Mark E. Baird


Personal details


Date of Birth: 5th May 1971.

Nationality: Australian.

Address:     Climate and Environmental Dynamics Laboratory
                    School of Mathematics and Statistics
                    UNSW, Sydney 2052 Australia.

Phone:
+61 416 631 657    

Email: m.bairdunsw.edu.au

Homepage: http://www.maths.unsw.edu.au/~mbaird


Education


Ph.D. (Biological Sciences), University of Warwick, U.K.

Ph.D. Thesis: Towards a verified mechanistic model of plankton population dynamics (2000).

Download as a postscript file or a pdf file


M.Sc. (Oceanography), University of Hawaii, U.S.A.

M.Sc. Thesis: Mass transfer on coral-rough surfaces (1996).

Download as a pdf file  (Figures 1, 2, 4, 6 & 7, 14 i & ii and 14 iii & iv need to be downloaded separately ).


B.E.(Hons), Mechanical, University of Sydney, Australia.

Hons. Thesis: Mass transfer on rough surfaces at high Schmidt numbers in a circular couette flow.

Peer-reviewed publications



Thompson, P. A., M. E. Baird, T. Ingleton, and M. A. Doblin (submitted 29 April 2009) Long-term changes in temperate Australian coastal waters and implications for phytoplankton. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.


Baird, M. E. and I. M. Suthers (submitted 4th December 2008) Increasing model structural complexity inhibits the growth of initial condition errors.  Ecol. Comp. [pdf]


Rissik, D., H. S. Edward, B. Newell, M. E. Baird and I. M. Suthers (in press, 7th June 2009) Plankton dynamics due to rainfall, eutrophication, dilution, grazing and assimilation in an urbanized coastal lagoon.  Est. Coast. Shelf Sci. .


Everett, J. D., M. E. Baird and I. M. Suthers (submitted 21st April 2008) Ecological model of an Intermittently Closed and Open Lagoon: An analysis of the sensitivity of model parameters, forcings and initial conditions.  Ecol. Mod.


Macdonald, H. S., M. E. Baird and J. H. Middleton (2009) The effect of wind on continental shelf carbon fluxes off southeast Australia: a numerical model.  J. Geophys. Res. 114, C05016, doi:10.1029/2008JC004946. [pdf]


Timko, P. G. Middleton, J.H. and M. E. Baird (submitted 25th November 2007) Modification by wind of current-driven upwelling in the East Australia Current.  Cont. Shelf. Res.


Mullaney, T. J., A. G. Miskiewicz, M. E. Baird, P. T. P. Burns and I. M. Suthers (submitted 21st January 2008). Entrainment of larval fish aseemblages into the Tasman Front region from the East Australian Current and coastal New South Wales, Australia .  Fish. Oceanogr.


Baird, M. E. (submitted 1st October 2008) Growth of initial condition errors in a pelagic ecosystem model. J. Mar. Sys. [pdf]

Baird, M. E., P. G. Timko, L. Wu (2007) The effect of packaging of chlorophyll within phytoplankton and light scattering in a coupled physical-biological ocean model. Marine and Freshwater Res. 58: 966-981, doi:10.1071/MF07055 [pdf]

Baird, M. E., P. G. Timko, I. M. Suthers, J. H. Middleton, T. J. Mullaney and D. R. Cox (2008) Biological properties across the Tasman Front off southeast Australia. Deep Sea Res I. 55: 1438-1455 [pdf]

Baird, M. E., O. Leth and J. F. Middleton (2007) Biological response to circulation driven by mean summertime winds off central Chile: A numerical model study. J. Geophys. Res. (Oceans), 112, C07031, doi:10.1029/2006JC003655 [pdf]

Everett, J. D., M. E. Baird and I. M. Suthers (2007) Nutrient and plankton dynamics in an intermittently closed/open lagoon, Smiths Lake, south-eastern Australia: an ecological model. Est. Coast. Shelf. Sci. 72: 690-702. [pdf]

Baird, M. E. and I. M. Suthers (2007) A size-resolved pelagic ecosystem model. Ecol. Model. 203: 185-203 [pdf]

