Doctor Guomin Huang

Candidature

Graduated PhD 2016

Thesis Title

Differential response to climate change among populations for woody plant species: An ecological and physiological approach

Research Project

Plastic and adaptive responses of Waratah populations to future climatic scenarios

Predicted future climate scenarios are expected to have substantial impacts on biodiversity, natural resources and primary industry. Understanding the specific mechanisms of how plant species respond to changing environments is therefore of critical importance. However, the relative importance of phenotypic plasticity and genetic adaptation in promoting plant persistence in changing environments remains unknown.

In this project, we will employ ecological, physiological and molecular approaches to evaluate the capacity of genetically differentiated coastal and upland populations of the NSW Waratah (Telopea speciosissima, Proteaceae) to respond to future climate conditions. We aim to: (1) determine the main and interactive effects of atmospheric [CO₂], growth temperature and water availability on plant growth and physiological traits; (2) identify genes with expression and sequence variation linked to the differential responses among treatments and populations.

By synthesizing physiological and genetic findings, we aim to develop predictions for the relative importance of adaptive and plastic responses of NSW Waratah to changing environmental conditions. Findings from this study will help us to better understand the ability of natural populations to respond to future climate change scenarios, and therefore provide much needed information for adaptive management of plant resources.

Research Project Supervisors

Prof David Tissue, Dr Paul Rymer

Publications

Ahrens CW, Watson-Lazowski A, Huang GM, Tissue DT, Rymer PD, (2022) 'The roles of divergent and parallel molecular evolution contributing to thermal adaptive strategies in trees', Plant Cell and Environment, vol.45, no.12, pp 3476-3491

Duan HL, Huang GM, Zhou SX, Tissue DT, (2018) 'Dry mass production, allocation patterns and water use efficiency of two conifers with different water use strategies under elevated [CO2], warming and drought conditions', European Journal of Forest Research, vol.137, no.5, pp 605-618

Duan HL, O'Grady AP, Duursma RA, Choat B, Huang GM, Smith RA, Jiang YA, Tissue DT, (2015) 'Drought responses of two gymnosperm species with contrasting stomatal regulation strategies under elevated [CO2] and temperature', Tree Physiology, vol.35, no.7, pp 756-770

Huang G, Rymer PD, Duan H, Smith RA, Tissue DT, (2015) 'Elevated temperature is more effective than elevated [CO2] in exposing genotypic variation in Telopea speciosissima growth plasticity: Implications for woody plant populations under climate change', Global Change Biology, vol.21, no.10, pp 3800-3813

Wu JP, Fan HB, Liu WF, Huang GM, Tang JF, Zeng RJ, Huang J, Liu ZF, (2015) 'Should Exotic Eucalyptus be Planted in Subtropical China: Insights from Understory Plant Diversity in Two Contrasting Eucalyptus Chronosequences', Environmental Management, vol.56, no.5, pp 1244-1251

Duan H, Duursma RA, Huang G, Smith RA, Choat B, O'Grady AP, Tissue DT, (2014) 'Elevated [CO₂] does not ameliorate the negative effects of elevated temperature on drought-induced mortality in Eucalyptus radiata seedlings', Plant, Cell and Environment, vol.37, no.7, pp 1598-1613

O'Carrigan A, Hinde E, Lu N, Xu X, Duan H, Huang G, Mak M, Bellotti B, Chen Z, (2014) 'Effects of light irradiance on stomatal regulation and growth of tomato', Environmental and Experimental Botany, vol.98, pp 65–73

Wu JP, Liu ZF, Huang GM, Chen DM, Zhang WX, Shao YH, Wan SZ, Fu SL, (2014) 'Response of soil respiration and ecosystem carbon budget to vegetation removal in Eucalyptus plantations with contrasting ages', Scientific Reports, vol.4, Article no.6262

Wu J, Liu W, Fan H, Huang G, Wan S, Yuan Y, Ji C, (2013) 'Asynchronous responses of soil microbial community and understory plant community to simulated nitrogen deposition in a subtropical forest', Ecology and Evolution, vol.3, no.11, pp 3895-3905

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