Visiting Fellow
Landscape ecology, soil science, restoration ecology, training
Phone: +61 (0)2 6125 8147
Fax: + 61 (0)2 6125 0746
0419 861 615

E-mail: david.tongway@anu.edu.au

David Tongway grew up in Bendigo, cental Victoria, obtaining a diploma of Applied Chemistry from the Bendigo Technical College, formerly the Bendigo School of Mines. He spent nearly 3 years as a Patent Examiner, specialising in polymers before taking a position with CSIRO in the Deniliquin Regional Laboratory. He initially ran the analytical services laboratory, but became interested in soil science. A range of CSIRO soil scientists in areas such as micro-morphology, chemistry, physics, pedology, land system mapping and biology mentored David. He put this knowledge to work in devising rapid assessment procedures for soil productive potential in rangelands. He acquired international status in this work and was promoted to Principal Research Scientist in 1994. He won the Chief's prize for Research Influence and Effect in 1997, the ACMER prize for contributions the environmental wing of the Minerals industry and the CSE prize for a lifetime contribution to science in 2003. He retired in 2003 after 38 years with CSIRO, but maintains professional contacts there as well as with Industry.

Professional Activities

David Tongway has presented guest lectures at Universities of Queensland, Western Australia, Murdoch, Canberra as well as the ANU. He is a consultant to the UN Security Council in regard to the ecological damages caused by the invasion of Kuwait by Iraq, and acts as a consultant to the rehabilitation industry.

Academic Highlights

Selected Publications

Tongway, D J and Hindley, N L.2004. Landscape Function Analysis: procedures for monitoring and assessing landscapes. CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems, Brisbane.

Tongway, D.J.; Sparrow, A.D.; Friedel, M.H. 2003. Degradation and recovery processes in arid grazing lands of central Australia. Part 1: soil and land resources. J Arid Environ. 56; 301-326

Tongway, David J and Ludwig, John. A. 2002. Australian semi-arid lands and savannas. In Martin R Perrow and Anthony J Davy (Eds) Handbook of Ecological Restoration, Vol. 2 Cambridge University Press, Cambridge

Tongway, David J., Valentin, Christian and Seghieri, Josiane. 2001. Banded Vegetation Patterning in Arid and Semi-arid Environments: Ecological Processes and Consequences for Management. Ecological Studies No. 149, Springer Verlag, New York, 243pp.

Ludwig, J.A , Wiens, J. A. and Tongway, David J. 2000. A Scaling Rule for Landscape Patches and how it applies to conserving Soil Resources in Savannas. Ecosystems. 3: 84-97.

Tongway, David J., and Darren Murphy. 1999. Principles for designed landscapes and monitoring of ecosystem development in rangelands affected by mining. Proceedings of the International Rangeland Congress 6th v. 2: 945-49.

Ludwig, J., Tongway, D., Freudenberger, D., Noble, J and Hodgkinson, K. (eds) 1997. Landscape Ecology Function and Management: Principles from Australia's Rangelands, CSIRO, Melbourne.

Tongway, David J., and John A. Ludwig. 1996. Rehabilitation of semiarid landscapes in Australia. I. Restoring productive soil patches. Restoration Ecology 4: 388-97.

Tongway, David J., and Norman L. Hindley. 1995. Manual for Soil Condition Assessment of Tropical Grasslands . 60 p. Canberra: CSIRO Division of Wildlife and Ecology.

Tongway, David J. 1990. Soil and landscape processes in the restoration of rangelands. Australian Rangeland Journal 12, no. 1: 54-7.

Tongway, David J., and John A. Ludwig. 1990. Vegetation and soil patterning in semi-arid mulga lands of Eastern Australia. Australian Journal of Ecology 15: 23-34.

Tongway, David J. 1995. Monitoring soil productive potential. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 37: 303-18.

Tongway, David J., John A. Ludwig, and Walter G. Whitford. 1989. Mulga log mounds: fertile patches in the semi-arid woodlands of eastern Australia. Australian Journal of Ecology 14: 263-68.

Tongway, David J., and E. L. Smith. 1989. Soil surface features as indicators of rangeland site productivity. Australian Rangeland Journal 11, no. 1: 15-20.