Suthers, I.M, C.T. Taggart, D. Rissik and M. E. Baird (2006) Day and night ichthyoplankton assemblages and the zooplankton biomass size spectrum in a deep ocean island wake. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 322: 225-238 [pdf]

Moore, S. K., M. E. Baird and I. M. Suthers (2006) Relative effects of physical and biological processes on nutrient and phytoplankton dynamics in a shallow estuary after a storm event. Estuaries and Coasts 29: 81-95. [pdf]

Baird, M. E., P. G. Timko, I. M. Suthers and J. H. Middleton (2006)  Coupled physical-biological modelling study of the East Australian Current with idealised wind forcing. Part I: Biological model intercomparison. J. Mar. Sys. 59: 249-270. [pdf]

Baird, M. E., P. G. Timko, I. M. Suthers and J. H. Middleton (2006)  Coupled physical-biological modelling study of the East Australian Current with idealised wind forcing: Part II: Biological dynamical analysis. J. Mar. Sys. 59: 271-291. [pdf] (Correction: images of Fig. 15 and 16 are reversed).

Baird, M. E., P. R. Oke, I. M. Suthers and J. H. Middleton (2004) A plankton population model with bio-mechanical descriptions of biological processes in an idealized 2-D ocean basin. J. Mar. Sys. 50: 199-222. [pdf]

Baird, M. E., M. Roughan, R. W. Brander, J. H. Middleton and G. J. Nippard (2004) Mass transfer limited nitrate uptake on a coral reef flat, Warraber Island, Torres Strait, Australia. Coral reefs. 23:386-396. [pdf]

Baird, M. E. and J. H. Middleton (2004) On relating physical limits to the carbon : nitrogen ratio of unicellular algae and benthic plants. J. Mar. Sys. 49: 169-175. [pdf]

Baird, M. E. (2003) Numerical approximations of the mean absorption cross-section of a variety of randomly oriented microalgal shapes. J Math. Biol. 47: 325-336. [pdf]

Baird, M. E., S. J. Walker, B. B. Wallace, I. T. Webster and J. S. Parslow (2003) The use of mechanistic descriptions of algal growth and zooplankton grazing in an estuarine eutrophication model. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 56: 685-695. [pdf]

Baird, M. E. (2003) Reply to 'In defence of the cell quota model of micro-algal growth' by M. R. Droop. J. Plankton Res. 25: 109-110. [pdf]

Baird, M. E., S. M. Emsley and J. M. McGlade (2001) Modelling the interacting effects of nutrient uptake, light capture and temperature on phytoplankton growth. J Plankton Res. 23: 829-840. [pdf]

Baird, M. E., S. M. Emsley and J. M. McGlade (2001) Using a phytoplankton growth model to predict the fractionation of stable carbon isotopes. J Plankton Res. 23: 841-848. [pdf]

Baird, M. E. and S. M. Emsley (1999) Towards a mechanistic model of plankton population dynamics. J. Plankton Res. 21: 85-126. [pdf]

Baird, M. E. and M. J. Atkinson (1997) Measurement and prediction of mass transfer to experimental coral reef communities. Limnol. Oceanogr. 42: 1685-1693. [pdf]

 

Posters


Macdonald, H. S., M. E. Baird, M. Roughan and P. R. Oke (2009)  Downscaling of an eddy-resolving global model for the continental shelf off southeast Australia. Australian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society Annual Meeting. Melbourne [pdf]

Baird, M. E., P. G. Timko, I. M. Suthers and J. H. Middleton (2006)  Time Evolution of a Pelagic Ecosystem along the Tasman Front off Southeast Australia in a Coupled Physical-biological Model. Ocean Sciences, Honolulu. [pdf]

Employment


2005-2009     Australian Research Council Research Fellow, School of Mathematics, UNSW, Australia

2002-2004     Australian Research Council Postdoctoral Fellow, University of NSW, Australia

2001 -2001    Postdoctoral Scientist, School of Mathematics, UNSW, Australia.

1999-2001     Research Scientist, CSIRO Land and Water, Australia.

