Past Events

Fungal Foray to the Catlins

A two day trip to collect fungi in the Catlins. We'll explore the many patches of native bush in the Catlins area. Bring your camera along. Leader, David Orlovich. Accommodation on Saturday night will be at Nugget Point Lighthouse Keepers house (numbers limited). Day trippers are welcome to join us on either day. To reserve accommodation or find out more contact David Orlovich by Wednesday 20 May. Leave from Botany carpark at 8.30 am Saturday.

Positive interactions and interdependence in plant communities

A talk by Dr Ragan Callaway, The University of Montana. The individualistic view of plant communities has led to successful research on the importance of the abiotic environment and competition as factors structuring plant communities. Negative interactions such as predation, competition for resources, and allelopathy have been central to the study of ecology and evolution. However, it has become clear that organisms can greatly enhance the performance of their neighbors as well as modify the environment in ways that benefit other species. Positive interactions among plants, or facilitation, occur when the presence of one plant enhances the growth, survival, or reproduction of a neighbor. Until recently, examples of facilitation have been relatively rare; however, this rarity may have been an artifact of scientific disinterest rather than ecological frequency. But in the last 20 years, hundreds of peer-reviewed papers have been published on the positive effects of plants on each other. This research challenges a strict definition of the theory of individualistic plant communities, one of the most basic and widely accepted conceptual models in ecology, as a foundation for understanding how groups of plant species are organized. I will discuss this research and its theoretical implications. 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.

Going with the flow: water motion and seaweed productivity

A talk by Assoc. Prof. Catriona Hurd, Dept of Botany, University of Otago. This is a Department of Botany Seminar. Note special venue: At the Union Street Lecture Theatre (upstairs, corner of Union St (West) and Great King Streets).

Variation in the leaves and fibre of Cordyline spp. ti and toi

A talk by Rebecca Lodge, PhD candidate, Dept of Botany, University of Otago. This is a Department of Botany Seminar. Note special venue: At the Union Street Lecture Theatre (upstairs, corner of Union St (West) and Great King Streets).

Novel biochemical weapons and exotic plant invasions

A talk by Dr Ray Callaway, Plant Ecology Lab, The University of Montana. This is a Department of Botany Seminar. Note special venue: At the Union Street Lecture Theatre (upstairs, corner of Union St (West) and Great King Streets).

Field Trip to Lower Taieri Gorge

The lower Taieri Gorge between Henley and Taieri Mouth is representative of the original vegetation of the District and has an exceptional variety of plant communities in a small area. Highlights include large populations of the threatened scented tree daisy and fierce lancewood, along with several other threatened species, and one of the few sites in the District with regenerating kahikatea and matai. We'll shuttle vehicles to enable us to walk the well-formed track that sidles the gorge from Henley to the end near Taieri Mouth. Depart Botany carpark 9 am, returning mid afternoon.

An evening of Botanical Photography and AGM.

Following on from last year's successful formula we have again lured renowned photographers Rod Morris, Peter Johnson and Kelvin Lloyd back to judge our third BSO photographic competition following a brief AGM. Entries will be on display, photographic tips given and prizes presented. It's not too late to enter. Entries close 15 April, 5 p.m. See BSO website or notice board for entry forms. 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.

Crunchy seaweeds: calcification in marine algae

A talk by Assoc. Prof. Abby Smith, Dept of Marine Science, University of Otago. This is a Department of Botany Seminar. Note special venue: At the Union Street Lecture Theatre (upstairs, corner of Union St (West) and Great King Streets).

Major transitions in plant reproductive systems

A talk by Prof. Spencer Barrett, Dept of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Canada. This is a Department of Botany Seminar. Note special venue: At the Union Street Lecture Theatre (upstairs, corner of Union and Great King Streets).

A Darwinian perspective on floral diversity and function

A talk by Prof. Spencer Barrett, Dept of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Canada. This is a Department of Botany Open Lecture. Note special venue: Archway 1.

Field trip to Cape Saunders, Otago Peninsula

Cape Saunders, on the rugged ocean side of the Otago Peninsula, is home to many special plants, most notably the Cape Saunders rock daisy (Helichrysum selago var. tumidum). Other rarities among the silver tussock and rock pavements are Lepidium tenuicaule, Ranunculus recens and Myosotis pygmaea. There's an unusual Melicytus too - all with a backdrop of drammatic coastal scenery. Depart Botany carpark 9am, returning mid-afternoon. In case of rain trip will run on Sunday 15 March.

Novel ecosystems and alternative succession and restoration pathways

A talk by Prof Richard J Hobbs, Australian Professorial Fellow, School of Plant Biology, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Australia. This is a Department of Botany Seminar. Note special venue: Union Street Lecture Theatre.

Free BSO BBQ!

BBQ to welcome new botany/ecology students and new BSO members. At the front lawn, Botany House Annex, Great King Street (across the road from the main Botany building). Sausage sandwiches and drinks provided free by the Botanical Society of Otago. All BSO members welcome!

Weekend Trip to the St Marys Range

The St Marys Range in North Otago is very interesting botanically. It is a region of transition between the greywacke mountains of Canterbury and the schist terrain that is more typical of Central Otago. Many northern alpines reach their southern limits here and there seems to be a considerable amount of local biodiversity within the region. We hope to see a variety of scree plants including Hebe epacridea, Leptinella atrata, Aciphylla dobsonii, Raoulia youngii, Stellaria roughii and the recently described Ranunculus acraeus. We will be accompanied by Hugh Wood of Oamaru who has been visiting the area for many years and is very familiar with the flora. We will leave Dunedin early on Saturday 13th, drive to Kurow and then proceed to the Awakino ski field where we will stay at the ski lodge huts. There is an option of traveling up earlier on Friday 12th and staying two nights. We will be able to botanize when we arrive, and again on Sunday 14th when we will return to Dunedin. The cost of accommodation for the night will be $20.00. Individuals are responsible for organizing their own food. To finalize numbers and assist with organizing transport please get in touch with David Lyttle phone (03) 454 5470 or by email.

End of year dinner

End of year dinner at Nanking Palace Chinese Restaurant (198 King Edward Street, South Dunedin) following David Lyttle's talk. All welcome! RSVP to David Orlovich (david.orlovich@otago.ac.nz) by 18 November 2008