Renowned US scientist to speak on atmospheric change

Sep 28, 2006

A leading expert in plant biology and crop science from the University of Illinois Champagne will visit the University of Wollongong tomorrow (Friday 29 September) to present a seminar on “Mitigating and adapting to atmospheric change – the 21st Century challenge to plant biology”.

Professor Steve Long will discuss changes in atmospheric CO2 and ozone and examine crop responses to these changes and their implications for global food supply focussing on the SoyFACE project – a large scale CO2 and ozone fertilisation experiment of soybean crops that Professor Long has been co-ordinating in Illinois.

Professor Long will also discuss the potential use of plants to provide renewable energy (biofuels) and how this would require a rethink of our approach to agriculture.

Professor Long has worked on the effects of elevated CO2 and ozone on plants and is heavily involved in the biofuels debate in the US.His research includes environmental physiology, global atmospheric change impacts on crops and natural vegetation, mathematical models of photosynthesis (the process of using energy in sunlight to convert water and carbon dioxide into carbohydrates and oxygen), C4 photosynthesis and energy crops.

“My lab integrates molecular and biochemical studies with physiological studies of photosynthesis, using state-of-the-art and custom built gas-exchange, fluorescence and controlled environment instrumentation,” said Professor Long.

“Much of the work involves developing and testing hypotheses on plant environmental responses under controlled conditions and then testing these in large-scale multi-partner fields.”

“The large-scale field facilities that we are currently using include the SoyFACE open-air CO2 and ozone fumigation experiment on the Experimental Station of the University of Illinois, The Smithsonian Institution/NASA elevated CO2 chambers on the vegetation of the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, The US-Forrest Service/Michigan Technical University FACTS-II open-air CO2 and ozone fumigation experiment in Rhinelander, Wisconsin and The European Union Free-air CO2 field enrichment experiment with poplars (EUROFACE) at Viterbo in Italy.”

The international journal Global Change Biology (Blackwell Science) is edited from Professor Long’s laboratory which has active research links with several global change laboratories within and outside the US including Australia, Brazil, France, Italy, Japan, Switzerland and the U.K.

When: Friday 29 September at 4pm (FREE entry)

Where: Building 35 Room G20

**Media please note: Professor Long will be available for interviews earlier in the day by contacting Julie Wright on (02) 4221 3450.

For more information, contact:

media@uow.edu.au
University of Wollongong
Ph: (02) 4221 5942; fax (02) 4221 3128