Owen Atkin

Owen Atkin obtained his BSc (Hons) in 1987 (ANU) and his PhD in 1993 (Toronto). From 1993-1995 he held an EU Post Doctoral Fellowship (Utrecht). From 1996-1999 he held an ARC Post Doctoral Fellowship at the ANU. Thereafter, he moved to UK to take up a faculty position in the Biology Dept at the University of York (1999-2008). He then returned to the ANU in 2008 and was awarded an ARC Future Fellowship in 2009. A major focus of his research is assessing the impact of environmental gradients on plant physiological processes, particularly respiration. He has been an Editor for New Phytologist since 2007. In 2019, he was appointed as Vice Chancellor's Entrepreneurial Professor at ANU, and became the Director of the Centre for Entrepreneurial Agri-Technology (CEAT) - a collaboration between ANU and CSIRO, with investment from the ACT Government.

Research interests

My lab studies plant metabolic responses to environmental gradients, including how leaf respiration varies within and among biomes across the globe.  Working with climate modeling groups in the UK and USA, we are using the results of our field surveys to improve representation of leaf respiration in terrestrial biosphere models.  With colleagues in the ARC Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology, we are also using molecular, biochemical and physiological studies to understand the factors responsible for variation in respiration rates, both in crop (wheat and rice) and natural ecosystem species.   Understanding the processes that control heat tolerance of leaf carbon metabolism is also a focus of our current research.   

Current grants

  • ARC Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology (CE140100008). 2014-2020. 
  • USA DoE Grant.  2014-2018.  Global land model development: time to shift from a plant functional type to a plant functional trait approach.  [CIs: Peter Reich and Arindam Banerjee (Uni of Minnesota, USA, Peter Thornton (Oak Ridge National Laboratory, USA)] 
  • International Wheat Yield Partnership (IWYP), 2016-2019. Improving yield by optimising energy use efficiency. 

 

Collaborators

Much of our work is done in collaboration with other research groups at ANU, elsewhere in Australia and overseas. These include current links with:

 

