Sharon Robinson is a Professor in the School of Biological Sciences and Institute for Conservation Biology and Environmental Management, University of Wollongong. Her main research focus is understanding how plants respond to Climate Change induced environmental stress in Antarctica (Cool Plants) and Australia (Plant Stress Ecophysiology). In addition she is interested in elucidating the mechanism that allows thermoregulatory plants to maintain their flowers at temperatures well above ambient air temperatures (Hot Plants). Plant responses can be monitored at a range of levels from the molecular to the ecological and her research encompasses all of these levels. She has produced award winning teaching innovations and publishes in the educational literature as well as in her field of expertise. She is also passionate about making science accessible to the public through Photographic exhibitions, YouTube videos and articles for the public.
Cool Plants - Antarctic Research
Antarctic mosses reveal past climate, react to present changes (2012)
Sharon Robinson studies mosses in Antarctica. They reveal information about past climate and are showing...
Aerial ‘OktoKopter’ to map Antarctic moss (with Arko Lucieer and Dana Bergstrom), Australian Antarctic Magazine (2010)
Polar regions are experiencing rapid and severe climatic shifts with major changes in temperature, wind...
Casey: the Daintree of Antarctica (with Dana Bergstrom), Faculty of Science - Papers (2010)
Antarctica is at the edge of life on the planet. Less than 0.5% of the...
Using an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) for ultra-high resolution mapping of Antarctic moss beds (with Arko Lucieer and Darren Turner), Faculty of Science - Papers (2010)
This study is the first to use an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) for mapping moss...
Accumulation of DNA damage in Antarctic mosses: correlations with ultraviolet-B radiation, temperature and turf water content vary amongst species (with J. D. Turnbull), Faculty of Science - Papers (2009)
The susceptibility of three East Antarctic moss species to UV-B radiation was examined by measuring...
Hot Plants - Floral Ovens
In the Heat of the Night. Thermogenesis - how some plants produce heat to attract insect pollinators (with G. M.A. Netherwood, N. M. Grant, and J. Barnes), Faculty of Science - Papers (2010)
Two Cys or Not Two Cys? That Is the Question; Alternative Oxidase in the Thermogenic Plant Sacred Lotus (with N M. Grant, Y Onda, Y Kakizaki, K Ito, and J R. Watling), Faculty of Science - Papers (2009)
Sacred lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) regulates temperature in its floral chamber to 32°C to 35°C across...
Functional transition in the floral receptacle of the sacred lotus (Nelumbo nucifera): from thermogenesis to photosynthesis (with R. E. Miller and J. R. Watling), Faculty of Science - Papers (2009)
The receptacle of the sacred lotus is the main source of heat during the thermogenic...
Synchronicity of thermogenic activity, alternative pathway respiratory flux, AOX protein content, and carbohydrates in receptacle tissues of sacred lotus during floral development (with N. M. Grant, R. E. Miller, and J. R. Watling), Faculty of Science - Papers (2008)
The relationships between heat production, alternative oxidase (AOX) pathway flux, AOX protein, and carbohydrates during...
Contribution of the Alternative Pathway to Respiration during Thermogenesis in Flowers of the Sacred Lotus (with J. R. Watling and R. S. Seymour), Faculty of Science - Papers (2006)
We report results from in vivo measurements, using oxygen isotope discrimination techniques, of fluxes through...
Plants under stress - ecophysiology
Phylloxera infested grapevines have reduced chlorophyll and increased photoprotective pigment content – can leaf pigment composition aid pest detection? (with A. L. Blanchfield, L. J. Renzullo, and K. S. Powell), Faculty of Science - Papers (2006)
Grape phylloxera is a root-feeding pest of grapevines. In Australia, phylloxera infested vineyards are subjected...
Comparison of solvent regimes for the extraction of photosynthetic pigments from leaves of higher plants (with J. L. Dunn and J. D. Turnbull), Faculty of Science - Papers (2004)
The relative efficiency of methanol- and acetone-based solvents for the extraction of pigments from photosynthetic...
Teaching
Light interception and utilisation (with J. R. Watling), Faculty of Science - Papers (2011)
Initial steps of photosynthesis involve interception and absorption of photons by photosynthetic organs; subsequent steps...
