Past Events

Talk / Seminar on Wednesday 19th of October 2011, 12:00 PM (12 years ago)

Contact: Trish Fleming | trish.fleming@botany.otago.ac.nz | (03) 479 7577

A talk by Max Corral. Botany MSc Proposal. School of Physical Education Seminar Room #213–4, University of Otago, 55 Union St, Dunedin

Talk / Seminar on Wednesday 12th of October 2011, 07:30 PM (12 years ago)

Contact: Orokonui Ecosanctuary | info@orokonui.org.nz | (03) 482 1755

A talk by Prof. Kath Dickinson, Dept of Botany, University of Otago. St David's Lecture Theatre, University of Otago.

Talk / Seminar on Wednesday 12th of October 2011, 05:30 PM (12 years ago)

Contact: Allison Knight

Jaz Morris will discuss how greenhouse conditions affect the physiology of giant kelp? Diego Urrutia Guevara presents a talk about the response of alpine plant and soil composition to induced environmental conditions on the Old Man Range, New Zealand, and Tim Crawford explains profiling low-oxygen electron transport in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. Abstracts relating to each talk can be found in the communications section of the newsletter. At the Zoology Benham Building, 346 Great King Street, behind the Zoology car park by the Captain Cook Hotel. Use the main entrance of the Benham Building to get in and go to the Benham Seminar Room, Rm. 215, 2nd floor. Please be prompt as we have to hold the door open.

Field Trip on Friday 7th of October 2011, 12:00 PM (12 years ago)

Contact: Dunedin Botanic Garden | botanic@dcc.govt.nz | (03) 477 4000

A talk by T. J. Irvin, at the Botanic Garden Centre.

Field Trip on Thursday 6th of October 2011, 05:00 PM (12 years ago)

Contact: Graeme Loh | gloh@doc.govt.nz | (03) 474 6935

There is a rare un-named native herb in the cabbage family that lives at the sea cave. The Department of Conservation wishes to do work to improve its numbers and future. You are invited to meet this Lepidium and discuss its future. Meet at the cave at the north-west end of Long Beach.

Field Trip on Thursday 6th of October 2011, 02:00 PM (12 years ago)

Contact: Orokonui Ecosanctuary | info@orokonui.org.nz | (03) 482 1755

A talk by Philip Dunn, Ribbonwood Nursery. At Orokonui Ecosanctuary. Cost: $5.00 (Donation).

Talk / Seminar on Wednesday 5th of October 2011, 12:00 PM (12 years ago)

Contact: Trish Fleming | trish.fleming@botany.otago.ac.nz | (03) 479 7577

A talk by Allan Mitchell, Technical Manager, Otago Centre for Microscopy. Union St Lecture Theatre, Cnr Union St West & Great King St.

Talk / Seminar on Tuesday 4th of October 2011, 04:00 PM (12 years ago)

Contact: Dept Marine Science | marine.science@otago.ac.nz | (03) 479 8306

A talk by Associate Professor Catriona Hurd. Marine Science Seminar Room, Dept of Marine Science, University of Otago, 310 Castle St, Dunedin (corner Frederick and Castle Streets).

Talk / Seminar on Wednesday 21st of September 2011, 12:00 PM (12 years ago)

Contact: Trish Fleming | trish.fleming@botany.otago.ac.nz | (03) 479 7577

A talk by Dr David Orlovich in celebration of International Year of Forests 2011. I will discuss the importance of fungus-root symbioses in NZ forests and describe recent research on native mycorrhizal fungi. A Department of Botany Lunchtime Seminar. Note: Special time and Venue: Union St Lecture Theatre, Cnr Union St (West) & Great King St.

Talk / Seminar on Wednesday 14th of September 2011, 05:30 PM (12 years ago)

Contact: David Lyttle | djl1yttle@gmail.com | (03) 454 5470

Speaker Dr Bill Lee Landcare Research, Dunedin; Joint Graduate School of Biodiversity and Biosecurity, School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland. Plants share a world with many other organisms that represent both potential enemies and possible allies. For their enemies plants are a food source, but plants have developed numerous defences, including co-opting other animals, to protect vital organs. This involves strategic alliances, armed neutrality and active warfare. Plants also develop interdependencies with other biota for obtaining resources, assisting reproduction and dispersal, and limiting herbivory. The talk will explore what we know about these interactions in New Zealand, and discuss some of the extraordinary relationships amongst and between fungi, arthropods, birds, and plants. Emphasis will be on the strategies and tactics involved from the perspective of the plants, and how much plants are prepared to repel enemies and gain friends in natural ecosystems. At Castle 1 Lecture theatre. Nibbles and drinks from 5:30 in the Castle concourse, talk starts at 6:00 pm.

