Gimara Duncan - PhD Student

School of Plant Biology (M090)
University of Western Australia
35 Stirling Highway
Crawley  WA  6009
AUSTRALIA

telephone     +61 8 6488 7914
fax               +61 8 6488 7925
email            gimarahd@plants.uwa.edu.au

1st Class Honours in Botany (Molecular Biology), University of Queensland
Bachelor of Applied Science (Biotechnology), Queensland University of Technology

Past research projects

• Gene silencing in sugarcane, PMIF, University of Queensland
• Characterization of an unknown gene (Beta Interacting Protein) in Arabidopsis thaliana, PGEL, University of Queensland
• Characterisation for craniofacial abnormalities in Del 13 Svea 36H, EDG2, ‘X-ray’ mutant mice, Wellcome trust project based at Department of Craniofacial Development (CFD), Kings College  (Many collaborators – contact CFD).

Current research interests

• Woody tree physiology (focusing on eucalypts)
• Water relations of eucalypts in semi arid systems
• Aquaporins (water channel proteins)

PhD Thesis: The Importance of Understanding Riparian Root Systems in the Pilbara, Western Australia

Supervisors:  Dr Pauline Grierson (UWA), Dr Martha Ludwig (UWA), Prof Mark Adams (UNSW), Dr Peter Landman (RioTinto)
Funding: ARC Linkage grant ARC-LP0214150 with Pilbara Iron

Most studies of the functioning of tree root systems have been restricted to cool temperate climates of Europe and the Americas. There has been relatively little research into the root systems of woody species in more extreme climates, such as the semi-arid regions of Australia, even though it is well recognised that the primary limitation for plant water uptake are the roots (Nobel 1992; Sperry 1998). The study of root hydraulic architecture has proven difficult owing to root inaccessibility, and poor understanding of how root size, type and classification affect predictions of water uptake. The central Pilbara region provides an exciting opportunity to examine the root systems of tree species subject to limited water availability and high seasonal and irregular rainfall, as well as extremes in temperature and nutrient-limited soils. In the Pilbara, the survival of vegetation relies more upon access to ground water than rainfall (Weston 1995; Landman 2001; Graham 2002). Mining and pastoral activities can also impact on the growth and distribution of dominant species in the region. For example, there has been a decline in the riparian tree species, Melaleuca argentea, downstream of mining in the Pilbara, where dewatering has lowered the water table. Not all riparian species are impacted in the same way i.e. Eucalyptus victrix co-occurring with M. argentea appears less vulnerable to changes in depth to ground water. Consequently, knowledge of the physiological responses and adaptations of these riparian communities to periodic drought or inundation is important to understand ecosystem functioning, as riparian systems provide protection of creek banks against erosion, and provide food and shelter for livestock and native fauna (Bendix 2000).

My Ph.D. program aims to improve understanding of the water use of two dominant riparian species of the semi-arid Pilbara region of Western Australia. The species are Coolibah, Eucalyptus victrix (confined to the sub-tropics of WA and the central NT) and River Red Gum, Eucalyptus camaldulensis var. obtusa (widespread across Australia).

Presentations

The Importance of Understanding Riparian Root Systems in the Pilbara, Western Australia, Postgraduate Retreat 2004, Rottnest Island, Western Australia.