Staff recognition
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“GBIF opens access for New Zealand science and biodiversity to a much wider audience, and in my new role I personally will be able to increase awareness of New Zealand research to a wide range of ministers, officials and funding bodies.”
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Ilse Breitwieser, keeper of Landcare Research’s Allan Herbarium at Lincoln, examines a plant specimen from the daisy family (Asteraceae).
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An e-conference is a moderated discussion conducted via the Internet using email. It differs from other electronic “chat” or “discussion” forums by using moderators to ensure that participants follow an agreed agenda. Titled “IntSci – Integrated science for sustainability”, the conference focused on the role of science in creating change in the fields of health, the environment, and sustainability. Participants included scientists, NGOs, local government, national and international agencies, sustainability practitioners, research-funders and policy makers. A wide range of discussions was held with more than 200 postings. With increasing concern over the environmental impacts of travel, an e-conference enables large numbers of people to disseminate information and engage in discussion without travelling. Conference proceedings are available online at www.landcareresearch.co.nz/research/social/IntSci_info.asp
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Margaret Barbour has been awarded the 2006 Medal for Outstanding Physiologist by the New Zealand Society of Plant Physiologists. This prestigious award recognises Margaret’s significant international contribution to plant physiology. Her research interests focus on developing theory and stable isotope techniques to interpret plant carbon–water dynamics at scales from individual leaves to the ecosystem. This work provides new approaches to partition the sources and sinks of carbon in ecosystems and is relevant for reducing uncertainty in greenhouse gas emissions. Margaret’s work, in collaboration with colleagues in Australia, USA, France, UK and Israel, is at the leading edge of international research.
David Penman was elected to chair the Governing Board of the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), an international organisation working to create a free mega-database of all known creatures. GBIF currently has 27 member nations including the USA, UK and most other EU countries, Japan and Australia; plus 40 associate organisations and countries. It holds more than 80 million records of molecular, genetic and species information. Also, it is now linked to Google Earth, which will eventually visually display where species are. 
Ilse Breitwieser was invited by the International Compositae Alliance to lead a project, in conjunction with Jerry Cooper, to produce a global working checklist of Compositae – one of the largest families of flowering plants, with an estimated 20,000 species. This leadership position recognises Ilse’s scientific standing in taxonomy of Compositae. This is the first global botanical project to be led from New Zealand, and will involve partnership with key international institutions. 
Will Allen initiated Landcare Research’s first international e-conference, which attracted 340 participants from more than 20 countries. Will facilitated the e-conference with his fellow Collaborative Learning Group researchers Margaret Kilvington and Chrys Horn. 
John Dymond gained a DSc from the University of Canterbury for hisresearch “Development of remote sensing for environmental monitoring”. In New Zealand the use of remote sensing has been limited in mountainous and hilly landscapes due to topographic effects. John has developed tools and techniques to enable more automated monitoring of the environment in these landscapes. One tool, EcoSat, has capitalised on long-term research to develop methods for removing the effects of topography on satellite images. The techniques have been applied in a range of environmental fields to provide comprehensive data not previously available. His research has also enhanced understanding of how light refl ects off vegetation canopies in mountainous and hilly landscapes. 
Landcare Research would also like to congratulate retired staff member Peter Wardle, who was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM) in the 2006 Queen’s Birthday Honours for services to plant ecology.