Dr Lynda Prior

BSc (Agric) (Hons), PhD

• Research Interests
• Current Projects
• Students
• Publications
  • Papers
  • Books
  • Reports
  • Other

Research interests

Lynda's major research interests are in physiological ecology plants and the demography of savanna trees. Specific interests include responses of savanna trees to fire, and relationships between leaf characteristics and environment; vegetation dynamics in Kakadu National Park; responses of tree growth, photosynthesis, stomatal conductance and water relations to seasonal change in the monsoonal tropics. Lynda is now investigating growth of Callitris (cypress pine).

Current projects

• Landscape-scale population dynamics of open forests in the Australian monsoon tropics
• Applying macroecology to assist in the management of Kakadu National Park
• Evolution of fire resistance in the Myrtaceae of northern Australia

Students

Publications

Peer-reviewed papers

Bowman, D.M.J.S., Riley, J.E., Boggs, G.S., Lehmann, C.E.R. and Prior, L.D. 2008. Do feral buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) explain the increase of woody cover in savannas of Kakadu National Park, Australia? Journal of Biogeography. 35, 1976–1988

Prior, L.D., Murphy, B.P. and Russell-Smith, J. (In press).  Environmental and demographic correlates of tree recruitment and mortality in north Australian savannas.  Forest Ecology and Management. doi:10.1016/j.foreco.2008.08.015

Burrows, G. E., Hornby, S. K., Waters, D. A., Bellairs S. M., Prior, L. D. and Bowman D. M. J. S. 2008. Leaf axil anatomy and bud reserves in 21 myrtaceae species from northern Australia. International Journal of Plant Science. 169(9):1174–1186. 2008.

Prior, L., Murphy, B. and Russell-Smith, J., in press. Environmental and demographic correlates of tree recruitment and mortality in north Australian savannas. Forest Ecology and Management

Werner, P.A., Prior, L.D. and Forner, J. 2008. Growth and survival of termite-piped Eucalyptus tetrodonta and E. miniata in northern Australia: Implications for harvest of trees for didgeridoos. Forest Ecology and Management 256: 328-334 DOI: 10.1016/j.foreco.2008.04.027

Lehmann, C.R., Prior, L.D., Williams, R.J. and Bowman, D.M.J.S. 2008. Spatio-temporal trends in tree cover of a tropical mesic savanna are driven by landscape disturbance. Journal of Applied Ecology 45: 1304-1311 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2664.2008.01496.x

Bowman, D.M.J.S., Boggs, G.S. and Prior, L.D. (2008) Fire maintains an Acacia aneura shrubland—Triodia grassland mosaic in central Australia. Journal of Arid Environments 72: 34-47. DOI: 10.1016/j.jaridenv.2007.04.001

Grieve, A.M., Prior, L.D. and Bevington, K.B. (2007) Long-term effects of saline irrigation water on growth, yield and fruit quality of ‘Valencia’ orange trees. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 58 (4) 342-348. (.pdf 200KB)

Prior, L.D., Grieve, A.M., Bevington, K.B. and Slavich, P.G. (2007) Long-term effects of saline irrigation water on ‘Valencia’ orange trees: relationships between growth and yield, and salt levels in soil and leaves. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 58 (4) 349-358. (.pdf 233KB)

Bowman, D.M.J.S., Boggs, G.S., Prior, L.D. and Krull, E.S. (2007) Dynamics of Acacia aneura – Triodia boundaries using carbon (14C and δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) in soil organic matter in central Australia. The Holocene 17 (3) 311-318. DOI: 10.1177/0959683607076442

Prior, L.D., Brook, B.W., Williams, R.J., Werner, P.A., Bradshaw, C.J.A and Bowman, D.M.J.S. (2006) Environmental and allometric drivers of tree growth rates in a north Australian savanna. Forest Ecology and Management 234, 164-180. DOI: 10.1016/j.foreco.2006.06.034

Prior, L.D., Bowman, D.M.J.S. and Brook, B.W. (2006) Growth and survival of two north Australian relictual tree species, Allosyncarpia ternata (Myrtaceae) and Callitris intratropica (Cupressaceae). Ecological Research 22, 228–236. (.pdf 436KB)

Bowman, D.M.J.S. and Prior, L.D. (2005). Turner Review No. 10. Why do evergreen trees dominate the Australian seasonal tropics? Australian Journal of Botany 53, 379-399. DOI: 10.1071/BT05022

Prior, L.D., Bowman, D.M.J.S. and Eamus, D. (2005). Intra-specific variation in leaf attributes in four savanna tree species along a rainfall gradient in tropical Australia. Australian Journal of Botany 53, 323-335. DOI: 10.1071/BT04080

Prior, L.D., Bowman, D.M.J.S. & Eamus, D. 2004 Seasonal differences in leaf attributes in Australian tropical tree species: family and habitat comparisons. Functional Ecology 18, 707-718.

