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Topic Grassland ecosystems
Question Which grassland species are you particularly interested in? Why?
Expert Dr Nick Williams
Dr Nick Williams is a plant ecologist at the University of Melbourne. Nick’s research investigates the ecology of urban areas in particular, grassland ecology and restoration, green infrastructure for climate change adaptation and weed invasions. Nick’s research has highlighted how surrounding landscapes influence the processes that occur in remnant habitats, such as edge effects and local extinctions, and, has developed ways to make urban areas more biodiversity friendly.
Species that have underground storage organs such as lilies and other geophytes, which allow the species to survive the tough hot dry weather of the Australian summer. They survive underground and then re-sprout in autumn. We’re particularly interested in species with these characteristics because green roofs are another environment quite similar to native grasslands and we’re doing a lot of research trying to understand and select plant species, which will do well on green roofs.
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