Prof. Tracy Lawson - University of Essex

Please see below the next Department Seminar which will be featuring Prof. Tracy Lawson from University of Essex

on Wednesday 2nd November 1-2pm at the Bourne LT 2.

Tracy Lawson Stomatal kinetics influence photosynthesis and water use efficiency

Prof. Lawson is an “ISI highly-cited biologist”. She leads the Essex “Plant Productivity” research centre. Among others, she participates in the Anglo-American “Realizing Improving Photosynthetic Efficiency (RIPE)” and the EU “Combining approaches for photosynthetic improvement to allow increased sustainability in European agriculture (CAPITALISE)” projects, work from which has twice featured in the BBC television and online news. In the face of population, security and climate-change challenges to food production, her work could hardly be more topical.

Stomata, small adjustable pores on the aerial parts of plants balance CO₂ uptake for photosynthesis with water loss, and their behaviour is therefore key to maintaining plant productivity and water status. Here we explore the kinetics of stomatal responses with photosynthetic demands and ways in which we can manipulate these processes for greater carbon assimilation and/or Water Use Efficiency.  Using transgenic plants with alterations in carbon metabolism the signalling mechanism that co-ordinates stomatal conductance with photosynthesis can be examined. Using a novel split chamber developed in the laboratory we have also examined the impact of differential stomatal densities on the two leaf surfaces on leaf gas exchange. 

Host: Enrique Lopez

For more information about upcoming Departmental Seminars please visit: https://royalholloway.ac.uk/research-and-teaching/departments-and-schools/biological-sciences/events/