Research Leaders
Botany today incorporates a wide range of research areas from evolution to palaeoecology to conservation here we present a brief summary of the main activities of each together with the principal investigators.
Research area |
Principal Investigator |
Primary activities |
Biodiversity and Conservation |
Dr Steve Waldren |
One of the main research topics of this field is assessing the ecological functioning and conservation status of turloughs. https://www.tcd.ie/Botany/research/turlough_conservation/index.ph |
Ecology |
Dr Daniel Kelly |
This research focuses on the community ecology and biodiversity of vascular plants and bryophytes, chiefly in forest/woodland and grassland habitats. https://www.tcd.ie/Botany/research/ecology.php |
Ecophysiology |
Prof. Mike Jones |
This area investigates ways to mitigate agricultural GHG emissions and model plant productivity under future climate scenarios https://www.tcd.ie/Botany/research/ecophysoil/index.php |
Evolutionary Biology |
Dr Trevor Hodkinson |
This field of research aims to investigate the phylogeny, population genetics and evolution of higher plants. |
Palaeoecology and Palynology |
Prof. Fraser Mitchell |
This research focuses on long-term environmental change with emphasis on the drivers and consequences of change to vegetation communities paying particular attention to climate, human impact and grazing. |
Phenology |
Dr Alison Donnelly |
This field of research aims to investigate the impact of climate change on life cycle events of both plants and animals. https://www.tcd.ie/Botany/phenology/ |
Plant-Animal Interactions |
Dr Jane Stout |
This research field focuses on terrestrial ecological interactions at a variety of scales, including, plants and insect pollinators, native and alien invasive species, agrobiodiversity and landscape ecology https://www.tcd.ie/Botany/research/stout/index02.php |
Plant Systematics |
Prof. John Parnell |
The main focus of this area is on floristics, especially, the floras of Tropical Asia and Ireland, including their biogeography, conservation , description and phylogeny. |
Soil Science |
Dr Michael Williams |
This area invvolves the measurement and modeling of below ground soil processes in agricultural systems. |
Water Science Technology |
Prof. Nicholas Gray |
The Water Technology Research area incorporates all aspects of water and its use. In particular water and wastewater treatment, river quality assessment and pollution control, and drinking water quality. http://www.irelandswater.com/wtrg.html |
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