1996-1999     Ph.D. studentship, Natural Environment Research Council, U.K.

1994-1996     Research Assistant, Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, U.S.A.

1993-1994     Technical support engineer, Alfa Laval, Australia.

 

Undergraduate Teaching


GENS0501 - The Marine Enviornment - 4 hours of lectures (Estuarine Ecology) and 1 field trip, and course co-ordination.

MSCI 3001 - Physical Oceanography. 4 hours of lectures in dynamical oceanography.

MSCI 2001 - Introductory Marine Science - 5 hours of lectures (Marine Chemistry) and 1 field trip.

MSCI 2051 - Coral Reefs: Ecology and Environment - 1 hour lecture (Coral biogeochemistry) on a field trip.

BIOS 4511 - Professional Skills - 1.5 hours of lectures (Mathematical modelling of biological phenomena).

BIOS 3081 - Ocean Biology and Fisheries - 2 hours of lectures (Aquatic ecological modelling).

MSCI 3501 - Fundamentals of Climate Change  - 2 hour lecture on ecosystem impacts of climate change.

Other Teaching


Gifted Education Research Resource and Information Centre (GERRIC) - Scientia Challenge Program for Years 7-10. Workshop on Global Climate Change.

Gifted Education Research Resource and Information Centre (GERRIC) Careers Day - Careers in Marine Science presentation.

Postgraduate students: 2 PhD students and 3 honours students, and hosted a 4 month visit by an international PhD student.


Technical reports


Baird, M. E., P. G. Timko, I. M. Suthers, J. H. Middleton, T. J. Mullaney and D. R. Cox Biological properties across the Tasman Front off southeast Australia: draft submission [pdf]

Baird, M. E. (2005) Dynamical analysis of a size-resolved plankton model. Proceedings of the 2004 Mathematical Biology Project Workshop, School of Mathematics, University of NSW.

Baird, M. E. (2004) A numerical model of pigment diffusion in a degrading matrix. School of Mathematics, University of NSW [pdf]

Baird, M. E. and I. M. Suthers (2003) The effect of cross-shelf topography on a pelagic ecosystem response to upwelling favourable winds. School of Mathematics, University of NSW. [pdf]

Baird, M. E. and I. M. Suthers (2003) Progress report on a 3D coupled physical-biological pelagic ecosystem model of the East Australian Current. School of Mathematics, University of NSW.  [pdf]

Baird, M. E. (2001) Simple estuarine response model: Technical description of the ecological model. CSIRO Land and Water. [pdf]


Grants


Suthers, I. M. and M. E. Baird (2008-2010). Quantifying the role of salps in marine food webs and organic carbon export. ARC Discovery Project ($249, 784).


Baird, M. E., R. Matear and P. Oke (2007). Comparison of high resolution global and regional coupled physical-biological models. CSIRO Wealth from Oceans Flagship Collaboration Research Fund ($158,000)

Baird, M. E. and M. Roughan (2007). Assessment of a size-resolved pelagic ecosystem model using observations from the Tasman Front and Lord Howe Rise.  UNSW FRGP ($10,014)

Baird, M. E. (2005-2009). Development of a coupled physical-biological model of size-structured biota in marine waters. ARC Discovery Project ($465,000). [pdf]

Suthers, I. M, M. E. Baird, R. L. Stephenson and C. T. Taggart (2005-2007). Prediction of fishery year-class-strengths from larval growth and zooplankton size structure. ARC Discovery Project ($240,000).

Middleton, J. H., Suthers, I. M. and M. E. Baird (2006) A comparison of nutrient supply processes and biological productivity in upwelling
and frontal regions of the Lord Howe Ridge. National Facility Steering Committee for RV Southern Surveyor (14 days at sea)

Suthers I. M. and M.E. Baird (2002-2004) Development of a mechanistic model of marine biological activity. ARC Discovery Project - ($202,000)

Suthers I. M., M.E. Baird and G. I. Tuckerman (2003-2006). A biogeochemical study of a coastal lagoon - assessment of a mechanistic model. ARC Linkage Grant - ($69,000).

