As a plant ecophysiologist I'm interested in the ecology of plants, particularly tropical trees, but approach understanding their ecology through consideration of their physiology. In my research I pursue this interest in a range of diverse ecosystems, hoping to uncover important general processes. I'm also currently investigating how heterogeneity in communities of AM fungi affect the growth and survivorship of tree seedlings.
Mangrove forests are intertidal coastal forests of tropical and sub-tropical regions.
My current research in mangroves is aimed at understanding the processes that limit seedling recruitment. I have experiments in Florida and Panama that assess what factors contribute to seedling mortality and growth and how this varies over the intertidal. I'm also collaborating with Dr Ilka Feller on her projects investigating the effects of nutrient enrichment on mangrove forests. As it has become clearer that global climate change has a profound effect on the availability of moisture in continental Antarctica, my research at the Australian Antarctic base station, Casey, has recently broadened to consider the effects of changes in moisture availability on succession in moss communities. A case study using Bruguiera mangroves.