Barry Osmond

Contacts

Contact email:barry.osmond@anu.edu.au
Contact phone:+61 2 6125 0289 (Office)
Contact phone:62871487
Centre:Division of Plant Sciences

Group membership

Visiting Fellow, Chow Group - Thylakoid structure and function

Charles Barry Osmond BSc, MSc, (UNE) PhD (Adel.) FAA, FRS, Mitgl. Leopoldina (German National Academy of Science) is a Honorary Visiting Fellow at ANU and has a fractional appointment at the University of Wollongong NSW. His career was boosted by unparalleled opportunities formerly available in the Research School of Biological Sciences (RSBS), Australian National University (1967-2001). He held senior appointments in the US, at the Desert Research Institute, University of Nevada Reno and later as an Arts and Sciences Distinguished Professor, Department of Botany, Duke University before returning as director RSBS 1991-1998. He resigned from ANU in 2001 to become President of Columbia University’s visionary Biosphere 2 Center where, prior to its premature closure in 2003, he stimulated new approaches to experimental ecosystem and climate change science now available in some 70 publications, a few of which are cited under publications (below).

Some other activities include

  • Member, Fachbeirat (scientific advisory board) Max-Planck Institut für Molekulare Pflanzenphysiologie, (2000-5)
  • Member, Fachbeirat, ICG Forschungszentrum Jülich in the Helmholtz Gemeinschaft (2005)
  • Treasurer, International Society for Photosynthesis Research (2004-2010)
  • Member, Integrated Biological Systems Steering Committee, DIISR (2009-11).

Research interests

Photosynthesis, the miracle in which plants turn sunlight, air and water into bread and wine, fuel and fibre, is the most energetic of all biological processes. It is susceptible to stress in strong light and my research deals with relationships between the two reversible processes of photoprotection and photoinactivation. Photoprotection involves pigment-protein transformations in the light harvesting antennae of chloroplasts that lead to the dumping of excess light as heat. Shade leaves of tropical plants, such as avocado, have two carotenoid based pigment cycles that have established a particular photoprotective function for the xanthophyll pigment lutein. Photoinactivation involves events in the water splitting reaction centre in chloroplasts that lead to the destruction of core proteins, loss of function and a cycle of repair. Studies of these events in-vivo depend heavily on non-intrusive methods using chlorophyll fluorescence. These techniques are also applied in environmental plant physiology and ecology to determine the interaction of strong light with high temperature, water and nutritional stresses, and some can be scaled up for remote sensing in canopies.