Field Trip on Saturday 10th of September 2011, 09:00 AM (12 years ago)

Contact: David Lyttle | djl1yttle@gmail.com | (03) 454 5470

We will walk through some podocarp forest representative of the Dunedin area, then go on to regenerating shrub-land with a small sphagnum bog. We will see some of the eastern most Libocedrus bidwillii stands, and see wonderful views from the rock out-crops. Depart from the Botany Department car park, corner of Great King Street and Union Street (West).

Talk / Seminar on Wednesday 10th of August 2011, 05:30 PM (12 years ago)

Contact: David Lyttle | djl1yttle@gmail.com | (03) 454 5470

A talk by Alex Fergus. The Campbell Island Bicentennial Expedition team stuck it out on our southernmost landmass for 10 weeks this past summer. As a member of the terrestrial ecology research group, my focus was the recovery of the plant and insect communities and the interaction between seabirds and plant diversity. The vegetation of Campbell Island has changed dramatically in the 200 years since European discovery. Burning, grazing, and the mediated effects of rats have altered species abundances and community structure. Permanent plots and photo points (dating from the 1870s) reveal vegetation damage before 1960 has given way to re-growth and range expansion. The progressive removal of European vertebrates has sparked a remarkable and rapid recovery of many of the iconic, and also the less well-known subantarctic plant species. How much of this recent change is simply recovery and how much is due to climate change is the next big question. Expect lots of pictures mixed in with a wee bit of science and even a few new discoveries for the island. At the Zoology Benham Building, 346 Great King Street, behind the Zoology car park by the Captain Cook Hotel. Use the main entrance of the Benham Building to get in and go to the Benham Seminar Room, Rm. 215, 2nd floor. Please be prompt as we have to hold the door open.

Field Trip on Saturday 6th of August 2011, 09:00 AM (12 years ago)

Contact: Robyn Bridges | 021 235 8997

Rain date 7th August (trip originally scheduled for the 16th April but cancelled due to rain). Akatore is a remnant of diverse coastal shrubland at the mouth of Akatore Creek 45 minutes south of Dunedin. Some special features of this site include the diversity of shrub species and threatened species such as Coprosma obconica, Olearia fragrantissima, Melicytus flexuosus and Carex littorosa with the possibility of our discovering other threatened species. We may also visit the adjacent coast where the threatened cress Lepidium tenuicaule is present as well as Myosotis pygmaea. Depart from the Dept of Botany Carpark, cnr Great King Street and Union Street (West).

Talk / Seminar on Thursday 21st of July 2011, 06:00 PM (12 years ago)

Contact: Trish Fleming | trish.fleming@botany.otago.ac.nz | (03) 479 7577

Speaker President Emeritus Peter H Raven, Missouri Botanical Garden, USA. Scientists project that during the 21st century a major proportion of the worlds estimated 12 million species of plants, animals, and micro-organisms will become extinct.

What can we do to counteract or mitigate the effects of habitat destruction, global climate change, invasive species, and selective hunting and gathering?

  • attain a level human population
  • adopt reasonable levels of consumption everywhere
  • develop new, sustainable technologies

Direct actions to conserve species:

  • establishment and protection of nature reserves
  • bringing organisms into cultivation, captive colonies, culture collection, or seed banks

Our individual actions will determine the magnitude of the extinction episode that we have already begun—and its impact for thousands or millions of years to come. St. David Lecture Theatre, Corner of St David and Castle Sts, University of Otago.

Field Trip on Sunday 17th of July 2011, 10:00 AM (12 years ago)

Contact: John Barkla | mjbarkla@xtra.co.nz | 027 326 7917

Come and beat the mid-winter blues with a half day trip in the heart of Dunedin. We will explore the network of tracks that begin at Woodhaugh Gardens and wind their way up the Water of Leith and into the Ross Creek Reservoir area. There's quite a range of natural vegetation passed on the walk including kahikatea-kowhai-ribbonwood-lacebark forest through to more recent kanuka dominated successional communities. Be prepared for a couple of hours walking on well maintained tracks. The trip will start and finish at Woodhaugh Gardens. Meet at 10 am at the George Street entrance to Woodhaugh Gardens. Back about midday.