Further information
All projects in 'Restoring and maintaining balance in our natural environment'
All projects the School of Biological Sciences
Search projects by research theme
- Feeding the world
- Preventing, diagnosing and treating disease
- Furthering human knowledge and serving humanity
- Harnessing resources and energy for a sustainable future
- Restoring and maintaining balance in our natural environment
- Optimising physical and mental performance
Search projects by schools and centres
Little is known of the metabolic rate of seeds of various plant species and how much it is depressed during dormancy.
- Summary of the project
- Eligibility criteria
- Readings
- Contact the research team leader
- How to apply
- Scholarships
Summary of the project
This research project investigates the functional ecology of seeds, with respect to metabolic physiology and metabolic depression during dormancy. It is widely appreciated that plant seeds are capable of extended metabolic depression, but there are few actual measurements of metabolic rate for seeds. It is thought that seeds remain aerobic (consume oxygen, produce carbon dioxide) during moderate metabolic depression, but metabolic rate is even further reduced and may become anaerobic and difficult-to-impossible measure during deeper cryptobiotis.
This project will explore the diversity in metabolic rate for a variety of species of plant seeds, by quantifying aerobic and anaerobic metabolic rates for rest and various levels of dormancy. These results will be examined in view of the phylogenetic diversity of the plant species (phylogenetically-informed analysis), mass of the seed and in particular the mass of the metabolically-active embryonic tissue (allometry), and possible environmental adaptations (metabolic ecology), for example to aridity and fire regime.
Eligibility criteria
General UWA PhD entrance requirements can be found on the Future Students website.
Back to top
Readings
- Dalziell, E. L. & S. Tomlinson. (2017). Reduced metabolic rate indicates declining viability in seed collections: an experimental proof-of-concept. Conservation Physiology 5, cox058.
- Guppy,M. & P.C. Withers. (1999). Metabolic depression in animals: physiological perspectives and biochemical generalizations. Biological Reviews 74: 1-40.
- Tomlinson, S., L. E. Dalziell, P.C. Withers, W. Lewandrowski, K.W. Dixon & D.J. Merritt. (2018). Measuring metabolic rates of small terrestrial organisms by fluorescence-based closed-system respirometry. Journal of Experimental Biology 221, jeb172874.
- Withers, P.C. & C.E. Cooper. (2010). Metabolic Depression: A Historical Perspective. In, Aestivation. Molecular and Physiological Aspects Series (Eds Navas, C.A. & J.E. Carvalho). Progress in Molecular and Subcellular Biology. Vol. 49 (Springer, Berlin), pp 1-24.
Contact the research team leader
Once you have ensured that you meet the eligibility criteria and are ready to discuss a proposal, contact the research team leader to identify a potential supervisor.
- Research team leader: Professor Philip Withers
-
- I am a comparative animal physiologist, with broad interests in animal structure and function; I am in the School of Biological Sciences at UWA. My research is focused on the environmental physiology of primarily terrestrial vertebrate animals (amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals). I am interested in adaptations related to thermoregulation, water and solute balance and metabolism that enable these animals to survive in hostile environments, particularly arid desert environments.
How to apply
After you have discussed your project with the research team leader you should be in a position to proceed to step two of the UWA application process: 'Lodge an application'.
Different procedures apply to domestic and international students.
Scholarships
Domestic students
All domestic students may apply for Research Training Program and University Postgraduate Awards (UPA) scholarships.
The Australian Government's Endeavour Awards and Scholarships are available to Australian applicants for study in participating countries and regions.
International students
A range of scholarships are available from international organisations and governments. The full list, organised by country, is available on the Future Students website.
In addition, all international students may apply for International Research Training Program scholarships.
The Australian Government's Endeavour Awards and Scholarships are available to international applicants from participating countries and regions.
Indigenous students
Indigenous students are encouraged to apply for Indigenous Postgraduate Research Supplementary Scholarships.
Forrest Foundation scholarships
All international and Australian students who wish to study towards the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) at The University of Western Australia may apply for Forrest Scholarships.
University information
CRICOS Code: 00126G