Photosynthesis in silico (with G. M.A. Netherwood and A. W. Russell) (2011)
Interactive multimedia teaching modules, web edition.
In vivo measurement of plant respiration (with M. Ribas-Carbo, J. Flexas, and G. G.B. Tcherkez), Faculty of Science - Papers (2010)
Respiration is vital; it is the essence of life. Respiration is the mechanism by which...
Photosynthesis In Silico. Overcoming the Challenges of Photosynthesis Education Using a Multimedia CD-ROM (with A. W. Russell and G. M.A. Netherwood), Faculty of Science - Papers (2004)
Photosynthesis is a central topic in biology education. It remains one of the most challenging,...
Photosynthesis in Silico: A multimedia CD-ROM combining animations, simulations and self-paced modules for photosynthesis education at all tertiary levels (with W. A. Russell and G. M.A. Netherwood), Faculty of Science - Papers (2003)
Photosynthesis is a vital component of any undergraduate biology course. Despite its central importance in...
General Interest
Environmental Effects of Ozone Depletion and its Interactions with Climate Change: 2010 Assessment (with Stephen R. Wilson), Faculty of Science - Papers (2010)
This quadrennial Assessment was prepared by the Environmental Effects Assessment Panel (EEAP) for the Parties...
Diversity - Images of Nature (exhibition) (with L. Tasker, J. Wright, and A. Netherwood) (2009)
Exhibition of photographs by Sharon Robinson, Liz Tasker, Andrew Netherwood and Julie Wright, held at...
Fire, Water, Earth and Air - the elements of conservation (exhibition) (with G. M.A. Netherwood and J. Wright) (2009)
"Fire, Water, Earth and Air - the elements of conservation", sums up the main research...
ICB Photo Competition (2008)
Sharon Robinson was project initiator and curator of the Institute of Conservation Biology ICB University...
Photographing Cool Science (exhibition) (with G. M.A. Netherwood and J. Wright) (2007)
Photographing Cool Science was a photographic exhibition featuring the best of the Institute of Conservation...
No subject area
In Vivo Measurement of Plant Respiration (with Miquel Ribas-Carbo, Jaume Flexas, and G B. Guillaume), Faculty of Science - Papers (2010)
Respiration is vital; it is the essence of life. Respiration is the mechanism by which...
The instrumental period (with Robert Bindschadler, Eberhard Fahrbach, Jim Fastook, Jaume Forcarda, Josep-Maria Gili, Nancy Bertler, D M. Bergstrom, Mauro Gugliemin, Julian Gutt, Hartmut Hellmer, F Hennion, Roberto Bargagli, Carlo Barbante, Karen Heywood, Dominic Hodgson, David Holland, Sungmin Hong, Angus Atkinson, Rob Arthern, Byron Adams, A H.L Huiskes, Steve Chown, Enrique Isla, Stan Jacobs, Anna Jones, David Bromwich, Claude Boutron, Josifino Comiso, Pete Convey, Alison Cook, Guido di Prisco, James Bockheim, Mark Stevens, Colin Summerhayes, Phil Trathan, John A. Turner, Kees van der Veen, David Vaughan, Mike Meredith, Paul Mayewski, Gareth Marshall, Cinzia Verde, Andrew Lenton, Howard Roscoe, Steve Rintoul, Hans-Otto Portner, Sergio Rossi, Ted Scambos, Jon Shanklin, Lloyd Peck, Nicholas Metzl, Andrew Monaghan, David Webb, Christian Wiencke, Covadonga Orejas, Philip Woodworth, Tony Worby, Roger Worland, Kevin K. Newsham, Alberto Naveira-Garabato, Takashi Yamanouchi, Victor Smetacek, and Kevin Speer), Faculty of Science - Papers (2009)
The instrumental period began with the first voyages to the Southern Ocean during the Seventeenth...
Moss, Casey Station, East Antarctica, Promotional material (2008)
Mosses in Antarctica grow in areas where there is summer melt water. This olive green...
Integrating tertiary literacy into the curriculum: effects on performance and retention (with Gregory R. Hampton, Janice Skillen, Alice W. Russell, Louise Rodgerson, and Neil Trivitt), Academic Services Division - Papers (2003)
Tertiary literacy instruction and assessment were introduced into two first year biology subjects as part...