Tree Physiology occasionally recognizes outstanding contributions of Graduate Students to research relevant to the mission of the Journal. Although awards are typically given for best presentations at meetings, in 2014 the Journal also began recognizing a 'Best Graduate Student Paper'.
Lasantha Weerasinghe's paper 'Canopy position affects the relationships between leaf respiration and associated traits in a tropical rainforest in far North Queensland' Tree Physiology (2014, Vol 34: 564-584) was selected by the Tree Physiology Editors and Editorial Review Board Members as the best among the four Graduate Students Papers covered in 2014 by a Commentary. Only ~10% of papers are selected for highlighting by a commentary, and that this paper was further selected among the four written by Graduate Students - an outstanding paper by any measure.