SCHOOL OF PLANT BIOLOGY

Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences

Research Project ideass for Prospective 4th Year, Honours, Postgraduate Diploma, MSc and Higher Degree Preliminary Students in 2012

TABLE OF CONTENTS

SCHOOL OF PLANT BIOLOGY

INTRODUCTION 3

SELECTION OF TOPICS FOR 4TH YEAR, HONOURS, GRADUATE DIPLOMA and MSc STUDENTS 5

FURTHER POSTGRADUATE STUDY - PhD OPPORTUNITIES 5

THE THREE RESEARCH AREAS OF THE SCHOOL 7

1. CROPPING SYSTEMS 7

2. MARINE SYSTEMS 7

3. NATURAL TERRESTRIAL SYSTEMS 8

PROJECTS FOR 2012 9

OTHER ORGANISATIONS AFFILIATED WITH THE SCHOOL OF PLANT BIOLOGY 39

THE BOTANIC GARDENS & PARKS AUTHORITY 41

The Centre for Legumes in Mediterranean Agriculture 48

The COMMONWEALTH SCIENTIFIC AND INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH ORGANISATION (csiro) 52

Department of AGRICULTURE AND FOOD wESTERN AUSTRALIA 56

Department of Environment and Conservation 57

UWA INSTITUTE OF aGRICULTURE 62

WORSLEY ALUMINA PTY LTD 64


THE SCHOOL OF PLANT BIOLOGY

FOURTH-YEAR, HONOURS, GRADUATE DIPLOMA, MSc and HIGHER DEGREE PRELIM PROJECTS

AVAILABLE IN 2012

INTRODUCTION

A variety of fourth-year projects and programmes in The School of Plant Biology and research partner organisations are available to students who have completed three years of study towards a Bachelor of Science degree either at this University or elsewhere. Whether you undertake a project or a programme depends on the degree in which you are enrolled.

The Fourth-Year project and the Honours project comprise the four-part Level 4 FNAS Research Thesis (SCIE4501 – SCIE4504), and make up 24 of the 48 points you need to pass in your fourth year. The FNAS Research Thesis mark will be taken into account when determining whether you will graduate with honours. The Level 4 project gives you a taste of what is involved in undertaking independent, supervised research. A separate information booklet outlining the organisational details of the Level 4 project will be issued at the start of semester.

Assessment for the FNAS Research Thesis is based on the ungraded Research Outline and Proposal Seminar, and on the graded Research Proposal (20%), Final Research Seminar (10%) and the Research Article (70%). These details will be confirmed at the start of your project.

The Honours programme is normally for students proceeding immediately from the third year of their BSc degree course (e.g. with a major in Agricultural Science, Botany, Conservation Biology, Environmental Science, Marine Science or Natural Resource Management). It typically consists of a research thesis plus four coursework units completed in approximately 9 months of full-time study or over 17 or 21 months of part-time study. Entrance into the Honours programme also requires that a student has obtained at least 65% in their science major.

During SCIE4501 – SCIE4504, students will receive basic training in a variety of generic skill areas, all necessary for you to work effectively as a professional scientist, as well as undertaking, under supervision, a major independent research project.

The Graduate Diploma programme is designed for students who already hold a Pass Degree and subsequently wish to extend their qualifications/expertise. The programme is substantially the same as for the Honours.

In the Research Thesis units, you will be working with a particular supervisor or supervisors and with other members of the School, in an area of research that you find personally interesting. We know, in completing a pass degree, that you can absorb scientific information and reproduce it under examination conditions. In the Level 4 project units, you will demonstrate that you can gather, generate, distil and communicate scientific information to your peers. At the end of the year, our staff will assess your performance in comparison with others who have passed through the School, and in relation to what we can expect from someone working in the particular programme you have selected. Of course, the research problems addressed and the methods of approach will differ amongst students, as they will depend upon the area of expertise in which each student is being trained; for example, some programmes may be essentially descriptive, others experimental. Nevertheless, there are some general features and qualities to be sought in all research, and these will be outlined in the unit information booklet to be provided at the commencement of the programme. This booklet will also provide details of the assessment procedures for the unit.


