Dr Dinusha Jayathilake

Environmental Management Lecturer

Phone

06 830 1187

Areas of Teaching

Environmental management

Qualifications

PhD (MarineSc), MSc (Geoinformatics)

Profile

I am interested in using GIS (Geographic Information System) to develop maps, do spatial analysis and interpretations relate to ecology. My main areas of interest include terrestrial, marine and freshwater ecology, population and community dynamics, and species distribution modelling (habitat suitability modelling).

Teaching at EIT

ENV6.100 Freshwater Ecology and Monitoring

ITGA7.100 GIS Analytics

ENV 6.900 Geographic Information system

ENV 5.900 Introduction to ecology and biodiversity

ENV 6.700 Principles of Ecology

Examples of recent projects include:

A modelled map of the global distribution of the seagrass biome:
https://data.unep-wcmc.org/datasets/46
https://www.oceansofbiodiversity.auckland.ac.nz/2018/08/13/new-world-map-of-the-seagrass-biome/  

A modelled map of the global distribution of the kelp biome:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0006320720308739?via%3Dihub  

Where Marine Protected Areas would best represent 30% of ocean biodiversity:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0006320719312182?via%3Dihub  

Global gap analysis: delineation of priority areas of strict marine reserves to conserve marine biomes.

Achievements

Awards

2020
The Elsevier Atlas Award for:
Zhao, Q., Stephenson, F., Lundquist, C., Kaschner, K., Jayathilake, D., & Costello, M. J. (2020). Where Marine Protected Areas would best represent 30% of ocean biodiversity. Biological Conservation, 244, 108536 https://www.elsevier.com/connect/atlas/mapping-the-oceans-biodiversity   

Grants

2018
UN Environmental Programme – World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP – WCMC) Marine conservation project 8198.00.R Healthy Ocean Phase 2- 2018

Honorarium

2018
The Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) “BID Capacity Enhancement Workshop: Pacific”

Media 

2022

https://www.eit.ac.nz/2022/04/eit-researcher-has-work-cited-by-climate-change-report/

https://newlook.enz.govt.nz/category/innovation/climate-change-report-gives-dinushas-maps-real-global-impact/

2018

https://www.quebecscience.qc.ca/environnement/une-carte-mondiale-de-la-vegetation-marine/

Research Outputs

Research outputs 2021

Research outputs 2020

Research outputs 2018

Research outputs 2012