Howard Griffiths (scientist)

Howard Griffiths is a physiological ecologist.[3] He is Professor of Plant Ecology in the Department of Plant Sciences at the University of Cambridge,[4] and a Fellow of Clare College, Cambridge.[3][5] He formerly worked for the University of Dundee in the Department of Biological Sciences.[6] He applies molecular biology techniques and physiology to investigate the regulation of photosynthesis and plant water-use efficiency.

Howard Griffiths
Born1953 (age 69–70)[1]
Scientific career
FieldsPlant Physiological Ecology
Institutions
Websitewww.plantsci.cam.ac.uk/research/howardgriffiths

Research

Griffiths' specializations include:

Griffiths has a particular interest in introducing the dynamics of plant processes without the need for time-lapse photography. His lectures demonstrate how the spatial segregation of photosystem 1 and photosystem 2 creates a highly dynamic system with lateral mobility and migration of damaged photosynthetic reaction centers through thylakoid membranes.

He studies the reaction mechanism of RuBisCO and how plants have evolved.[3] His primary focus being the types of "carbon dioxide concentrating mechanisms" (CCMs) which enhance the operating efficiency of RuBisCO and thereby CO₂-fixation.[3][5] CCMs of interest include crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM), the biochemical C4 pathway, and the biophysical CCM found within algae, cyanobacteria and hornworts.[3][5]

He uses stable isotopes of carbon and oxygen to compare how different types of plants have evolved their own methods of photosynthesis.[3][5] Study of these isotopes can also analyse the water use of plants and insects.[3][5]

He collaborated on an international project investigating the possibility of introducing the algal CCM into terrestrial plants called the Combining Algal and Plant Photosynthesis project (CAPP).[10][11][12][13] In 2016, they achieved successful results[14] and they now hope to implement this technique to increase the rate of photosynthesis in plants and hence increase crop yields.[14]

His goal in his work is not only to discover new molecular and ecological insights but then use those insights to sustain plant diversity and combat climate change.[3]

As part of his work, Griffiths has been a Visiting Research Fellow to the Australian National University in 2006 and 2008.[5] He is part of peer review for the National Environmental Research Council.[5][15] He has also conducted many field work expeditions to countries including Trinidad, Venezuela, and Panama, as part of his research.[3][5]

As of 2021, his projects^ focus on:

  • "Food security: sustainability and equality in crop production systems" - in collaboration with the Global Food Security Interdisciplinary Research Centre[4]
  • "Defining the algal chloroplast pyrenoid" - a continuation of his RuBisCO work.[4]
  • "Carbon assimilation and hydraulic constraints in C3, C4 and CAM systems"[4]
  • "Epiphyte environmental interactions and climate change" - focussing on samples collected during field work[4]

Publications

Griffiths has a blog documenting his and his students' research in physiological ecology.[16]

He is the author, co-author or editor of several textbooks and monographs,[1] including The Carbon Balance of Forest Biomes with Paul Gordon Jarvis.[17]

According to Google Scholar[18] and Scopus,[19] his most highly cited peer-reviewed publications were in The Journal of Experimental Botany,[20][21] Oecologia,[22] New Phytologist,[23] and Functional Plant Biology.[24]

