Dr John Conran

Dr John Conran
 Position Senior Lecturer
 Org Unit Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
 Email john.conran@adelaide.edu.au
 Telephone +61 8 8313 5684
 Location Floor/Room 109 ,  Benham ,   North Terrace
  • Research Interests

    Molecular and morphological evolution and palaeobotany, reproductive biology and community ecology of Australasian seed plants, especially petaloid monocots, southern conifers, carnivorous plants and weeds.

    My research involves studies of character evolution, palaeobotany and biogeography in Australasian plants, especially the Lilianae (petaloid monocotyledons), Commelinaceae (Spiderworts), carnivorous plants (especially Byblidaceae, Cephalotaceae, Droseraceae and Lentibulariaceae), Malvaceae (Mallows) and Podocarpaceae (southern conifers), in response to changes in climate throughout their evolution.

    This work involves the use of both classical and molecular approaches and involves families that, although of worldwide distribution, have both major centres of diversity in Australia, and endemic, primitive members mainly confined to the rainforests of E Australia. The research explores the relationships of these often highly isolated ancient groups, and the ecological processes which led to their diversification with the spread of arid and nutrient-poor regions.

    I am currently involved in a major collaborative study with the University of Otago (NZ) on the fossil floras of southern Otago (Sth Is. NZ) ranging from the Late Cretaceous through to the Miocene, and in particular, the extremely rich fossil flora of the Foulden Hills Diatomite (a 23 Ma fossilised lake), which appears to be one of the richest fossil monocot sites yet discovered. I am also involved in studies with the Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanic Gardens (Yunnan, China) on the evolution of various Old World tropical plant families, particularly the cinnamon family (Lauraceae) as well as Chinese Liliaceae sens. lat. and Commelinaceae.

  • Media Expertise

    CategoriesEnvironment
    ExpertiseEvolution (origins of the Australian flora); environment (impact assessment, nature conservation, endangered plant species, lichens as air pollution monitors); botany; nature conservation; botany (endangered plants); endangered species; lichens as air pollution monitors; impact assessment; environmental damage; evolution of plants
    NotesAlt phone: (08) 8313 3999
    Mobile0403 131 834
    After hours(08) 8264 3695

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Entry last updated: Friday, 8 Sep 2023

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