Selected publications

  • Jia, H, Forster, B, Chow, W et al 2013, 'Decreased photochemical efficiency of photosystem II following sunlight exposure of shade-grown leaves of avocado: Because of, or in spite of, two kinetically distinct xanthophyll cycles?', Plant Physiology, vol. 161, no. 2, pp. 836-852.
  • Matsubara, S, Forster, D, Waterman, M et al 2012, 'From ecophysiology to phenomics: some implications of photoprotection and shade-sun acclimation in situ for dynamics of thylakoids in vitro', Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London Series B, vol. 367, pp. 3503-3514.
  • Nichol, CJ, Pieruschka, R, Takayama, K et al 2012, 'Canopy conundrums: building on the Biosphere 2 experience to scale measurements of inner and outer canopy photoprotection from the leaf to the landscape', Functional Plant Biology 39, 1-24.
  • Forster, B & Osmond, CB, Pogson BJ 2011, 'Lutein from deepoxidation of lutein epoxide replaces zeaxanthin to sustain an enhanced capacity for nonphotochemical chlorophyll fluorescence quenching in avocado shade leaves in the dark', Plant Physiology, 156, no. 1, pp. 393-403.
  • Forster, B, Pogson, BJ, Osmond CB 2009, 'De Novo Synthesis and Degradation of Lx and V Cycle Pigments during Shade and Sun Acclimation in Avocado Leaves', Plant Physiology, vol. 149, pp. 1179-1195.
  • Von Caemmerer, S & Osmond, CB 2009, 'Testing the functional implications of photosynthetic heterogeneity in leaves of C4 plants: Reductionism during scale expansion', in Ulrich Schurr, Barry Osmond (ed.), Imaging and integrating heterogeneity of plant functions: Functional biodiversity from cells to the biosphere, Deutsche Akademie der Naturforscher Leopoldina, Germany, p. 192.
  • Walter, A, Christ, M, Rascher, U et al 2008, 'Diel leaf growth cycles in Clusia spp. are related tochanges between C3 photosynthesis and crassulacean acid metabolism during development and during water stress', Plant Cell and Environment, vol. 31, no. 4, pp. 484-491.
  • Esteban-Romero, R, Jimenez, M, Morales, D et al 2008, 'Short- and long-term modulation of the lutein epoxide and violaxanthin cycles in two species of the Lauraceae: sweet bay laurel (Laurus nobilis L.) and avocado (Persea americana Mill)', Plant Biology, vol. 10, no. 3, pp. 288-297.
  • Allen, J, Gantt, E, Golbeck, J & Osmond B, eds, 2008, Photosynthesis: Energy from the Sun. 14th International Congress on Photosynthesis, Springer, The Netherlands.
  • Neales, T & Osmond, CB 2008, 'The rise and fall of the prickly pear', Australian Heritage, vol. 12, pp. 47-52.
  • Osmond, CB, Neales, T & Stange, F 2008, 'Curiosity and context revisited: crassulacean acid metabolism in the Anthropocene', Journal of Experimental Botany, vol. 59, no. 7, pp. 1489-1502.
  • Pogson, B, Forster, B & Osmond, CB 2008, 'Dynamics of the truncated lutein epoxide cycle in avocado (Persea Americana L.): implications for efficiency of light harvesting', in Allen, J. F., Gantt, E., Golbeck, J. H., Osmond, B. (ed.), Photosynthesis. Energy from the Sun: 14th International Congress on Photosynthesis 2007, Springer, Dordrecht, pp. 1031-1034.
  • Takayama, K, Osmond, CB & Omasa, K 2008, 'Imaging heterogeneity of xanthophyll independent non-photochemical quenching during photosynthetic induction in shade-grown leaves of avocado (Persea americana L.)', International Congress on Photosynthesis (PS 2008), ed. J Allen, E Gantt, J Golbeck, B Osmond, Springer, The Netherlands, pp. 681-685.
  • Pegoraro, E, Potosnak, M, Monson, R et al 2007, 'The effect of elevated CO2, soil and atmospheric water deficit and seasonal phenology on leaf and ecosystem isoprene emission', Functional Plant Biology, vol. 34, pp. 774-784.
  • Garcia-Plazaola, J, Matsubara, S & Osmond, CB 2007, 'The lutein epoxide cycle in higher plants; its relationship to other xanthophyll cycles and possible functions', Functional Plant Biology, vol. 34, no. 9, pp. 759-773.
  • Matsubara, S, Morosinotto, T, Osmond, CB et al 2007, 'Short- and Long-Term Operation of the Lutein-Epoxide Cycle in Light-Harvesting Antenna Complexes', Plant Physiology, vol. 144, no. 2, pp. 926-941.
  • Osmond, CB & Forster, B 2006, 'Photoinhibition: Then and Now', in Barbara Demmig-Adams, William Adams & Autar Mattoo (ed.), Photoprotection, Photoinhibition, Gene Regulation, and Environment, Springer, Netherlands, pp. 11-22.