Recent conference presentations

  • Atkin, O.K. & Heskel, M. (2015). Measuring leaf respiration in the light under field conditions.Invited seminar presentation at the 18th New Phytologist Workshop–The Kok Effect: beyond the artifact, emerging leaf mechanisms, Anger, France, July 6-8, 2016.
  • Atkin, O.K. and 61 others (2015).  Global variability in leaf respiration in relation to climate and leaf traits.  Keynote seminar.  Session BG2.13 - Plant Traits and biogeochemical cycles.  European Geosciences Union General Assembly, Vienna, 17th April 2015.  Geophysical Research Abstracts, Vol. 17, EGU2015-4793, 2015 (http://meetingorganizer.copernicus.org/EGU2015/orals/17110)
  • Atkin, O.K. (2014) Carbon balance and the prospects for reducing respiratory losses.  Invited talk at a workshop to aid in Development of GRDC Strategic Initiative in Heat Stress.  GRDC, Barton ACT 2600.  Dec 18th 2014
  • Atkin, O.K. (2014).Leaf photosynthetic and respiratory CO2 exchange in two thermally-contrasting Australian tropical rainforest ecosystems.Oral presentation at 51st Annual Meeting of the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation 2014, Cairns, July 22 2014.
  • Atkin, O.K. (2013). Plant ecophysiological measurements at TERN Supersites: a crucial link between vegetation modelling, biodiversity and ecosystem function.Invited seminar presentation at the 2013 Symposium of the Terrestrial Ecological Research Network (TERN).Old Parliament House, Canberra, February 19 2013.
  • Atkin, O.K. (2012). Plant respiration in a thermally dynamic world. Smithsonian Temperature Symposium – Tropical vegetation and rising temperatures: functional basis of ecological response, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama City, Panama, June 1-2 2012
  • Atkin, O.K. (2011) Coupling of leaf carbon metabolism with chemical composition Variability among species and environmental gradients. Invited seminar presentation at the 27th New Phytologist Symposium – Stoichiometric flexibility in terrestrial ecosystems under global change, Biosphere II, Oracle, Arizona, USA, September 25-28, 2011
  • Atkin, O.K. (2010). Impacts of thermal history on plant respiration: An organelle, organ and global perspective. Plenary, XVII Congress of the Federation of European Societies of Plant Biology (FESPB) – Valencia, Spain, July 4-9, 2010.
  • Scafaro, A, Posch, B, Evans, J et al. 2023, 'Rubisco deactivation and chloroplast electron transport rates co-limit photosynthesis above optimal leaf temperature in terrestrial plants', Nature Communications, vol. 14, pp. 1-10.
  • Garcia, A, Gaju, O, Bowerman, A et al. 2022, 'Enhancing crop yields through improvements in the efficiency of photosynthesis and respiration', New Phytologist, vol. 237, no. 1, pp. 60-77.
  • Posch, B, Zhai, D, Coast, O et al. 2022, 'Wheat respiratory O-2 consumption falls with night warming alongside greater respiratory CO2 loss and reduced biomass', Journal of Experimental Botany, vol. 73, no. 3, pp. 915-926.
  • Westerband, A, Wright, I, Maire, V et al. 2022, 'Coordination of photosynthetic traits across soil and climate gradients', Global Change Biology, vol. 29, no. 3, pp. 856-873.
  • Fan, Y, Asao, S, Furbank, R et al. 2022, 'The crucial roles of mitochondria in supporting C4 photosynthesis', New Phytologist, vol. 233, no. 3, pp. 1083-1096.
  • Fan, Y, Scafaro, A, Asao, S et al. 2022, 'Dark respiration rates are not determined by differences in mitochondrial capacity, abundance and ultrastructure in C4 leaves', Plant Cell and Environment, vol. 45, no. 4, pp. 1257-1269.
  • Posch, B, Zhai, D, Coast, O et al. 2022, 'Wheat respiratory O2 consumption falls with night warming alongside greater respiratory CO2 loss and reduced biomass', Journal of Experimental Botany, vol. 73, no. 3, pp. 915-926.
  • Coast, O, Posch, B, Rognoni, B et al. 2022, 'Wheat photosystem II heat tolerance: evidence for genotype-by-environment interactions', The Plant Journal, vol. 111, no. 5, pp. 1368-1382.
  • Dong, N, Prentice, I, Wright, I et al. 2022, 'Leaf nitrogen from the perspective of optimal plant function', Journal of Ecology, vol. 110, no. 11, pp. 2585-2602.
  • Tcherkez, G & Atkin, O 2021, 'Unravelling mechanisms and impacts of day respiration in plant leaves: an introduction to a Virtual Issue', New Phytologist, vol. 230, no. 1, pp. 5-10.
  • Scafaro, A, Fan, Y, Posch, B et al. 2021, 'Responses of leaf respiration to heatwaves', Plant Cell and Environment, vol. 44, no. 7, pp. 2090-2101.
  • Falster, D, Gallagher, R, Wenk, E et al. 2021, 'AusTraits, a curated plant trait database for the Australian flora', Scientific Data, vol. 8, no. 1, pp. 20pp.
  • Coast, O, Posch, B, Bramley, H et al. 2021, 'Acclimation of leaf photosynthesis and respiration to warming in field-grown wheat', Plant Cell and Environment, vol. 44, no. 7, pp. 2331-2346.
  • Coast, O, Posch, B, Bramley, H et al. 2021, 'Acclimation of leaf photosynthesis and respiration to warming in field-grown wheat', Plant Cell and Environment, vol. 44, no. 7, pp. 2331-2346.
  • Zhu, L, Bloomfield, K, Asao, S et al. 2021, 'Acclimation of leaf respiration temperature responses across thermally contrasting biomes', New Phytologist, vol. 229, pp. 1312-1325.
  • Reynolds, M, Atkin, O, Bennett, M et al. 2021, 'Addressing Research Bottlenecks to Crop Productivity', Trends in Plant Science, vol. 26, no. 6, pp. 607-630.
