Australia's distinctive succulent flora (Old ID 21966)
Role
Chief Investigator
Description
We will investigate why Australia, the driest vegetated continent, has no landscape dominated by large succulents but nevertheless supports a distinctive, diverse and widespread succulent flora. Focusing on terrestrial succulents and epiphytic orchids, we will explore the evolution, assembly and biodiversity of Australia’s succulent flora, evaluating the roles of genetic composition, photosynthetic physiology, aridity, fire, soil nutrients and salinity in its historical expansion, and assessing the resilience of the assemblages to changing climate. Of particular interest will be how the most water-use efficient type of photosynthesis, crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM), is expressed across the succulent landscape.
Date
05 Apr 2016 - 31 Dec 2019
Project Type
GRANT
Keywords
succulents;succulent flora;epiphytic orchids
Funding Body
Australian Research Council (ARC)
Amount
364400
Project Team
Darren Crayn