Baird, M. E. and I. M. Suthers (2003-2004) Trophodynamics of the Great Australian Bight: a coupled physical-biological model. South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI) via Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (FRDC) ($13,200)

Middleton, J. H. and M. E. Baird (2004) East Australia Current frontal processes at 30 S. UNSW FRGP ($10,000)

Baird, M. E. (2004) Scientific Visit to USA. Australian Academy of Science ($ 3,900)

Suthers, I. M., J. H Middleton and M. E. Baird (2004) High resolution dynamics of frontal systems and the zooplankton size spectrum. National Facility Steering Committee for RV Southern Surveyor (10 days at sea)

Suthers, I. M. and M. E. Baird (2003) Using estuarine circulation models and larval fish condition to identify key larval settlement habitats ("recriutment hotspots") UNSW FRGP ($14,000)

Middleton, J.H. and M. E. Baird (2002) Circulation and nutrient uptake on a coral cay reef flat. URSP ($12,500)


Conference Publications  


Baird, M. E. et al Physical and biological properties of the Tasman Front off southeast Australia. Australian Marine Sciences Association Annual Conference, Melbourne 2007. Oral presentation.

Baird, M. E., P. G. Timko, I. M. Suthers and J. H. Middleton. Time Evolution of a Pelagic Ecosystem along the Tasman Front off Southeast Australia in a Coupled Physical-biological Model. American Geophysical Union Annual Conference (Ocean Sciences), Honolulu, 2006. Poster presentation.

Baird, M. E., P. G. Timko, I. M. Suthers and J. H. Middleton. Biological response to wind forcing in the East Australian Current Baird Australian Marine Science Association Annual Conference, Hobart, 2004. Oral presentation.

Everett, J. E. and Baird, M. E. A Numerical Model of Autotrophic Growth in a Seagrass Dominated ICOLL. Estuarine Research Foundation Annual Conference, Ballina, 2004. Oral presentation.

Baird, M. E. and I. M. Suthers. Effects of small-scale turbulence at the community and ecosystem level: 1.formation of a deep chlorophyll maximum 2.nutrient uptake on coral reefs. American Geophysical Union Annual Conference (Ocean Sciences), Honolulu, 2004. Oral presentation.

Baird, M. E. and J. H. Middleton. The effect of autotroph geometry on C:N ratios. American Geophysical Union Annual Conference (Ocean Sciences), Honolulu, 2002. Oral presentation.

Baird, M. E. A generic model of aquatic autotroph growth. American Society for Limnology and Oceanography, Albequeque, 2001. Oral presentation.

Baird, M. E., Why waves build coral reefs. Australian Marine Science Association Annual Conference, Sydney, 2000. Oral presentation.

Baird, M. E., Modelling the growth and stable isotope fractionation of phytoplankton cells. Australian Marine Science Association Annual Conference, Sydney, 2000. Oral presentation.

Baird, M. E., and S. M. Emsley. A mechanistic model of plankton population dynamics British Ecological Society Annual Conference, Coventry, 1999. Poster Presentation.

Book Chapters



Rissik, D., M. E. Baird, T. Kobayashi, B. Sanderson, S. Wallace, M. Root, D. Large, L. T. H. Newham, A. J. Jakeman, R. A. Letcher, J. Ticehurst and W. Merritt (2009) Chapter 9: Models and Management. In Plankton: A Guide to their Ecology and Monitoring for Water Quality. Eds, Suthers, I. M. and D. Rissik. CSIRO Publishing.

Internet based projects


CSIRO simple estuarine response model - web address http://www.per.marine.csiro.au/serm


Professional activities


Member of the Sydney Metropolitan Catchment Management Authority - Science Advisory Panel.

Expert Reviewer of the Working Group II IPCC 4th Assessment Report.


Memberships


Australian Marine Sciences Association (AMSA)

American Geophysical Union (AGU)

American Society of Limnology and Oceanography (ASLO)

Australian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society (AMOS)

 

Hobbies


Bird-watching and experiencing nature in general,  swimming. indoor cricket.