Contact me
Lancaster Environment Centre
Lancaster University
Lancaster, LA1 4YQ
United Kingdom
Email: r.dunkley@lancaster.ac.uk
Research
Title of PhD: Why are there so few C2 grasses?
Supervisors: Dr Marjorie Lundgren & Dr Elizabete Carmo-Silva
My research focuses on photosynthetic diversity within the grass family, specifically in understanding the apparent lack of C2 grasses. Having evolved independently some 58 times, C2 photosynthesis utilises a glycine shuttle as a basic CCM to improve photosynthesis through the avoidance of photorespiration. This is posited as an intermediary state in C3 to C4 evolution, however, evidence of C2 photosynthesis is relatively understudied. I will be investigating whether the current number of identified C2 plants is representative or whether C2 grasses are more prevalent.
This will involve understanding the physiology, phylogeny and biogeography of C2 grasses with collaborations with Kew gardens and Bangor University. I will also conduct fieldwork in Argentina to identify and collect potential C2 grasses for analysis in Lancaster.
Education
2017-2021 University of Sheffield: MBiolSci (integrated masters) in Plant Sciences (1st)