  • Forster, B, Osmond, CB & Pogson, BJ 2005, 'Improved survival of very high light and oxidative stress is conferred by spontaneous gain-of-function mutations in Chlamydomonas', Biochimica et Biophysica Acta: Bioenergetics, vol. 1709, pp. 45-57.
  • Gouws, L, Osmond, CB, Schurr, U et al 2005, 'Distinctive diel growth cycles in leaves and cladodes of CAM plants: differences from C3 plants and putative interations with substrate availability, turgor and cytoplasmic pH', Functional Plant Biology, vol. 32, no. 5, pp. 421-428.
  • Kolber, Z, Klimov, D, Ananyev, G et al 2005, 'Measuring photosynthetic parameters at a distance: laser induced fluorescence transient (LIFT) method for remote measurements of photosynthesis in terrestrial vegetation', Photosynthesis Research, vol. 84, pp. 121-129.
  • Ananyev, G, Kolber, Z, Klimov, D et al 2005, 'Remote sensing of hetergeneity in photosynthetic efficiency, electron transport and dissipation of excess light in Populus deltoides stands under ambient and elevated CO2 concentrations,and in a tropical forest canopy, using a new laser-induced fluorescenc', Global Change Biology, vol. 11, pp. 1195-1206.
  • Flexas, J, Escalona, J, Evain, S et al 2002, 'Steady-state chlorophyll fluorescece (Fs) as an indicator of leaf photosynthesis and stomatal conductance under drought conditions', International Congress on Photosynthesis (PS 2001), CSLI Publications, Melbourne, pp. s28-005.
  • Hendrickson, L, Ball, M, Chow, W et al 2002, 'Low morning temperature limits photosynthesis and growth in cool climate grapevines', International Congress on Photosynthesis (PS 2001), CSLI Publications, Melbourne, pp. s34-008.
  • Osmond, CB & Park, Y 2002, 'Field portable imaging system for measurement of chlorophyll fluorescence quenching', in K Omasa, H Saji, S Youseffian and N Kondo (ed.), Air Pollution and Plant Biotechnology, Springer, Tokyo, pp. 309-319.
  • Flexas, J, Escalona, J, Evain, S et al 2002, 'Steady-state chlorophyll fluorescence (Fs) measurements as a tool to follow variations of net CO2 assimilation and stomatal conductance during water stress in C3 plants', Physiologia Plantarum, vol. 114, pp. 231-240.
  • Edwards, G, Furbank, R, Hatch, M et al 2001, 'What does it take to be C4? Lessons from the evolution of C4 photosynthesis', Plant Physiology, vol. 125, pp. 46-49.
  • Matsubara, S, Gilmore, A & Osmond, C 2001, 'Diurnal and acclimatory responses of violaxanthin and lutein epoxide in the Australian mistletoe Amyema miquelii', Australian Journal of Plant Physiology, vol. 28, pp. 793-800.
  • Lohaus, G, Heldt, H & Osmond, C 2000, 'Infection with phloem limited Abutilon virus causes localised carbohydrate accumulation in leaves of Abutilon striatum: relationships to symptom development and effects on chlorophyll fluorescence quenching during photosynthetic induction', Plant Biology, vol. 2, pp. 161-167.
  • Heifetz, P, Forster, B, Osmond, C et al 2000, 'Effects of acetate on facultative autotrophy in Chlamydomonas reinhardtti assessed by photosynthetic measurements and stable isotope analysis', Plant Physiology, vol. 122, pp. 1439-1445.
  • Osmond, C, Schwartz, O & Gunning, B 1999, 'Evaluation of photoinhibitory printing on leaves by chlorophyll autofluorescence: confocal microscopy confirms diminished fluorescence from grana', Australian Journal of Plant Physiology, vol. 26, pp. 717-724.
  • Adams, W, Demmig-Adams, B, Logan, B et al 1999, 'Rapid changes in xanthophyll cycle-dependent energy dissipation and photosystem II efficiency intwo vines, Sephania japonica and Smilax australis, growing in the under-storey of an open eucalyptus forest', Plant Cell and Environment, vol. 22, pp. 125-136.
  • Flexas, J, Badger, M, Chow, W et al 1999, 'Analysis of the relative increase in photosynthetic O2 uptake when photosynthesis in grapevine leaves is inhibited following low night temperatures and/or water stress', Plant Physiology, vol. 121, pp. 675-684.
  • Forster, B, Osmond, CB, Boynton, J et al 1999, 'Mutants of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii resistent to very high light', Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology B: Biology, vol. 48, pp. 127-135.
  • Osmond, CB, Schwartz, O & Gunning, B 1999, 'Photoinhibitory printing on leaves, visualized by chlorophyll fluorescence imaging and confocal microscopy, is due to diminished fluorescence from grana', Australian Journal of Plant Physiology, vol. 26, pp. 717-724.
