Research Framework

The Department of Botany aims for excellence in research and embraces two core areas: Biodiversity and Ecology and Functional Plant Biology. These core areas are not separate but represent two ends of a spectrum, from ecosystem science to how plants function, and are interlinked through our four broad research themes (Fig. 1).

 

Figure 1: The Department of Botany Research Framework and Research Themes

Research Themes

1. New Zealand flora and evolution.  We aim to understand the flora, which we take to include land plants, fungi and algae.  Documenting and classifying diversity (taxonomy) and discovering evolutionary history (phylogenetic systematics, evolutionary processes) underpin ecological and applied research.


2. Ecosystem processes and services.  Understanding ecosystem processes and function and the services that ecosystems provide are fundamental to addressing some of the challenges and problems that face society in the 21st Century.


3. Environmental change and resilience.  We aim to address problems associated with environmental global change such as the effects of changing climatic conditions, ocean acidification, and the impacts of invasive organisms.


4. Physiological processes.  We aim to understand how photosynthetic organisms function, from the molecular and cellular level to the whole-organism level. This research links strongly into themes 2 and 3, for example, studies on carbon cycling, primary productivity, nutrient and stress physiology.

You can find out more information about individual staff member's research interests by visiting our People pages

To learn more about current postgraduate student research visit the Postgraduate students page

Members of the Department of Botany are all members of the Ecology, Conservation and Biodiversity Research Group

The Otago Regional Herbarium (OTA) is the second largest herbarium in the South Island.

Department of Botany Publications

Recent PhD and Masters Theses

Research Collaboration

Besides research in their own speciality, Botany academics regularly collaborate with each other and with staff in other departments at Otago to share expertise. Some of these collaborations are:

Alpine ecology group

• Professor Kath Dickinson
• Dr Janice Lord
• Professor Alan Mark

Ecology and physiology of algae

• Associate Professor Catriona Hurd
• Dr Tina Summerfield

Mycorrhizae

• Professor Kath Dickinson
• Dr David Orlovich

Plant community structure

• Professor Bastow Wilson
• Dr David Burritt

Viruses and plant growth

• Associate Professor Paul Guy
• Dr David Burritt

Postgraduate Research

Current postgraduate research students are listed here.