FACILITIES AND RESEARCH SUPERVISION

The School of Plant Biology is particularly well equipped for a wide range of projects in plant research. Facilities and equipment include: HPLC units, gas chromatographs, an atomic absorption spectrophotometer (housed in the School of Earth and Environment), portable infra-red gas analysers, portable chlorophyll fluorescence equipment, a real-time PCR instrument and UV/VIS spectrophotometers. The West Australian Biogeochemistry Centre, housed within the School, also provides facilities for measurement of stable isotopes through high precision mass spectrometry. The School is well equipped for molecular biology, radio isotope work and plant pathology. Computing facilities include IBM compatible PCs, Apple Macintosh computers and connections to the Campus network and the Internet. The School has a close association with the Centre for Microscopy, Characterisation and Analysis through joint research programmes. The School maintains a reference herbarium of the flora of the southwest of the State. There is also a well-equipped photographic darkroom available. Field work is facilitated by a well-maintained fleet of vehicles, including 4WD’s and boats.

The School utilises a number of serviced glasshouses providing extensive bench space, and access to controlled growth cabinets and constant temperature rooms, including PC2 facilities. About one hectare of garden space is available on site and space is available at a field station at Shenton Park, about 6 km away. The School controls two relatively undisturbed areas of native vegetation within the metropolitan area (at Shenton Park and the Alison Baird Reserve, Kenwick), and is in close proximity to Kings Park and Bold Park, which each contain about 300 hectares of relatively undisturbed native vegetation and 17 hectares of developed botanical gardens.

Based within the School, The International Centre for Plant Breeding Education and Research provides advanced education and research in plant breeding to enhance the world’s future supply of plant-based food, fibre and industrial raw materials in an era of changing climates. The School has an integral role in the UWA Institute of Agriculture. The Institute is the University’s gateway to education, training and research in agriculture and resource management. The Institute is based in FNAS and integrates the Faculty’s activities with those of other groups in the University with interests in agriculture, land and water management, rural economy, policy and development, food and health.

While much of the south-western part of Western Australia has been cleared for agriculture, large habitat areas comprising native flora, often approaching pristine conditions, have been preserved through a system of National Parks and Reserves. The proximity of this unique natural resource to the modern facilities available in the School makes botanical research at this University particularly attractive. Joint research interests are encouraged between the School and institutions having practical needs for the information generated. These institutions include Dept. of Agriculture and Food Western Australia, Australian Institute of Marine Science, Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority, CSIRO, Dept. of Environment and Conservation, Dept. of Planning and Infrastructure, Environmental Protection Authority, Dept. of Water, WA Water Corporation, and a number of mining and forestry companies. Projects involving joint participation with other institutions and/or other Schools at this University can involve the participation of outside supervisors.

SELECTION OF TOPICS FOR 4TH YEAR, HONOURS, GRADUATE DIPLOMA and MSc STUDENTS

Projects suitable for 4th year/honours/postgraduate diploma/ MSc students are given in the following pages, broadly grouped into the School’s three Strategic Research Areas and with the names of academic staff and post-doctoral research staff who would supervise the projects. Each student normally has at least two supervisors. The School encourages you to bring your own ideas for topics other than those listed. In this case you should approach an appropriate supervisor, including staff in the School who may not have projects listed below. For further guidance in the selection of topics, see:

Agricultural Science
Horticulture
Landscape Management / Associate Professor Megan Ryan
Telephone: 08 6488 2208
Email:
Genetics and Breeding / Winthrop Professor Wallace Cowling
Telephone: 08 6488 7979
Email:
Genetics / Associate Professor Susan Barker
Telephone: 08 6488 2435
Email:
Botany
Natural Resource Management / Dr Pauline Grierson
Telephone: 08 6488 7926
Email:
Climate Studies
Conservation Biology
Conservation Biology & Management / Assistant Professor Pieter Poot
Telephone: 08 6488 2491
Email:
Marine Biology
Marine and Coastal Management
Marine Science / Associate Professor Euan Harvey
Telephone: 08 6488 2416
Email: euan.harvey@ uwa.edu.au

For further information on the structures of the 4th year, Honours, Graduate Diploma and MSc programmes see the FNAS 4th and 5th year programme coordinator, Associate Professor Patrick Finnegan; Telephone: 08 6488 8546; email:

FURTHER POSTGRADUATE STUDY - PhD OPPORTUNITIES

The research areas given in this handbook may be of interest to students enrolling in a PhD degree. Students intending to enrol at this higher level should contact the School of Plant Biology Postgraduate Co-ordinator:

Professor Tim Colmer

Telephone : 08 6488 1993

Email :


SCHOOL OF PLANT BIOLOGY

THE THREE RESEARCH AREAS OF THE SCHOOL

1. CROPPING SYSTEMS

The Cropping Systems focus includes broadscale agricultural and the horticultural areas of research. Agriculture and horticulture apply and integrate the disciplines that form the foundation of modern plant sciences – genetics & plant breeding, ecology and physiology, developmental biology, molecular biology and natural product chemistry. These areas of research are also greatly impacted by the interactions of plants with pathogens, an area covered by the discipline of plant pathology. Opportunities exist for professional career development and for crop scientists to contribute to global social and economic well-being. Research funds are increasingly directed towards these goals and many opportunities for collaboration exist with organisations such as CSIRO, Centre for Legumes in Mediterranean Agriculture, Department of Agriculture and Food (WA), Centre of Excellence for Ecohydrology, Future Farm Industries CRC, international aid organisations and researchers from other Schools in the University.

