Plant-derived toxins and climate change
Description
How will climate change affect the toxicity of plants? This project aims to develop a palaeoecological proxy for plant-derived toxins from calcium oxalate crystals, the most commonly formed biomineral in higher plants and highly toxic to consumers. This proxy will be used to track ecosystem-scale changes in toxin production in response to long-term changes in climate and biogeochemical cycling at Marley Fen in Wytham Woods (photo property of Curt Lambeth).
Dr Elizabeth S. Jeffers