph Maina from ARC-CEED and the Wildlife Conservation Society; and on integrating watershed services into planning for forestry landscapes in Indonesia and Latin America with the SNAP working group on tropical forestry
This research focuses on understanding flows of ecosystem services (especially freshwater), local people’s perceptions and needs for these services, and on landscape planning for multiple objectives including biodiversity conservation, ecosystem services and equitable development.
Key collaborators include Dr Kerrie Wilson, Professor Hugh Possingham , and Dr Erik Meijaard
For more information, please visit our research theme and project pages:
Ecosystem Services and Biodiversity Conservation
Previous research topics include the functional diversity of plant traits, seed dispersal, secondary rainforest regeneration, estimating biodiversity metrics for conservation planning and development of statistical methods.
In 2012, I completed my PhD in rainforest ecology at The University of Queensland, studying seed dispersal and the functional diversity of rainforest regeneration after clearance.
Journal Articles
Runting, Rebecca K, King, Darran, Nolan, Martin, Navarro, Javier, Marcos-Martinez, Raymundo, Rhodes, Jonathan R, Gao, Lei, Watson, Ian, Ash, Andrew, Reside, April E, Álvarez-Romero, Jorge G, Wells, Jessie A, Ritchie, Euan G, Hadjikakou, Michalis, Driscoll, Don A, Connor, Jeffery D, Garber, Jonathan and Bryan, Brett A (2024). Balancing livestock production and environmental outcomes in northern Australia’s tropical savanna under global change. Environmental Research Letters, 19 (10) 104014, 104014. doi: 10.1088/1748-9326/ad6f2d
Villarreal-Rosas, Jaramar, Wells, Jessie A., Sonter, Laura J., Possingham, Hugh P. and Rhodes, Jonathan R. (2022). The impacts of land use change on flood protection services among multiple beneficiaries. Science of the Total Environment, 806 (Pt 2) 150577, 150577. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.150577
Falster, Daniel, Gallagher, Rachael, Wenk, Elizabeth H., Wright, Ian J., Indiarto, Dony, Andrew, Samuel C., Baxter, Caitlan, Lawson, James, Allen, Stuart, Fuchs, Anne, Monro, Anna, Kar, Fonti, Adams, Mark A., Ahrens, Collin W., Alfonzetti, Matthew, Angevin, Tara, Apgaua, Deborah M. G., Arndt, Stefan, Atkin, Owen K., Atkinson, Joe, Auld, Tony, Baker, Andrew, von Balthazar, Maria, Bean, Anthony, Blackman, Chris J., Bloomfield, Keith, Bowman, David M. J. S., Bragg, Jason, Brodribb, Timothy J. ... Ziemińska, Kasia (2021). AusTraits, a curated plant trait database for the Australian flora. Scientific Data, 8 (1) 254, 254. doi: 10.1038/s41597-021-01006-6
Wills, Jarrah, Herbohn, John, Wells, Jessie, Maranguit Moreno, Maria Opelia, Ferraren, Angela and Firn, Jennifer (2021). Seedling diversity in actively and passively restored tropical forest understories. Ecological Applications, 31 (3) e02286, e02286. doi: 10.1002/eap.2286
Sonter, Laura J., Simmonds, Jeremy S., Watson, James E. M., Jones, Julia P. G., Kiesecker, Joseph M., Costa, Hugo M., Bennun, Leon, Edwards, Stephen, Grantham, Hedley S., Griffiths, Victoria F., Jones, Kendall, Sochi, Kei, Puydarrieux, Philippe, Quétier, Fabien, Rainer, Helga, Rainey, Hugo, Roe, Dilys, Satar, Musnanda, Soares-Filho, Britaldo S., Starkey, Malcolm, ten Kate, Kerry, Victurine, Ray, von Hase, Amrei, Wells, Jessie A. and Maron, Martine (2020). Local conditions and policy design determine whether ecological compensation can achieve no net loss goals. Nature Communications, 11 (1) 2072, 2072. doi: 10.1038/s41467-020-15861-1
Runting, Rebecca K., Ruslandi, Griscom, Bronson W., Struebig, Matthew J., Satar, Musnanda, Meijaard, Erik, Burivalova, Zuzana, Cheyne, Susan M., Deere, Nicolas J., Game, Edward T., Putz, F. E., Wells, Jessie A., Wilting, Andreas, Ancrenaz, Marc, Ellis, Peter, Khan, Faisal A. A., Leavitt, Sara M., Marshall, Andrew J., Possingham, Hugh P., Watson, James E. M. and Venter, Oscar (2019). Larger gains from improved management over sparing–sharing for tropical forests. Nature Sustainability, 2 (1), 53-61. doi: 10.1038/s41893-018-0203-0
