I was recently asked to answer a question for Ask Fuzzy about how carnivorous plants move to capture their prey (read all about how they do so here). I thoroughly enjoyed researching this piece and explaining the different mechanisms plants use to move. I became interested in carnivorous plants after writing a short paper about the gorgeous Western … Continue reading
Our paper, ‘Evidence for shifts to faster growth strategies in the new ranges of invasive alien plants’ is now available open-access in Journal of Ecology. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1365-2745.12318/abstract. From the abstract: “We assessed leaf herbivory and leaf-level traits associated with growth strategy in the native and exotic ranges of 13 invasive plant species from 256 populations. Species … Continue reading
Firstly, thanks so much to the delightful Penny Morrison for sending this tour my way. What am I working on? I’m working on a picture book manuscript about Australian native orchids. Unlike popular horticultural orchid varieties, most Australian orchids are very small and hard to see, but when you do find them – WOW! – they are … Continue reading
Last weekend I spent a wonderful five days in Laurieton and Kendall on the mid north coast of New South Wales for the 2013 Watermark Biennial Muster. The Watemark Literary Society began in 2003 with the aim of bringing together Australian and international writers who write about nature and place. Ten years later, I was … Continue reading
Last week I spent a couple of days measuring eucalypt leaves from the Illawarra Fly. This attraction is a steel walkway about 500 metres long that hangs 25 metres up in the canopy. The Fly is right on the edge of the escarpment which affords amazing view towards Shellharbour. But it also provides wonderful access … Continue reading
A few months ago I was invited to host a Research Topic on plant silicon for the Frontiers in Plant Sciences (Nature Publishing Group). I’ve joined forces with Dr Jane DeGabriel to define and manage this Topic. Jane is the perfect partner as she has a strong interest in plant silicon following research on silicon in … Continue reading
Over the last semester, together with Matthew Bulbert, I have organised the lunchtime seminar series for the Department of Biological Sciences at Macquarie University. We have really enjoyed inviting and/or co-ordinating the visits and getting to know Dr Steven Hamblin, Dr Richard Frankham, Prof. Paul Ehrlich, Prof. Jenny Graves, Dr Brendan Choat, Prof. Peter Reich, Prof. Ute Roessner, … Continue reading
I’ve signed up to participate in Dry July for the fourth time. This means a month without drinking alcohol to raise money to make the lives of adults with cancer more comfortable, particularly by improving treatment facilities. Over the six years Dry July has been around, they have raised 11 million dollars. I have found … Continue reading
I’m going to be part of the Watermark Literary Society’s biennial muster this year in October in Kendall on the mid-north coast. The muster brings together writers and readers interested in literature relating to nature and place and this year has a focus on childhood. The other speakers are an impressive bunch, including Libby Gleeson, … Continue reading
I’ve just started a post-doc with Prof. David Ellsworth. In the last couple of weeks I have been working at the EucFACE site (Eucalyptus Woodland Free Air CO2 Enrichment). This facility includes six cage-like rings that enclose Cumberland Plain Woodland, pumping gas onto the vegetation they enclose. Three rings are ‘controls’ which pump ambient air (with … Continue reading
Julia Cooke 
You must be logged in to post a comment.