Professor Andrew Lowe is a Chair in Plant Conservation Biology at the University of Adelaide. He is also Head of Science within the South Australian Department of Environment and Natural Resources and Director of the Australian Centre for Evolutionary Biology and Biodiversity within the Environment Institute. The Institute integrates evolutionary biology and biodiversity science across the University, State Herbarium and South Australian Museum.

Professor Lowe’s predominant research interest is in the way plants survive and adapt to anthropomorphized landscapes.  His research examines gene flow and selection pressure changes across a range of landscapes contemporary, historical, fragmented and exploited.

Professor Lowe has an international reputation in plant ecological and evolutionary genetics. His main research areas and successes are in demonstrating gene flow and selection pressure changes across a range of fragmented and exploited landscapes, using molecular markers, spatial modelling and genomic assessments of adaptive genes; the influence of past environmental changes on Australasian flora (macadamia, southern pines and rainforest trees), incorporating ancient DNA approaches, to improve future predictability of biotic responses to climate change; and examining the potential for transfer of adaptive genes from native species to new invasives via hybridization for Australian weeds.

Professor Lowe regularly provides advice to the commercial sector on a range of genetic resource issues, and advises on the potential use of hybridisation and polyploidy for improving tree variety breeding.

RiAus Involvement

TEDxAdelaide 2011 (12 November 2011) presented by RiAus and Bridge8

Dunstan Environment Dialogues: Biodiversity begins at home (24 November 2010)

More by and about Andrew Lowe:

Profile of Professor Andrew Lowe at the Adelaide University page