  • Alves Negrini, A, Evans, J, Kaiser, B et al. 2020, 'Effect of N supply on the carbon economy of barley when accounting for plant size', Functional Plant Biology, vol. 47, no. 4, pp. 368-381.
  • Ahmad Rashid, F, Scafaro, A, Asao, S et al. 2020, 'Diel- and temperature-driven variation of leaf dark respiration rates and metabolite levels in rice', New Phytologist, vol. 228, pp. 56-69.
  • Wang, H, Atkin, O, Keenan, T et al. 2020, 'Acclimation of leaf respiration consistent with optimal photosynthetic capacity', Global Change Biology, vol. 26, no. 4, pp. 2573-2583.
  • Asao, S, Hayes, L, Aspinwall, M et al. 2020, 'Leaf trait variation is similar among genotypes of Eucalyptus camaldulensis from differing climates and arises as plastic response to season rather than water availability', New Phytologist, vol. 227, no. 3, pp. 780-793.
  • Ahmad Rashid, F, Crisp, P, Zhang, Y et al. 2020, 'Molecular and physiological responses during thermal acclimation of leaf photosynthesis and respiration in rice', Plant Cell and Environment, vol. 43, no. 3, pp. 594-610.
  • Thomas, H, Myersâ€?Smith, I, Bjorkman, A et al 2019, 'Traditional plant functional groups explain variation in economic but not size-related traits across the tundra biome', Global Ecology and Biogeography, vol. 28, no. 2, pp. 78-95.
  • O'Leary, B, Asao, S, Millar, A et al 2019, 'Core principles which explain variation in respiration across biological scales', New Phytologist, vol. 222, no. 2, pp. 670-686.
  • Aspinwall, M, Pfautsch, S, Tjoelker, M et al 2019, 'Range size and growth temperature influence Eucalyptus species responses to an experimental heatwave', Global Change Biology, vol. 25, no. 5, pp. 1665-1684.
  • Bloomfield, K, Prentice , I, Cernusak, L et al. 2019, 'The validity of optimal leaf traits modelled on environmental conditions', New Phytologist, vol. 221, no. 3, pp. 1409-1423.
  • Coast, O, Shah, S, Ivakov, A et al. 2019, 'Predicting dark respiration rates of wheat leaves from hyperspectral reflectance', Plant Cell and Environment, vol. 42, no. 7, pp. 2133-2150.
  • Posch, B, Kariyawasam Batuwaththagamage, B, Bramley, H et al. 2019, 'Exploring high temperature responses of photosynthesis and respiration to improve heat tolerance in wheat', Journal of Experimental Botany, vol. 70, no. 19, pp. 5051-5069.
  • Pereira, C, Hayes, P, O'Sullivan, O et al. 2019, 'Trait convergence in photosynthetic nutrient-use efficiency along a 2-million year dune chronosequence in a global biodiversity hotspot', Journal of Ecology, vol. 107, no. 4, pp. 2006-2023.
  • Kattge, J, Bonisch, G, Diaz, S et al. 2019, 'TRY plant trait database - enhanced coverage and open access', Global Change Biology, vol. 26, no. 1, pp. 119-188.
  • Flores-Moreno, H, Fazayeli, F, Banerjee, A et al. 2019, 'Robustness of trait connections across environmental gradients and growth forms', Global Ecology and Biogeography, vol. 28, no. 12, pp. 1806-1826.
  • Togashi, F, Atkin, O, Bloomfield, K et al. 2018, 'Functional trait variation related to gap dynamics in tropical moist forests: A vegetation modelling perspective', Perspectives in Plant Ecology, Evolution and Systematics, vol. 35, pp. 52-64.
  • Abdul Bahar, N, Gauthier, P, O'Sullivan, O et al. 2018, 'Phosphorus deficiency alters scaling relationships between leaf gas exchange and associated traits in a wide range of contrasting Eucalyptus species', Functional Plant Biology, vol. 45, pp. 813-826.
  • Abdul Bahar, N, Hayes, L, Scafaro, A et al 2018, 'Mesophyll conductance does not contribute to greater photosynthetic rate per unit nitrogen in temperate compared with tropical evergreen wet-forest tree leaves', New Phytologist, vol. 218, no. 2, pp. 492-505pp.
  • Rodríguez-Calcerrada, J, Rodrigues, A, Perdiguero, P et al 2018, 'A molecular approach to drought-induced reduction in leaf CO2 exchange in drought-resistant Quercus ilex', Physiologia Plantarum, vol. 162, no. 4, pp. 394-408pp.
  • Rumman, R, Atkin, O, Bloomfield, K et al 2018, 'Variation in bulk-leaf 13C discrimination, leaf traits and water-use efficiency?trait relationships along a continental-scale climate gradient in Australia', Global Change Biology, vol. 24, no. 3, pp. 1186-1200.
  • Liang , L, Arcus, V, Heskel, M et al. 2018, 'Macromolecular rate theory (MMRT) provides a thermodynamics rationale to underpin the convergent temperature response in plant leaf respiration', Global Change Biology, vol. 24, no. 4, pp. 1538-1547.
  • Togashi, F, Prentice, I, Atkin, O et al 2018, 'Thermal acclimation of leaf photosynthetic traits in an evergreen woodland, consistent with the coordination hypothesis', Biogeosciences, vol. 15, no. 11, pp. 3461-3474.
  • Zhu, L, Bloomfield, K, Hocart, C et al. 2018, 'Plasticity of photosynthetic heat tolerance in plants adapted to thermally contrasting biomes', Plant Cell and Environment, vol. 41, no. 6, pp. 1251-1262pp.
  • Drake, J, Tjoelker, M, Varhammar, A et al 2018, 'Trees tolerate an extreme heatwave via sustained transpirational cooling and increased leaf thermal tolerance', Global Change Biology, vol. 24, no. 6, pp. 2390-2402pp.
  • Bloomfield, K, Cernusak, L, Eamus, D et al. 2018, 'A continental-scale assessment of variability in leaf traits: Within species, across sites and between seasons', Functional Ecology, vol. 32, no. 6, pp. 1492-1506.