Academic staff:

Emeritus Prof. Craig Atkins / Winthrop Prof. Hans Lambers / Assoc. Prof. Megan Ryan
Prof. Martin Barbetti / Assist. Prof. Etienne Laliberté / Dr Natasha Teakle
Assoc. Prof. Susan Barker / Dr Rowena Long / Assist. Prof. Martin Vila Aiub
Assoc. Prof. Louise Barton / Assist. Prof. Matthew Nelson / Assoc. Prof. Erik Veneklaas
Professor Ed Barrett-Lennard / Assist. Prof. Stuart Pearse / Assoc. Prof. Michael Walsh
Prof. Tim Colmer / Prof. Julie Plummer / Assoc. Prof. Guijun Yan
Assist. Prof. Michael Considine / Winthrop Prof. Steve Powles / Assoc. Prof. Susan Yates
Winthrop Prof. Wallace Cowling / Assist. Prof. Charles Price / Assist. Prof. Mingpei You
Dr Kenneth Flower / Assist. Prof. Michael Renton / Assoc. Prof. Qin Yu
Prof. Roger Jones

2. MARINE SYSTEMS

The University of Western Australia has a multidisciplinary programme of Marine Science research and teaching that transcends Faculty and School boundaries and has been consolidated within the UWA Oceans Institute. Staff from the School of Plant Biology have a broad range of interests in Marine Ecology. Research interests and activities range from habitat mapping, basic taxonomy and physiology of marine plants to population and community ecology of plants, invertebrates and fishes. Research is currently conducted in areas as diverse as Esperance, Albany, Cape Naturaliste, Rottnest, Cockburn Sound, The Abrolhos Islands, Shark Bay, Ningaloo, and overseas such as Malaysia, Oman and Brazil. Challenging questions relate to the functioning of marine plants and animals in their environment and on the significance of their communities for the fisheries industry. Important collaborative research links are with Australian Institute of Marine Sciences, CSIRO Marine Research, Department of Fisheries, RMIT Faculty of Engineering, Western Australian Marine Science Institution, and State Natural Resource Management agencies and community groups.

The Western Australian coast is long, covering latitudes from tropical to temperate, with a variety of coastal habitats and hence, an interesting and diverse marine flora and fauna. Western Australia provides many opportunities to study the adaptations of marine plants and animals to their environment and the interactions between them. In particular, research is carried out into the processes which influence the distributions of marine flora and fauna, from the biogeographical scale to their ecophysiology, and the significance of physico-chemical controls versus biological interactions in the partitioning of marine habitats. This research is extended into the examination of disturbed (polluted) habitats, and more practical applications such as prediction of environmental impacts.

The timing of the start of the research projects listed below will vary depending on weather patterns and equipment availability. If you have any queries please contact the supervisors listed to discuss. Scuba diving is a useful, but not essential skill for potential students unless specifically listed for a project. Again, please contact potential supervisors to check.

Academic staff:

Assoc. Prof. Euan Harvey / Dr Timothy Langlois / Assist. Prof. Thomas Wernberg
Winthrop Prof. Gary Kendrick / Assist. Prof. Michael Renton

3. NATURAL TERRESTRIAL SYSTEMS

This research area focuses on issues arising through the interactions of plants with their physical and climactic environments, with each other and with symbiotic and pathogenic microbes. A major theme is plant conservation and environmental rehabilitation. All scales of biological organization are examined, from the molecular to ecosystem level. Many interactions occur between members of this staff group and the other research areas within the School along with the Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority, the Bushfire CRC, Centre for Legumes in Mediterranean Agriculture, Department of Agriculture and Food (WA), Department of Environment and Conservation, the Forest Products Commission, a variety of mining companies, special interest groups and other stakeholders.

Western Australia, especially the southwest corner, is regarded as one of the world's hot-spots of terrestrial and marine plant diversity. Many researchers focus on the communities, species and genes found in the region, and employ the best available systematic, evolutionary, ecological and physiological science to underpin their work. Others work on threatening processes and their mitigation, such as loss of biodiversity due to habitat destruction, fragmentation of wild areas, dieback disease, invasion by feral animals and weeds, salinity and nutrification.