About our research

We aim to understand the factors that cause variation in plant growth. Plants use photosynthesis to convert the sun's energy into sugars and these fuel new growth. Photosynthesis and growth support life on land, and underpin ecosystem carbon capture and global crop production. However, today's plant species vary more than tenfold in their growth rates. Climate limits plant growth at the global scale but, throughout their history, plants have evolved new ways to overcome climatic limitations.

Our research takes a global perspective on these issues, seeking to explain:

• how climate change influences the photosynthesis and growth of wild plants and crops,

• how evolutionary innovations in wild plants have adapted photosynthesis and growth to changing environments,

• how ancient interactions between people and food plants increased crop production and led to the origins of agriculture,

• how species differences in photosynthesis, growth and environmental tolerance cause global patterns in ecosystems,

• how ecosystems can be sustainably managed to capture carbon and produce food in a changing climate.