  • Turnbull, M, Ogaya, R, Barbeta, A et al 2017, 'Light inhibition of foliar respiration in response to soil water availability and seasonal changes in temperature in Mediterranean holm oak (Quercus ilex) forest', Functional Plant Biology, vol. 44, pp. 1178-1193.
  • Atkin, O, Abdul Bahar, N, Bloomfield, K et al 2017, 'Leaf Respiration in Terrestrial Biosphere Models', in Guillaume Tcherkez and Jaleh Ghashghaie (ed.), Plant Respiration: Metabolic Fluxes and Carbon Balance, Springer International Publishing AG, Switzerland, pp. 107-142.
  • Tcherkez, G, Gauthier, P, Buckley, T et al. 2017, 'Tracking the origins of the Kok effect, 70 years after its discovery', New Phytologist, vol. 214, no. 2, pp. 506-510.
  • Fyllas, N, Bentley, L, Shenkin, A et al. 2017, 'Solar radiation and functional traits explain the decline of forest primary productivity along a tropical elevation gradient', Ecology Letters, vol. 20, no. 6, pp. 730-740pp.
  • Scafaro, A, Xiang, S, Long, B et al. 2017, 'Strong thermal acclimation of photosynthesis in tropical and temperate wet-forest tree species: the importance of altered Rubisco content', Global Change Biology, vol. 23, no. 7, pp. 2783-2800pp.
  • Crous, K, O'Sullivan, O, Zaragoza-Castells, J et al. 2017, 'Nitrogen and phosphorus availabilities interact to modulate leaf trait scaling relationships across six plant functional types in a controlled-environment study', New Phytologist, vol. 215, no. 3, pp. 992-1008pp..
  • Scafaro, A, Alves Negrini, A, O'Leary, B et al. 2017, 'The combination of gas-phase fluorophore technology and automation to enable high-throughput analysis of plant respiration', Plant Methods, vol. 13, no. 16, pp. 16-16.
  • O'Leary, B, Lee, C, Atkin, O et al 2017, 'Variation in Leaf Respiration Rates at Night Correlates with Carbohydrate and Amino Acid Supply', Plant Physiology, vol. 174, no. 4, pp. 2261-2273pp..
  • Tcherkez, G, Gauthier, P, Buckley, T et al 2017, 'Leaf day respiration: Low CO2 flux but high significance for metabolism and carbon balance', New Phytologist, vol. 216, no. 4, pp. 986-1001.
  • Crous, K, Wallin, G, Atkin, O et al 2017, 'Acclimation of light and dark respiration to experimental and seasonal warming are mediated by changes in leaf nitrogen in Eucalyptus globulus', Tree Physiology, vol. 37, no. 8, pp. 1069-1083pp..
  • Huntingford, C, Atkin, O, Martinez-de la Torre, A et al. 2017, 'Implications of improved representations of plant respiration in a changing climate', Nature Communications, vol. 8, pp. 1-11pp.
  • Butler, E, Datta, A, Flores-Moreno, H et al 2017, 'Mapping local and global variability in plant trait distributions', PNAS - Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, vol. 114, no. 51, pp. 37-46pp.
  • Rowland, L, Zaragoza-Castells, J, Bloomfield, K et al 2017, 'Scaling leaf respiration with nitrogen and phosphorus in tropical forests across two continents', New Phytologist, vol. 214, no. 3, pp. 1064-1077.
  • Abdul Bahar, N, Ishida, F, Kohontissa Wasala, L et al. 2017, 'Leaf-level photosynthetic capacity in lowland Amazonian and high-elevation Andean tropical moist forests of Peru', New Phytologist, vol. 214, no. 3, pp. 1002-1018.
  • O'Sullivan, O, Heskel, M, Reich, P et al. 2017, 'Thermal limits of leaf metabolism across biomes', Global Change Biology, vol. 23, no. 1, pp. 209-223.
  • Rodríguez-Calcerrada, J, Li, M, Lopez, R et al 2016, 'Drought-induced shoot dieback starts with massive root xylem embolism and variable depletion of nonstructural carbohydrates in seedlings of two tree species', New Phytologist, pp. -.
  • Turnbull, M, Griffin, K, Fyllas, N et al 2016, 'Separating species and environmental determinants of leaf functional traits in temperate rainforest plants along a soil-development chronosequence', Functional Plant Biology, vol. 43, no. 8, pp. 751-765.
  • Heskel, M, Atkin, O, O'Sullivan, O et al. 2016, 'REPLY TO ADAMS ET AL.: Empirical versus process-based approaches to modeling temperature responses of leaf respiration', PNAS - Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, vol. 113, no. 41, pp. E5996-E5997.
  • Harper, A, Cox, P, Friedlingstein, P et al 2016, 'Improved representation of plant functional types and physiology in the Joint UK Land Environment Simulator (JULES v4.2) using plant trait information', Geoscientific Model Development, vol. 9, no. 7, pp. 2415-2440.
  • Zhang, S, Wang, L, Ma, F et al 2016, 'Phenotypic plasticity in rice: responses to fertilization and inoculation with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi', Journal of Plant Ecology, vol. 9, no. 1, pp. 107-116.
  • Heskel, M, O'Sullivan, O, Reich, P et al. 2016, 'Convergence in the temperature response of leaf respiration across biomes and plant functional types', PNAS - Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, vol. 113, no. 14, pp. 3832-3837.
  • Atkin, O 2016, 'New Phytologist: bridging the 'plant function - climate modelling divide'', New Phytologist, vol. 209, no. 4, pp. 1329-1332.
  • De Kauwe, M, Lin , Y, Wright, I et al. 2016, 'A test of the 'one-point method' for estimating maximum carboxylation capacity from field-measured, light-saturated photosynthesis', New Phytologist, vol. 210, no. 3, pp. 1130-1144.