Wolff, Nicholas H., Masuda, Yuta J., Meijaard, Erik, Wells, Jessie A. and Game, Edward T. (2018). Impacts of tropical deforestation on local temperature and human well-being perceptions. Global Environmental Change, 52, 181-189. doi: 10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2018.07.004
Santika, Truly, Ancrenaz, Marc, Wilson, Kerrie A., Spehar, Stephanie, Abram, Nicola, Banes, Graham L., Campbell-Smith, Gail, Curran, Lisa, d'Arcy, Laura, Delgado, Roberto A., Erman, Andi, Goossens, Benoit, Hartanto, Herlina, Houghton, Max, Husson, Simon J., Kuehl, Hjalmar S., Lackman, Isabelle, Leiman, Ashley, Sanchez, Karmele Llano, Makinuddin, Niel, Marshall, Andrew J., Meididit, Ari, Mengersen, Kerrie, Nardiyono, Musnanda, Nurcahyo, Anton, Odom, Kisar, Panda, Adventus, Prasetyo, Didik, Purnomo ... Meijaard, Erik (2017). First integrative trend analysis for a great ape species in Borneo. Scientific Reports, 7 (1) 4839, 4839. doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-04435-9
Abram, Nicola K., Meijaard, Erik, Wilson, Kerrie A., Davis, Jacqueline T., Wells, Jessie A., Ancrenaz, Marc, Budiharta, Sugeng, Durrant, Alexandra, Fakhruzzi, Afif, Runting, Rebecca K., Gaveau, David and Mengersen, Kerrie (2017). Oil palm–community conflict mapping in Indonesia: a case for better community liaison in planning for development initiatives. Applied Geography, 78, 33-44. doi: 10.1016/j.apgeog.2016.10.005
Budiharta, Sugeng, Meijaard, Erik, Wells, Jessie A., Abram, Nicola K. and Wilson, Kerrie A. (2016). Enhancing feasibility: incorporating a socio-ecological systems framework into restoration planning. Environmental Science and Policy, 64, 83-92. doi: 10.1016/j.erivsci.2016.06.014
Wells, Jessie A., Wilson, Kerrie A., Abram, Nicola K., Nunn, Malcolm, Gaveau, David L. A., Runting, Rebecca K., Tarniati, Nina, Mengersen, Kerrie L. and Meijaard, Erik (2016). Rising floodwaters: mapping impacts and perceptions of flooding in Indonesian Borneo. Environmental Research Letters, 11 (6) 064016, 064016. doi: 10.1088/1748-9326/11/6/064016
Abram, Nicola K., Meijaard, Erik, Wells, Jessie A., Ancrenaz, Marc, Pellier, Anne-Sophie, Runting, Rebecca K., Gaveau, David, Wich, Serge, Nardiyono, Tjiu, Albertus, Nurcahyo, Anton and Mengersen, Kerrie (2015). Mapping perceptions of species' threats and population trends to inform conservation efforts: The Bornean orangutan case study. Diversity and Distributions, 21 (5), 487-499. doi: 10.1111/ddi.12286
Runting, Rebecca K., Meijaard, Erik, Abram, Nicola K., Wells, Jessie A., Gaveau, David L. A., Ancrenaz, Marc, Posssingham, Hugh P., Wich, Serge A., Ardiansyah, Fitrian, Gumal, Melvin T., Ambu, Laurentius N. and Wilson, Kerrie A. (2015). Alternative futures for Borneo show the value of integrating economic and conservation targets across borders. Nature Communications, 6 (Art No.: 6819) 6819, 6819. doi: 10.1038/ncomms7819
Pellier, Anne-Sophie, Wells, Jessie A., Abram, Nicola K., Gaveau, David and Meijaard, Erik (2014). Through the eyes of children: perceptions of environmental change in tropical forests. PLoS One, 9 (8) e103005, e103005.1-e103005.15. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0103005
Mills, Morena, Nicol, Sam, Wells, Jessie A., Lahoz-Monfort, José J., Wintle, Brendan, Bode, Michael, Wardrop, Martin, Walshe, Terry, Probert, William J. M., Runge, Michael C., Possingham, Hugh P. and McDonald Madden, Eve (2014). Minimizing the cost of keeping options open for conservation in a changing climate. Conservation Biology, 28 (3), 646-653. doi: 10.1111/cobi.12238
Abram, Nicola K., Meijaard, Erik, Ancrenaz, Marc, Runting, Rebecca K., Wells, Jessie A., Gaveau, David, Pellier, Anne-Sophie and Mengersen, Kerrie (2014). Spatially explicit perceptions of ecosystem services and land cover change in forested regions of Borneo. Ecosystem Services, 7, 116-127. doi: 10.1016/j.ecoser.2013.11.004
Davis, Jacqueline T., Mengersen, Kerrie, Abram, Nicola K., Ancrenaz, Marc, Wells, Jessie A. and Meijaard, Erik (2013). It's not just conflict that motivates killing of orangutans. PloS One, 8 (10) e75373, e75373. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0075373