References
  1. Howard Griffiths at Library of Congress
  2. Raven, John; Beardall, John; Griffiths, Howard (1982). "Inorganic C-sources for Lemanea, Cladophora and Ranunculus in a fast-flowing stream: Measurements of gas exchange and of carbon isotope ratio and their ecological implications". Oecologia. 53 (1): 68–78. Bibcode:1982Oecol..53...68R. doi:10.1007/BF00377138. ISSN 0029-8549. PMID 28310605. S2CID 220458.
  3. "Professor Howard Griffiths". Clare College. Cambridge University. Archived from the original on 24 April 2014.
  4. "Physiological Ecology". Department of Plant Sciences. Cambridge University. 5 June 2013. Archived from the original on 14 January 2016.
  5. "Professor Howard Griffiths". Department of Plant Sciences. University of Cambridge. 3 June 2013. Archived from the original on 10 February 2021. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
  6. Raven, John; Beardall, John; Griffiths, Howard (1 April 1982). "Inorganic C-sources for Lemanea, Cladophora and Ranunculus in a fast-flowing stream: Measurements of gas exchange and of carbon isotope ratio and their ecological implications". Oecologia. 53 (1): 68–78. doi:10.1007/BF00377138. ISSN 1432-1939. PMID 28310605. S2CID 220458. Archived from the original on 12 July 2021. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
  7. "Cambridge Centre for Climate Science". climatescience.cam.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 6 September 2012. Retrieved 19 February 2012.
  8. "Research theme: food security". cam.ac.uk/research/themes/food-security. Archived from the original on 14 March 2012. Retrieved 19 February 2012.
  9. "Introducing the Cambridge Conservation Initiative". conservation.cam.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 12 February 2012. Retrieved 19 February 2012.
  10. "CAPP - Combining Algal and Plant Photosynthesis". cambridgecapp.wordpress.com. Archived from the original on 30 November 2012. Retrieved 20 August 2012.
  11. "The Research Dept". CAPP. 20 September 2013. Archived from the original on 15 October 2014. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
  12. "About us". CAPP. 18 July 2011. Archived from the original on 7 June 2017. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
  13. "Overview". CAPP: Combining Plant and Algal Photosynthesis. UKRI. Archived from the original on 12 July 2021. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
  14. "Outcomes". CAPP: Combining Plant and Algal Photosynthesis. UKRI. Archived from the original on 12 July 2021. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
  15. "NERC PEER REVIEW COLLEGE MEMBERS". NERC. December 2019. p. 15. Archived from the original on 11 January 2021. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
  16. "physiological ecology". Ecology in a Gingko-covered building. Archived from the original on 12 July 2021. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
  17. Griffith, Howard; Jarvis, Paul, eds. (2005). The carbon balance of forest biomes. New York: Taylor & Francis. ISBN 0-203-50134-9. OCLC 61853824. Archived from the original on 12 July 2021. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
  18. Howard Griffiths publications indexed by Google Scholar
  19. Howard Griffiths's publications indexed by the Scopus bibliographic database. (subscription required)
  20. Dodd, A. N. (2002). "Crassulacean acid metabolism: plastic, fantastic". Journal of Experimental Botany. 53 (369): 569–580. doi:10.1093/jexbot/53.369.569. ISSN 1460-2431. PMID 11886877.
  21. Price, A. H. (2002). "Linking drought-resistance mechanisms to drought avoidance in upland rice using a QTL approach: progress and new opportunities to integrate stomatal and mesophyll responses". Journal of Experimental Botany. 53 (371): 989–1004. doi:10.1093/jexbot/53.371.989. ISSN 1460-2431. PMID 11971911.
  22. Seibt, Ulli; Rajabi, Abazar; Griffiths, Howard; Berry, Joseph A. (2008). "Carbon isotopes and water use efficiency: sense and sensitivity". Oecologia. 155 (3): 441–454. Bibcode:2008Oecol.155..441S. doi:10.1007/s00442-007-0932-7. ISSN 0029-8549. PMID 18224341. S2CID 451126.
  23. Adams, Patricia; Nelson, Don E.; Yamada, Shigehiro; Chmara, Wendy; Jensen, Richard G.; Bohnert, Hans J.; Griffiths, Howard (1998). "Growth and development of Mesembryanthemum crystallinum (Aizoaceae)". New Phytologist. 138 (2): 171–190. doi:10.1046/j.1469-8137.1998.00111.x. ISSN 0028-646X. PMID 33863085.
  24. Cernusak, Lucas A.; Tcherkez, Guillaume; Keitel, Claudia; Cornwell, William K.; Santiago, Louis S.; Knohl, Alexander; Barbour, Margaret M.; Williams, David G.; Reich, Peter B.; Ellsworth, David S.; Dawson, Todd E.; Griffiths, Howard G.; Farquhar, Graham D.; Wright, Ian J. (2009). "Why are non-photosynthetic tissues generally 13C enriched compared with leaves in C3 plants? Review and synthesis of current hypotheses". Functional Plant Biology. 36 (3): 199–213. doi:10.1071/FP08216. hdl:11299/177648. ISSN 1445-4408. PMID 32688639.
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