  • Atkin, O, Bloomfield, K, Reich, P et al. 2015, 'Global variability in leaf respiration in relation to climate, plant functional types and leaf traits', New Phytologist, vol. 206, no. 2, pp. 614-636pp.
  • Zhang, S, Wang, L, Ma, F et al 2015, 'Is resource allocation and grain yield of rice altered by inoculation with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi?', Journal of Plant Ecology, vol. 8, no. 4, pp. 436-448.
  • Long, B, Abdul Bahar, N & Atkin, O 2015, 'Contributions of photosynthetic and non-photosynthetic cell types to leaf respiration in Vicia fabaL. and their responses to growth temperature', Plant Cell and Environment, vol. 38, no. 11, pp. 2263-2276.
  • Vanderwel, M, Slot, M, Lichstein, J et al 2015, 'Global convergence in leaf respiration from estimates of thermal acclimation across time and space', New Phytologist, vol. 207, no. 4, pp. 1026-1037pp.
  • Way, D, Holly, C, Bruhn, D et al. 2015, 'Diurnal and seasonal variation in light and dark respiration in field-grown Eucalyptus pauciflora', Tree Physiology, vol. 35, no. 8, pp. 840-849.
  • Quentin , A, Pinkard, E, Ryan, M et al. 2015, 'Non-structural carbohydrates in woody plants compared among laboratories', Tree Physiology, vol. 35, no. 11, pp. 1146-1165.
  • Atkin, O 2015, 'New Phytologist and the 'fate' of carbon in terrestrial ecosystems', New Phytologist, vol. 205, pp. 1-3.
  • Atkinson, L, Sherlock, D & Atkin, O 2014, 'Source of nitrogen associated with recovery of relative growth rate in Arabidopsis thaliana acclimated to sustained cold treatment', Plant Cell and Environment 38(6): 1023–1034 2013
  • Heskel, M, Greaves, H, Turnbull, M et al. 2014, 'Thermal acclimation of shoot respiration in an Arctic woody plant species subjected to 22 years of warming and altered nutrient supply', Global Change Biology, vol. 20, no. 8, pp. 2618-2630.
  • Heskel, M, Bitterman, D, Atkin, O et al 2014, 'Seasonality of foliar respiration in two dominant plant species from the Arctic tundra: Response to long-term warming and short-term temperature variability', Functional Plant Biology, vol. 41, no. 3, pp. 287-300.
  • Atkin, O, Meir, P & Turnbull, M 2014, 'Improving representation of leaf respiration in large-scale predictive climate-vegetation models', New Phytologist, vol. 202, no. 3, pp. 743-748.
  • Kohontissa Wasala, L, Creek, D, Crous, K et al. 2014, 'Canopy position affects the relationships between leaf respiration and associated traits in a tropical rainforest in Far North Queensland', Tree Physiology, vol. 34, no. 6, pp. 564-584.
  • Ayub, G, Zaragoza-Castells, J, Griffin, K et al 2014, 'Leaf respiration in darkness and in the light under pre-industrial, current and elevated atmospheric CO2 concentrations', Plant Science, vol. 226, pp. 120-130.
  • Gauthier, P, Crous, K, Ayub, G et al. 2014, 'Drought increases heat tolerance of leaf respiration in Eucalyptus globulus saplings grown under both ambient and elevated atmospheric [CO2] and temperature', Journal of Experimental Botany, vol. 65, no. 22, pp. 6471-6485.
  • Kornfeld, A, Heskel, M, Atkin, O et al 2013, 'Respiratory flexibility and efficiency are affected by simulated global change in Arctic plants', New Phytologist, vol. 197, no. 4, pp. 1161-1172.
  • Heskel, M, Greaves, H, Kornfeld, A et al 2013, 'Differential physiological responses to environmental change promote woody shrub expansion', Ecology and Evolution, vol. 3, no. 5, pp. 1149-1162.
  • Kornfeld, A, Heskel, M, Atkin, O et al 2013, 'Respiratory flexibility and efficiency are affected by simulated global change in Arctic plants', New Phytologist, vol. 197, no. 4, pp. 1161-1172.
  • Huntingford, C, Zelazowski, P, Galbraith, D et al 2013, 'Simulated resilience of tropical rainforests to CO2-induced climate change', Nature Geoscience, vol. 6, no. 4, pp. 268-273.
  • Kornfeld, A, Atkin, O, Griffin, K et al 2013, 'Modulation of respiratory metabolism in response to nutrient changes along a soil chronosequence', Plant Cell and Environment, vol. 36, no. 6, pp. 1120-1134.
  • O'Sullivan, O, Kohontissa Wasala, L, Evans, J et al. 2013, 'High-resolution temperature responses of leaf respiration in snow gum (Eucalyptus pauciflora) reveal high-temperature limits to respiratory function', Plant Cell and Environment, vol. 36, no. 7, pp. 1268-1284.
  • Atkin, O, Turnbull, M, Zaragoza-Castells, J et al. 2013, 'Light inhibition of leaf respiration as soil fertility declines along a post-glacial chronosequence in New Zealand: An analysis using the Kok method', Plant and Soil, vol. 367, no. 1-2, pp. 163-182.
  • Heskel, M, Greaves, H, Kornfeld, A et al 2013, 'Differential physiological responses to environmental change promote woody shrub expansion', Ecology and Evolution, vol. 3, no. 5, pp. 1149-1162.
  • Heskel, M, Atkin, O, Turnbull, M et al 2013, 'Bringing the Kok effect to light: A review on the integration of daytime respiration and net ecosystem exchange', Ecosphere, vol. 4, no. 8, pp. 1-14.
  • Atkin, O 2013, 'New Phytologist and the Earth System', New Phytologist, vol. 199, no. 2, pp. 305-307.
  • Zhang, S, Reich, P, Sun, S & Atkin O 2013, 'Contrasting leaf trait scaling relationships in tropical and temperate wet forest species', Functional Ecology, vol. 27, no. 2, pp. 522-534.
  • Heskel, M, Anderson, O, Atkin, O et al 2012, 'Leaf- and cell-level carbon cycling responses to a nitrogen and phosphorus gradient in two arctic tundra species', American Journal of Botany, vol. 99, no. 10, pp. 1702-1714.
  • Heskel, M, Anderson, O, Atkin, O et al 2012, 'LEAF- AND CELL-LEVEL CARBON CYCLING RESPONSES TO A NITROGEN AND PHOSPHORUS GRADIENT IN TWO ARCTIC TUNDRA SPECIES', American Journal of Botany, vol. 99, no. 10, pp. 1702-1714.
  • Poorter, H, Fiorani, F, Stitt, M et al 2012, 'The art of growing plants for experimental purposes: a practical guide for the plant biologist Review', Functional Plant Biology, vol. 39, no. 10-11, pp. 821-838.
  • Crous, K, ZaragozaCastells, J, Ellsworth, D et al 2011, 'Light inhibition of leaf respiration in field-grown Eucalyptus saligna in whole-tree chambers under elevated atmospheric CO2 and summer drought**', Plant Cell and Environment, vol. Accepted manuscript online: 17 NOV 2011. (DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-3040.2011.02465.x)
  • Kornfeld, A, Horton, T, Yakir, D et al 2012, 'A field-compatible method for measuring alternative respiratory pathway activities in vivo using stable O2 isotopes', Plant Cell and Environment, vol. 35, pp. 1518-1532.
  • Ayub, G, Smith, R, Tissue, D et al 2011, 'Impacts of drought on leaf respiration in darkness and light in Eucalyptus saligna exposed to industrial-age atmospheric CO2 and growth temperature', New Phytologist, vol. 190, no. 4, pp. 1003-1018.
  • Crous, K, ZaragozaCastells, J, Low, M et al 2010, 'Seasonal acclimation of leaf respiration in Eucalyptus saligna trees: impacts of elevated atmospheric CO2 and summer drought', Global Change Biology 17: 1560-1576.
  • Kattge, J, Diaz, S et al 2011, 'TRY - a global database of plant traits', Global Change Biology, vol. 17, no. 9, pp. 2905-2935.
  • Searle ST, Bitterman DS,Thomas S, Griffin KL, Atkin OK, Turnbull MH 2011, 'Respiratory alternative oxidase responds to both low- and high-temperature stress in Quercus rubra leaves along an urban-rural gradient in New York', Functional Ecology, vol. 25, pp. 1007-1017.
  • Atkin, O, Millar, A & Turnbull, M 2010, 'Plant respiration in a changing world', New Phytologist, vol. 187, no. 2, pp. 268-272.
  • Nicotra, A, Atkin, O, Bonser, S et al 2010, 'Plant phenotypic plasticity in a changing climate', Trends in Plant Science, vol. 15, no. 12, pp. 684-692.
  • van de Weg, M, Meir, P, Grace, J et al 2009, 'Altitudinal variation in leaf mass per unit area, leaf tissue density and foliar nitrogen and phosphorus content along an Amazon-Andes gradient in Peru', Plant Ecology and Diversity, vol. 2, no. 3, pp. 243-254.
  • Atkin, O, Loveys, B, Atkinson, L et al 2006, 'Phenotypic plasticity and growth temperature: understanding interspecific variability', Journal of Experimental Botany, vol. 57, no. 2, pp. 267-281.
  • Atkin, O 2002, 'The contribution of roots and shoots to whole plant nitrate reduction in fast- and slow-growing grass species', Journal of Experimental Botany, vol. 53, no. 374, pp. 1635-1642.
  • Bruhn, D & Atkin, O 2002, 'Does the direct effect of atmospheric CO2 concentration on leaf respiration vary with temperature? Responses in two species of Plantago that differ in relative growth rate', Physiologia Plantarum, vol. 114, no. 1, pp. 57-64.
  • Atkin, O 2002, 'Regulation of root respiration in two species of Plantago that differ in relative growth rate: The effect of short- and long-term changes in temperature', Plant Cell and Environment, vol. 25, no. 11, pp. 1501-1513.
  • Atkin, O 2002, 'Effect of temperature on rates of alternative and cytochrome pathway respiration and their relationship with the redox poise of the quinone pool', Plant Physiology, vol. 128, no. 1, pp. 212-222.
  • Loveys, B & Atkin, O 2002, 'Growth temperature influences the underlying components of relative growth rate: An investigation using inherently fast- and slow-growing plant species', Plant Cell and Environment, vol. 25, no. 8, pp. 975-987.
  • Atkin, O, Edwards, E & Loveys, B 2000, 'Response of root respiration to changes in temperature and its relevance to global', New Phytologist, vol. 147, no. 1, pp. 141-154.
  • Atkin, O, Schortemeyer, M & Evans, J 1999, 'The response of fast- and slow-growing Acacia species to elevated atmospheric CO2: An analysis of the underlying components of relative growth rate', Oecologia, vol. 120, no. 4, pp. 544-554.
  • Atkin, O 1999, 'Analysis of differences in photosynthetic nitrogen use efficiency of alpine and lowland Poa species', Oecologia, vol. 120, no. 1, pp. 19-26.
  • Atkin, O, Evans, J & Siebke, K 1998, 'Relationship between the inhibition of leaf respiration by light and enhancement of leaf dark respiration following light treatment', Australian Journal of Plant Physiology, vol. 25, no. 4, pp. 437-443.
  • Atkin, O, Schortemeyer, M & Evans, J 1998, 'Variation in the components of relative growth rate in ten Acacia species from contrasting environments', Plant Cell and Environment, vol. 21, no. 10, pp. 1007-1017.
  • Atkin, O 1998, 'Interdependence between chloroplasts and mitochondria in the light and the dark', Biochimica et Biophysica Acta: Bioenergetics, vol. 1366, no. 3, pp. 235-255.
  • Atkin, O, Menz, R, Henry, B et al. 1998, 'Analysis of respiratory chain regulation in roots of soybean seedlings', Plant Physiology, vol. 117, no. 3, pp. 1083-1093.
  • Gorsuch, P, Pandey, S & Atkin, O 2010, 'Temporal heterogeneity of cold acclimation phenotypes in Arabidopsis leaves', Plant Cell and Environment, vol. 33, no. 2, pp. 244-258.
  • Gimeno , T, Milne, K, Valladares, F et al. 2010, 'Homeostasis of respiration under drought and its important consequences for foliar carbon balance in a drier climate:insights from two contrasting Acacia species', Functional Plant Biology, vol. 37, no. 4, pp. 323-333.
  • Gorsuch, P, Sargeant, A, Penfield, S et al 2010, 'Systemic low temprature signaling in Arabidopsis', Plant and Cell Physiology, vol. 51, no. 9, pp. 1488-1498.
  • Atkinson, L, Campbell, C, Zaragoza-Castells, J et al 2010, 'Impact of growth temperature on scaling relationships linking photosynthetic metabolism to leaf functional traits', Functional Ecology, vol. 24, no. 6, pp. 1181-1191.
  • Rodriguez-Calcerrada, J, Atkin, O, Robson, M et al 2010, 'Thermal acclimation of leaf dark respiration of beech seedlings experiencing summer drought in high and low light environments', Tree Physiology, vol. 30, no. 2, pp. 214-224.
  • Gorsuch, P, Pandey, S & Atkin, O 2010, 'Thermal de-acclimation:how permanent are leaf phenotypes when cold-acclimated plants experience warming?', Plant Cell and Environment, vol. 33, no. 7, pp. 1124-1137.
  • Atkin, O, Sherlock, D, Fitter, A et al 2009, 'Temperature dependence of respiration in roots colonized by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi', New Phytologist, vol. 182, pp. 188-199.
  • Hannemann, J, Poorter, H, Usadel, B et al 2009, 'Xeml Lab: a tool that supports the design of experiments at a graphical interface and generates computer-readable metadata files, which capture information about genotypes, growth conditions, environmental perturbations and sampling strategy', Plant Cell and Environment, vol. 32, no. 9, pp. 1185-1200.
  • van de Weg, M, Meir, P, Grace, J et al 2009, 'Altitudinal variation in leaf mass per unit area, leaf tissue density and foliar nitrogen and phosphorus content along an Amazon-Andes gradient in Peru', Plant Ecology and Diversity, vol. 2, no. 3, pp. 243-254.
  • Moyano, F, Atkin, O, Bahn, M et al 2009, 'Respiration from roots and the mycorrhizosphere', in W Kutsch, M Bahn, A Heinemeyer (ed.), Soil Carbon Dynamics: An Integrated Methodology, Cambridge University Press, UK, pp. 127-157.
  • Atkin, O & Macherel, D 2009, 'The crucial role of plant mitochondria in orchestrating drought tolerance', Annals of Botany, vol. 103, pp. 581-597.
  • Armstrong, A, Badger, M, Day, D et al 2008, 'Dynamic changes in the mitochondrial electron transport chain underpinning cold acclimation of leaf respiration', Plant Cell and Environment, vol. 31, pp. 1156-1169.
  • Atkin, O, Atkinson, L, Fisher, R et al 2008, 'Using temperature-dependent changes in leaf scaling relationships to quantitatively account for thermal acclimation of respiration in a coupled global climate-vegetation model', Global Change Biology, vol. 14, pp. 2709-2726.
  • Slot, M, Zaragoza-Castells, J & Atkin, O 2008, 'Transient shade and drought have divergent impacts on the temperature sensitivity of dark respiration in leaves of Geum urbanum', Functional Plant Biology, vol. 35, pp. 1135-1146.
  • Hughes, J, Hodge, A, Fitter, A et al 2008, 'Mycorrhizal respiration: implications for global scaling relationships', Trends in Plant Science, vol. 13, no. 11, pp. 583-588.
  • Valladares, F, Zaragoza-Castells, J, Sanchez-Gomez, D et al. 2008, 'Is Shade Beneficial for Mediterranean Shrubs Experiencing Periods of Extreme Drought and Late-winter Frosts?', Annals of Botany, vol. 102, no. 6, pp. 923-933.
  • Zaragoza-Castells, J, Sanchez-Gomez, D, Hartley, I et al 2008, 'Climate-dependent variations in leaf respiration in a dry-land, low productivity Mediterranean forest: the importance of acclimation in both high-light and shaded habitats', Functional Ecology, vol. 22, no. 1, pp. 172-184.
  • Covey-Crump, E, Bykova, N, Affourtit, C et al 2007, 'Temperature-dependent changes in respiration rates and redox poise of the ubiquinone pool in protoplasts and isolated mitochondria of potato leaves', Physiologia Plantarum, vol. 129, no. 1, pp. 175-187.
  • Zaragoza-Castells, J, Sanchez-Gomez, D, Valladares, F et al 2007, 'Does growth irradiance affect temperature dependence and thermal acclimation of leaf respiration? Insights from a Mediterranean tree with long-lived leaves', Plant Cell and Environment, vol. 30, pp. 820-833.
  • Armstrong, A, Wardlaw, k & Atkin, O 2007, 'Assessing the relationship between respiratory acclimation to the cold and photosystem II redox poise in Arabidopsis thaliana', Plant Cell and Environment, vol. 30, pp. 1513-1522.
  • Atkinson, L, Hellicar, M, Fitter, A et al 2007, 'Impact of temperature on the relationship between respiration and nitrogen concentration in roots: an analysis of scaling relationships, Q10 values and thermal acclimation ratios', New Phytologist, vol. 173, pp. 110-120.
  • Campbell, C, Atkinson, L, Zaragoza-Castells, J et al 2007, 'Acclimation of photosynthesis and respiration is asynchronous in response to changes in temperature regardless of plant functional group', New Phytologist, vol. 176, no. 2, pp. 375-389.
  • Bruhn, D, Wiskich, J & Atkin, O 2007, 'Contrasting responses by respiration to elevated CO2 in intact tissue and isolated mitochondria', Functional Plant Biology, vol. 34, pp. 112-117.
  • Armstrong, A, Logan, D, Tobin, A et al 2006, 'Heterogeneity of plant mitochondrial responses underpinning respiratory acclimation to the cold in Arabidopsis thaliana leaves', Plant Cell and Environment, vol. 29, pp. 940-949.
  • Atkin, O, Scheurwater, I & Pons, T 2006, 'High thermal acclimation potential of both photosynthesis and respiration in two lowland Plantago species in contrast to an alpine congeneric', Global Change Biology, vol. 12, pp. 500-515.
  • Atkin, O, Scheurwater, I & Pons, T 2006, 'Respiration as a percentage of daily photosynthesis in whole plants is homeostatic at moderate, but not high, growth temperatures', New Phytologist, vol. 174, no. 2, pp. 367-380.
  • Wright, I, Reich, P, Atkin, O et al 2006, 'Irradiance, temperature and rainfall influence leaf dark respiration in woody plants: evidence from comparisons across 20 sites', New Phytologist, vol. 169, pp. 309-319.
  • Armstrong, A, Logan, D & Atkin, O 2006, 'ON THE DEVELOPMENTAL DEPENDENCE OF LEAF ESPIRATION:RESPONSES TO SHORT- AND LONG-TERM CHANGES IN GROWTH TEMPERATURE', American Journal of Botany, vol. 93, no. 11, pp. 1633-1639.
  • Hartley, I, Armstrong, A, Murthy, R et al 2006, 'The dependence of respiration on photosynthetic substrate supply and temperature: integrating leaf, soil and ecosystem measurements', Global Change Biology, vol. 12, no. 10, pp. 1954-1968.
  • Hurry, V, Igamberdiev, A, Keerberg, O et al 2005, 'Respiration in photosynthetic cells: Gas exchange components, interactions with photorespiration and the operation of mitochondria in the light', in Lambers H, RibasCarbo M (ed.), Plant Respiration: From Cell to Ecosystem Series: Advances in Photosynthesis and Respiration, Springer, Netherlands, pp. 43-61.
  • Atkin, O, Bruhn, D & Tjoelker, M 2005, 'Response of plant respiration to changes in temperature: mechanisms and consequences of variations in Q(10) values and acclimation', in Lambers H, RibasCarbo M (ed.), Plant Respiration: From Cell to Ecosystem Series: Advances in Photosynthesis and Respiration, Springer, Netherlands, pp. 95-135.
  • Armstrong, A, Hartley, I, Ineson, P et al 2005, 'Can climate driven changes in photosynthesis be used to predict changes in the rate and temperature sensitivity of ecosystem respiration?', International Congress on Photosynthesis (PS 2005), ed. Art van der Est, Doug Bruce, Allen Press Inc, Kansas, pp. 958-959.
  • Atkin, O, Bruhn, D, Hurry, V et al 2005, 'The hot and the cold: unravelling the variable response of plant respiration to temperature', Functional Plant Biology, vol. 32, pp. 87-15.
  • Atkin, O & Tjoelker, M 2003, 'Thermal acclimation and the dynamic response of plant respiration to temperature', Trends in Plant Science, vol. 8, no. 7, pp. 343-351.
  • Schortemeyer, M, Atkin, O, McFarlane, N et al 2002, 'N2 fixation by Acacia species increases under elevated atmospheric CO2', Plant Cell and Environment, vol. 25, pp. 567-579.
  • Atkin, O, Gardestrom, P & Day, D 2000, 'Photosynthesis, carbohydrate metabolism and respiration in leaves of higher plants.', in Leegood, RC; Sharkey, TT; von Cammerer, S (ed.), Photosynthesis: Physiology and Metabolism, Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, pp. 154-175.
  • Evans, J, Schortemeyer, M, McFarlane, N et al. 2000, 'Photosynthetic characteristics of 10 Acacia species grown under ambient and elevated atmospheric CO2', Australian Journal of Plant Physiology, vol. 27, no. 1, pp. 13-25.
  • Holly, C, Atkin, O & Ball, M 2000, 'Acclimation of snow gum (Eucalyptus pauciflora) leaf respiration to seasonal and diurnal variations in temperature: the importance of changes in the capacity and temperature sensitivity of respiration', Plant Cell and Environment, vol. 23, no. 1, pp. 15-26.
  • Atkin, O, Evans, J, Ball, M et al. 2000, 'Leaf respiration of snow gum in the light and the dark. Interactions between temperature and irradiance', Plant Physiology, vol. 122, pp. 915-923.
  • Henry, B, Atkin, O, Day, D et al. 1999, 'Calculation of the oxygen isotope discrimination factor for studying plant respiration', Australian Journal of Plant Physiology, vol. 26, no. 8, pp. 773-780.
  • Lambers, H & Atkin, O 1999, 'Leaf waxes of slow-growing alpine and fast-growing lowland Poa species: inherent differences and responses to UV-B radiation', Phytochemistry, vol. 50, no. 4, pp. 571-580.
  • Atkin, O, Schortemeyer, M, McFarlane, N et al. 1999, 'The response of fast- and slow-growing Acacia species to elevated CO2: an analysis of the underlying components of relative growth rate', Oecologia, vol. 120, pp. 544-554.
  • Schortemeyer, M, Atkin, O, McFarlane, N et al. 1999, 'The impact of elevated atmospheric CO2 and nitrate supply on growth, biomass allocation, nitrogen partitioning and N2 fixation of Acacia melanoxylon', Australian Journal of Plant Physiology, vol. 26, pp. 737-747.

In recent years, I have lectured or offered projects into the following courses at ANU:

1st year - Biol1009 (Diversity of Life)

2nd year - Biol2122 (Plant Functional Diversity: Genomes to Biomes) & Biol2203 (Field Studies in Functional Ecology)

3rd year - Biol3125 (Plants and Global Climate Change), Biol3107 (Advances in Medical and Plant Biochemistry) & Biol3208 (Biology Research Project)