Meijaard, Erik, Abram, Nicola K, Wells, Jessie A, Pellier, Anne-Sophie, Ancrenaz, Marc, Gaveau, David L. A., Runting, Rebecca K. and Mengersen, Kerrie (2013). People's Perceptions about the Importance of Forests on Borneo. PloS One, 8 (9) e73008, e73008.1-e73008.21. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0073008
Mayfield, Margaret M., Dwyer, John M., Chalmandrier, Loic, Wells, Jessie A., Bonser, Stephen P., Catterall, Carla P., DeClerck, Fabrice, Ding, Yi, Fraterrigo, Jennifer M., Metcalfe, Daniel J., Queiroz, Cibele, Vesk, Peter A. and Morgan, John W. (2013). Differences in forest plant functional trait distributions across land-use and productivity gradient. American Journal of Botany, 100 (7), 1356-1368. doi: 10.3732/ajb.1200461
de Villemereuil, Pierre, Wells, Jessie A., Edwards, Robert D. and Blomberg, Simon P. (2012). Bayesian models for comparative analysis integrating phylogenetic uncertainty. BMC Evolutionary Biology, 12 (1) 102, 102.1-102.16. doi: 10.1186/1471-2148-12-102
Blomberg, Simon P., Lefevre, James G., Wells, Jessie A. and Waterhouse, Mary (2012). Independent contrasts and PGLS regression estimators are equivalent. Systematic Biology, 61 (3), 382-391. doi: 10.1093/sysbio/syr118
Meijaard, Erik, Buchori, Damayanti, Hadiprakarsa,Yokyok, Utami-Atmoko, Sri Suci, Nurcahyo, Anton, Tjiu, Albertus, Prasetyo, Didik, Nardiyono, Christie, Lenny, Ancrenaz, Marc, Abadi, Firman, Antoni, I. Nyoman Gede, Armayadi, Dedy, Dinato, Adi, Ella, Gumelar, Pajar, Indrawan, Tito P., Kussaritano, Munajat, Cecep, Priyono, C. Wawan Puji, Purwanto, Yadi, Puspitasari, Dewi, Putra, M. Syukur Wahyu, Rahmat, Abdi, Ramadani, Harri, Sammy, Jim, Siswanto, Dedi, Syamsuri, Muhammad, Andayani, Noviar ... Mengersen, Kerrie (2011). Quantifying killing of Orangutans and Human-Orangutan conflict in Kalimantan, Indonesia. PLoS One, 6 (11 Article # e27491) e27491, e27491. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0027491
Wood, Tana E., Lawrence, Deborah and Wells, Jessie A. (2011). Inter-specific variation in foliar nutrients and resorption of nine canopy-tree species in a secondary neotropical rain forest. Biotropica, 43 (5), 544-551. doi: 10.1111/j.1744-7429.2010.00740.x
Meijaard, Erik, Mengersen, Kerrie, Buchori, Damayanti, Nurcahyo, Anton, Ancrenaz, Marc, Wich, Serge, Atmoko, Sri Suci Utami, Tjiu, Albertus, Prasetyo, Didik Nardiyono, Hadiprakarsa, Yokyok, Christy, Lenny, Wells, Jessie, Albar, Guillaume and Marshall, Andrew J. (2011). Why don't we ask? A complementary method for assessing the status of great apes. PLoS ONE, 6 (3) e18008, e18008-1-e18008-10. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0018008
Grantham, Hedley S., Pressey, Robert L., Wells, Jessie A. and Beattie, Andrew J. (2010). Effectiveness of biodiversity surrogates for conservation planning: Different measures of effectiveness generate a kaleidoscope of variation. PLoS One, 5 (7) e11430, e11430-1-e11430-12. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0011430
Laliberte, E, Wells, JA, DeClerck, F, Metcalfe, DJ, Catterall, CP, Queiroz, C, Aubin, I, Bonser, SP, Ding, Y, Fraterrigo, JM, McNamara, S, Morgan, JW, Merlos, DS, Vesk, PA and Mayfield, MM (2010). Land-use intensification reduces functional redundancy and response diversity in plant communities. ECOLOGY LETTERS, 13 (1), 76-86. doi: 10.1111/j.1461-0248.2009.01403.x
Wells, J. A., Gardner, M. G. and Lowe, A. J. (2007). Development of eight polymorphic microsatellites for an Australasian rainforest tree species, Cryptocarya mackinnoniana (Lauraceae). Molecular Ecology Notes, 7 (6), 981-983. doi: 10.1111/j.1471-8286.2007.01745.x
Gerrard, Juliet A., Sparrow, Ashley D. and Wells, Jessie A. (2001). Metabolic databases - what next?. Trends in Biochemical Sciences, 26 (2), 137-140. doi: 10.1016/S0968-0004(00)01759-X
Thesis
Wells, Jessie Anne (2012). Phylogeny and inter-relations of ecological traits and seed dispersal in rainforest plants: exploring aspects of functional diversity in primary and secondary rainforests in Australia's Wet Tropics. PhD Thesis, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland.