Andrew Leakey

 

Assistant Professor of Plant Biology
Institute for Genomic Biology
1402 Institute for Genomic Biology  MC-116
(217) 244-0302

Education

B.Sc. 1998, University of Sheffield
Ph.D. 2002, University of Sheffield
Fulbright Scholar 2002-2003, UIUC
Postdoc. 2003-2004, University of Illinois
Research Fellow 2004-2007, Institute for Genomic Biology

Teaching

IB 440, Plants and Global Change


Research


Environmental and Ecological Plant Genomics


My research program is focused on improving mechanistic understanding of:


     1. Plant responses in natural and agricultural ecosystems to global climate change and abioitic stress.
     2. Genomic regulation of plant ecological strategy.


This will enhance understanding of how the environment impacts ecosystem goods and services including biodiversity, productivity, water cycling and food supply. To do this we combine molecular, biochemical, physiological and ecological tools to assess plant performance in manipulative field experiments and controlled environment chambers.

 

On-going projects:


Genomic Ecology of Plant Ecological Strategy We are surveying the patterns of gene expression which cause stress tolerant, weedy and competitive plant species to respond differently to variation in resource availability and disturbance.


Genomic Regulation of the Response of a Model Ecosystem to Global Climate Change We are using the SoyFACE facility to demonstrate that microarray analysis of gene expression can be used to identify keystone genes which regulate the physiological, ecological and agronomic impacts of elevated CO2, O3 and drought on soybean.

 

How does the C4 crop Zea mays respond to elevated CO2 and drought? We have previously demonstrated that elevated CO2 only benefits C4 photosynthesis in maize via amelioration of drought stress. We are now assessing the likely impact of future changes in water availability and CO2 concentrations on net primary productivity, water use and yield.

 

Publications


Leakey ADB, Uribelarrea M, Ainsworth EA, Naidu SL, Rogers A, Ort DR, Long SP (2006) Photosynthesis, productivity and yield of Zea mays are not affected by open-air elevation of CO2 concentration in the absence of drought. Plant Physiology, 140: 779-790.

 

Leakey ADB, Bernacchi CJ, Ort DR, Long SP (2006) Long-term growth of soybean at elevated [CO2] does not cause acclimation of stomatal conductance under fully open-air conditions. Plant Cell & Environment 29: 1794-1800.

 

Long SP, Ainsworth EA, Leakey ADB, Nosberger J, Ort DR (2006) Food for thought: Lower than expected crop yield stimulation with rising CO2 concentrations. Science 312: 1918-1921.