Prior, L.D., Eamus, D. & Bowman, D.M.J.S. 2004 Tree growth rates in north Australian savanna habitats: seasonal patterns and correlations with leaf attributes Australian Journal of Botany 52, 303-314.

Wright, I, and 32 others, including Prior, L. 2004 The leaf economics spectrum worldwide Nature 428, 821-827.

Wright, I., Groom, P., Lamont, B., Poot, P., Prior, L., Reich, P., Schulze, E-E., Veneklaas, E. & Westoby, M. 2004 Leaf trait relationships in Australian plant species Functional Plant Biology 31, 551-558.

Bowman, D.M.J.S., & Prior, L.D. 2004 Impact of Aboriginal landscape burning on woody vegetation in Eucalyptus tetrodonta savanna in Arnhem Land, northern Australia. Journal of Biogeography 31, 807-817.

Bowman, D.M.J.S., Walsh, A. & Prior, L.D. 2003 Landscape analysis of Aboriginal fire management in Central Arnhem Land, north Australia Journal of Biogeography 31, 207-223.

Prior, L.D., Eamus, D. & Bowman, D.M.J.S. 2003 Leaf attributes in the seasonally dry tropics: a comparison of four habitats in northern Australia Functional Ecology 17, 504-515.

Zhang, X., Walker, R.R., Stevens, R.M., & Prior, L.D. 2002 Yield-salinity relationships of different grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) scion-rootstock combinations Australian Journal of Grape and Wine Research 8, 150-156.

Eamus, D., & Prior, L.D. 2001 Ecophysiology of trees of seasonally dry tropcs: comparisons among phenologies Advances in Ecological Research 32, 113-197.

Prior, L.D.& Eamus, D. 2000 Seasonal changes in hydraulic conductance, xylem embolism and leaf area in Eucalyptus tetrodonta and Eucalyptus miniata saplings in a north Australian savanna Plant, Cell and Environment 23, 955-965.

Prior, L.D.& Eamus, D. 1999 Seasonal changes in leaf water characteristics of Eucalyptus tetrodonta and Terminalia ferdinandiana saplings in a northeren Australian savanna Australian Journal of Botany 47, 587-599.

Prior, L.D., Eamus, D. & Duff, G.A. 1997 Seasonal trends in carbon assimilation, stomatal conductance, pre-dawn leaf water potential and growth in Terminalia ferdinandiana, a deciduous tree of northern Australian savannas Australian Journal of Botany 45, 53-69.

Prior, L.D., Eamus, D. & Duff, G.A. 1997 Seasonal and diurnal patterns of carbon assimilation, stomatal conductance and leaf water potential in Eucalyptus tetrodonta saplings in a wet-dry savanna in northern Australia Australian Journal of Botany 45, 241-258.

Stevens, R.M., and Prior, L.D. 1994 The effect of transient waterlogging on the growth, leaf gas exchange, and mineral composition of potted sultana grapevines. American Journal of Enology and Viticulture 45, 285-290.

Prior, L.D., Cullis, B.R., & Sarooshi, R.A. 1993 Influence of rootstock and trellis system on the productivity of Sultana grapevines Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture.

Prior, L.D., Grieve, A.M., & Cullis, B.R. 1992 Sodium chloride and soil texture interactions in irrigated field grown sultana grapevines. I. Yield and truit qulaity Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 43, 1051-1066.

Prior, L.D., Grieve, A.M., & Cullis, B.R. 1992 Sodium chloride and soil texture interactions in irrigated field grown sultana grapevines. II. Plant mineral content, growth and physiology Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 43, 1067-1083.

Prior, L.D., Grieve, A.M., Slavich, P.G. & Cullis, B.R. 1992 Sodium chloride and soil texture interactions in irrigated field grown sultana grapevines. III. Soil and root system effects Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 43, 1085-1100.

Lloyd, J., Kriedemann, P., Prior, L. & Grieve, A. 1986 Citrus leaf fluorescence: water and salt effects Acta Horticulturae 175, 333-337.

Walker, R.R., Torokfalvy, E., Grieve, A.M. & Prior, L.D. 1983 Water relations and ion concentrations in leaves of salt-stressed citrus plants Australian Journal of Plant Physiology 10, 265-277.

Munns, R., Greenway, H. & Prior, L.D. 1982 Effects of accumulation of 3-O-methylglucose on growth and osmotic regulation in Chlorella emersonii Plant, Cell and Environment 5, 413-416.

Avadhani, P.N., Greenway, H., Lefroy, R. & Prior, L. 1978 Alcoholic fermentations and malate metabolism in rice germinating at low oxygen concentrations Australian Journal of Plant Physiology 5, 15-25.

Other

Prior, LD & Eamus, D 2002 Leaf attributes in the seasonally dry tropics- habitat, phenology and phylogeny Ecological Society of Australia. [Conference Proceedings]

Prior, LD 2002 Book Review: Karnosky et al. The impact of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases on forest ecosystems. [Book Review]