  • Osmond, CB, Kramer, D & Luettge, U 1999, 'Reversible, water stress-induced non-uniform chlorophyll fluorescence quenchinginwilting leaves of Potentilla reptans may not be due topatchy stomatal closure', Plant Biology, vol. 1, pp. 618-624.
  • Matsubara, S, Forster, D, Waterman, M et al 2012, 'From ecophysiology to phenomics: some implications of photoprotection and shade-sun acclimation in situ for dynamics of thylakoids in vitro', Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London Series B, vol. 367, pp. 3503-3514.
  • Nichol, CJ, Pieruschka, R, Takayama, K et al 2012, 'Canopy conundrums: building on the Biosphere 2 experience to scale measurements of inner and outer canopy photoprotection from the leaf to the landscape', Functional Plant Biology 39, 1-24.
  • Forster, B & Osmond, CB, Pogson BJ 2011, 'Lutein from deepoxidation of lutein epoxide replaces zeaxanthin to sustain an enhanced capacity for nonphotochemical chlorophyll fluorescence quenching in avocado shade leaves in the dark', Plant Physiology, 156, no. 1, pp. 393-403.
  • Forster, B, Pogson, BJ, Osmond CB 2009, 'De Novo Synthesis and Degradation of Lx and V Cycle Pigments during Shade and Sun Acclimation in Avocado Leaves', Plant Physiology, vol. 149, pp. 1179-1195.
  • Von Caemmerer, S & Osmond, CB 2009, 'Testing the functional implications of photosynthetic heterogeneity in leaves of C4 plants: Reductionism during scale expansion', in Ulrich Schurr, Barry Osmond (ed.), Imaging and integrating heterogeneity of plant functions: Functional biodiversity from cells to the biosphere, Deutsche Akademie der Naturforscher Leopoldina, Germany, p. 192.
  • Walter, A, Christ, M, Rascher, U et al 2008, 'Diel leaf growth cycles in Clusia spp. are related tochanges between C3 photosynthesis and crassulacean acid metabolism during development and during water stress', Plant Cell and Environment, vol. 31, no. 4, pp. 484-491.
  • Esteban-Romero, R, Jimenez, M, Morales, D et al 2008, 'Short- and long-term modulation of the lutein epoxide and violaxanthin cycles in two species of the Lauraceae: sweet bay laurel (Laurus nobilis L.) and avocado (Persea americana Mill)', Plant Biology, vol. 10, no. 3, pp. 288-297.
  • Allen, J, Gantt, E, Golbeck, J & Osmond B, eds, 2008, Photosynthesis: Energy from the Sun. 14th International Congress on Photosynthesis, Springer, The Netherlands.
  • Neales, T & Osmond, CB 2008, 'The rise and fall of the prickly pear', Australian Heritage, vol. 12, pp. 47-52.
  • Osmond, CB, Neales, T & Stange, F 2008, 'Curiosity and context revisited: crassulacean acid metabolism in the Anthropocene', Journal of Experimental Botany, vol. 59, no. 7, pp. 1489-1502.
  • Pogson, B, Forster, B & Osmond, CB 2008, 'Dynamics of the truncated lutein epoxide cycle in avocado (Persea Americana L.): implications for efficiency of light harvesting', in Allen, J. F., Gantt, E., Golbeck, J. H., Osmond, B. (ed.), Photosynthesis. Energy from the Sun: 14th International Congress on Photosynthesis 2007, Springer, Dordrecht, pp. 1031-1034.
  • Takayama, K, Osmond, CB & Omasa, K 2008, 'Imaging heterogeneity of xanthophyll independent non-photochemical quenching during photosynthetic induction in shade-grown leaves of avocado (Persea americana L.)', International Congress on Photosynthesis (PS 2008), ed. J Allen, E Gantt, J Golbeck, B Osmond, Springer, The Netherlands, pp. 681-685.
  • Pegoraro, E, Potosnak, M, Monson, R et al 2007, 'The effect of elevated CO2, soil and atmospheric water deficit and seasonal phenology on leaf and ecosystem isoprene emission', Functional Plant Biology, vol. 34, pp. 774-784.
  • Garcia-Plazaola, J, Matsubara, S & Osmond, CB 2007, 'The lutein epoxide cycle in higher plants; its relationship to other xanthophyll cycles and possible functions', Functional Plant Biology, vol. 34, no. 9, pp. 759-773.
  • Matsubara, S, Morosinotto, T, Osmond, CB et al 2007, 'Short- and Long-Term Operation of the Lutein-Epoxide Cycle in Light-Harvesting Antenna Complexes', Plant Physiology, vol. 144, no. 2, pp. 926-941.
  • Osmond, CB & Forster, B 2006, 'Photoinhibition: Then and Now', in Barbara Demmig-Adams, William Adams & Autar Mattoo (ed.), Photoprotection, Photoinhibition, Gene Regulation, and Environment, Springer, Netherlands, pp. 11-22.
  • Forster, B, Osmond, CB & Pogson, BJ 2005, 'Improved survival of very high light and oxidative stress is conferred by spontaneous gain-of-function mutations in Chlamydomonas', Biochimica et Biophysica Acta: Bioenergetics, vol. 1709, pp. 45-57.
