Student Info

Undergraduate

For undergraduates wanting to come out with a good set of skills and conceptual understanding useful for doing the sort of research that we do, I have this to say. I’d recommend studying ecology, include some maths, learn about evolution, don’t shy away from the structure and function courses. Learn critical thinking.

Postgraduate

In some cases, it may be best if you can fit in with my current research. Particularly, if there is field work involved. This is because research costs money and field work is difficult and potentially hazardous. However, if you come to me with an interesting question outside these research areas and the motivation to follow it up I will certainly consider it. Some potential projects that I am interested in but that are outside the major funded areas of research are listed below.

I encourage co-supervised projects, especially where a modelling component is involved and would recommend chatting with Mark Burgman Mick McCarthy, Brendan Wintle and Jane Elith because these guys have far greater modelling skills than I’ll ever have.

I’d also be keen to work with Ed Newbigin if you have interests in population genetics, or Ian Woodrow if you want to weave in physiological approaches.

The University of Melbourne has a number of scholarship schemes to support graduates. You should check out Botany’s pages on postgraduate study. Be aware that when applying to do postgraduate study at the University of Melbourne candidature and scholarships are handled by different administrative units.

Scott Keough at Australian National University (ANU) has a fantastic page on useful info for potential, current and past graduate students.

Population dynamics of eucalypts in woodlands and dry forests

What is the fate of our forests over the next 20 to 100 years? Understanding and predicting the dynamics of tree populations is key to managing forested ecosystems. Yet we know surprisingly little outside of the timber-producing forests of the wetter regions. Is mortality enhanced in dense stands and recruitment enhanced in open stands? Are mortality and recruitment related to site productivity? Is mortality concentrated in small size classes, large size classes or across the board? By sampling stand structure in the field we can estimate rates of recruitment and mortality. Also, the advent of tools such as Google Streetview provides a unique opportunity to rapidly sample roadside vegetation. These data can be used to develop models of population dynamics across space.

Ecological trait shifts along environmental gradients

How do the strategies of plants vary along rainfall and soil gradients? Plants all use the same resources: light, CO2, water and mineral nutrients. The major differences between species are in the way they acquire these resources by differential allocation between tissues and organs. Much effort is currently going in to understanding and quantifying the primary dimensions of variation between species. For instance: Leaf structure reflects a trade-off between allocation to growth and nutrient/water conservation; Seed size reflects allocation to either many small seeds, which stand a good chance of establishment or fewer larger seeds which have a better chance of establishing in harsh conditions; Plant height reflects competition for light and time between disturbances that destroy above-ground biomass. The environmental gradients of the Melbourne region provide a terrific opportunity for understanding how species’ traits shift in response to the environment.

Plant responses to fire

Resprouting allows a plant to persist at a site following a disturbance that removes above-ground biomass. Hard fruits or seed coats enable species to recruit after fire. How do these traits vary among species in a clade of plants (e.g., Acacia). Do these responses have a positive or negative association, or none at all? Surveys of recently burnt sites provide an opportunity to study resprouting and recruitment success among a range of taxa and how it relates to plant size and environmental factors.

Buds, bud banks and their costs

Retaining a reserve of buds or meristems for recovery from damage is widespread among plants, yet not ubiquitous. Presumably, there are costs to maintaining buds and for some species these costs outweigh the benefits. One aspect of cost variation between species is in the size of buds. How do bud sizes vary across species? Why have large buds, do larger buds lead to faster leaf expansion? How are basal buds distributed vertically along the stem? These questions can by investigated using field and glasshouse experiments as well as microscopy.