PhD Candidate: Chaminda Alahakoon

PhD Supervisors: Associate Professor Paul Rymer (WSU), Associate Professor Rachael Nolan (WSU), Associate Professor Mark Ooi (UNSW), Dr Cathy Offord (Australian Plant Bank, BGS)

Project Summary: The effects of two key climatic factors—temperature and water availability—on seed germination and seedling emergence have been extensively studied at both species and ecosystem levels. However, there is a scarcity of studies that examine the relationships between climate origin and other species attributes and their germination responses to temperature and water. Through a meta-analysis, we aim to identify how species attributes can be used as predictors of seed germination, seedling emergence, and survival across a range of ecosystems.