  • Gouws, L, Osmond, CB, Schurr, U et al 2005, 'Distinctive diel growth cycles in leaves and cladodes of CAM plants: differences from C3 plants and putative interations with substrate availability, turgor and cytoplasmic pH', Functional Plant Biology, vol. 32, no. 5, pp. 421-428.
  • Kolber, Z, Klimov, D, Ananyev, G et al 2005, 'Measuring photosynthetic parameters at a distance: laser induced fluorescence transient (LIFT) method for remote measurements of photosynthesis in terrestrial vegetation', Photosynthesis Research, vol. 84, pp. 121-129.
  • Ananyev, G, Kolber, Z, Klimov, D et al 2005, 'Remote sensing of hetergeneity in photosynthetic efficiency, electron transport and dissipation of excess light in Populus deltoides stands under ambient and elevated CO2 concentrations,and in a tropical forest canopy, using a new laser-induced fluorescenc', Global Change Biology, vol. 11, pp. 1195-1206.
  • Flexas, J, Escalona, J, Evain, S et al 2002, 'Steady-state chlorophyll fluorescece (Fs) as an indicator of leaf photosynthesis and stomatal conductance under drought conditions', International Congress on Photosynthesis (PS 2001), CSLI Publications, Melbourne, pp. s28-005.
  • Hendrickson, L, Ball, M, Chow, W et al 2002, 'Low morning temperature limits photosynthesis and growth in cool climate grapevines', International Congress on Photosynthesis (PS 2001), CSLI Publications, Melbourne, pp. s34-008.
  • Osmond, CB & Park, Y 2002, 'Field portable imaging system for measurement of chlorophyll fluorescence quenching', in K Omasa, H Saji, S Youseffian and N Kondo (ed.), Air Pollution and Plant Biotechnology, Springer, Tokyo, pp. 309-319.
  • Flexas, J, Escalona, J, Evain, S et al 2002, 'Steady-state chlorophyll fluorescence (Fs) measurements as a tool to follow variations of net CO2 assimilation and stomatal conductance during water stress in C3 plants', Physiologia Plantarum, vol. 114, pp. 231-240.
  • Edwards, G, Furbank, R, Hatch, M et al 2001, 'What does it take to be C4? Lessons from the evolution of C4 photosynthesis', Plant Physiology, vol. 125, pp. 46-49.
  • Matsubara, S, Gilmore, A & Osmond, C 2001, 'Diurnal and acclimatory responses of violaxanthin and lutein epoxide in the Australian mistletoe Amyema miquelii', Australian Journal of Plant Physiology, vol. 28, pp. 793-800.
  • Lohaus, G, Heldt, H & Osmond, C 2000, 'Infection with phloem limited Abutilon virus causes localised carbohydrate accumulation in leaves of Abutilon striatum: relationships to symptom development and effects on chlorophyll fluorescence quenching during photosynthetic induction', Plant Biology, vol. 2, pp. 161-167.
  • Heifetz, P, Forster, B, Osmond, C et al 2000, 'Effects of acetate on facultative autotrophy in Chlamydomonas reinhardtti assessed by photosynthetic measurements and stable isotope analysis', Plant Physiology, vol. 122, pp. 1439-1445.
  • Osmond, C, Schwartz, O & Gunning, B 1999, 'Evaluation of photoinhibitory printing on leaves by chlorophyll autofluorescence: confocal microscopy confirms diminished fluorescence from grana', Australian Journal of Plant Physiology, vol. 26, pp. 717-724.
  • Adams, W, Demmig-Adams, B, Logan, B et al 1999, 'Rapid changes in xanthophyll cycle-dependent energy dissipation and photosystem II efficiency intwo vines, Sephania japonica and Smilax australis, growing in the under-storey of an open eucalyptus forest', Plant Cell and Environment, vol. 22, pp. 125-136.
  • Flexas, J, Badger, M, Chow, W et al 1999, 'Analysis of the relative increase in photosynthetic O2 uptake when photosynthesis in grapevine leaves is inhibited following low night temperatures and/or water stress', Plant Physiology, vol. 121, pp. 675-684.
  • Forster, B, Osmond, CB, Boynton, J et al 1999, 'Mutants of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii resistent to very high light', Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology B: Biology, vol. 48, pp. 127-135.
  • Osmond, CB, Schwartz, O & Gunning, B 1999, 'Photoinhibitory printing on leaves, visualized by chlorophyll fluorescence imaging and confocal microscopy, is due to diminished fluorescence from grana', Australian Journal of Plant Physiology, vol. 26, pp. 717-724.
  • Osmond, CB, Kramer, D & Luettge, U 1999, 'Reversible, water stress-induced non-uniform chlorophyll fluorescence quenchinginwilting leaves of Potentilla reptans may not be due topatchy stomatal closure', Plant Biology, vol. 1, pp. 618-624.

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