Personal profile
Research Interests
My background is in plant systematics. I study the historical biogeography of plants in a range of different biomes throughout the tropics. The work describes how plants have adapted to geological and climatic changes in the past giving an indication of how they might adapt to future change. Recent work has focused on plants related to Theobroma cacao, the source of chocolate. Details of this research program can be found at the CacaoWiRe website.
Biography
BSc Biological Sciences - University of Leicester 1987-1990
MSc Pure and Applied Plant and Fungal Taxonomy - University of Reading 1991-1992
PhD Plant Systematics - University of Edinburgh 1995-1999
Post-Doctoral Researcher - Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh 1999-2001
Post-Doctoral Researcher - University of California Santa Cruz 2001-2003
Assistant Professor - Wageningen University 2003-2005
Head of Tropical Biogeography and Evolution - Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh 2005-2015
Full Professor - Rosario University, Colombia 2015-2022
Teaching Activities
Plant Identification and Taxonomy
Plant Physiology
Habitats and Ecosystems
Habitat Assessment
Current PhD Students
Carolina Bonilla - Rosario University, Colombia - A social history of cacao in Colombia.
Leah Bannon - University College Cork - Investigating the impact of agro-ecological practices and biostimulant application on soil microbial biodiversity in different pedo-climatic zones in Europe.
Amelia Shepherd Clowes - University College Cork (Based at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew) - Guinee Forestiere Coffee Revitalization.
External positions
Research Associate, Universidad del Rosario
1 Apr 2022 → …
UCC Futures (primary)
- Sustainability Institute
Other research affiliations
- UCC Futures - Sustainability Institute
PhD Supervision
- Available for PhD supervision
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
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SDG 1 No Poverty -
SDG 2 Zero Hunger -
SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being -
SDG 8 Decent Work and Economic Growth -
SDG 12 Responsible Consumption and Production -
SDG 13 Climate Action -
SDG 14 Life Below Water -
SDG 15 Life on Land -
SDG 17 Partnerships for the Goals
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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
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Expelled by the Antarctic ice: Evolutionary history of the tribe Cunonieae (Cunoniaceae)
Fajardo-Gutiérrez, F., Calbi, M., Dillenberger, M. S., Tello, S., Fuentes, A., Oleas, N. H., Segovia, R. A., Edwards, C. E., Pillon, Y., Richardson, J. E. & Borsch, T., 2025, (Accepted/In press) In: Journal of Systematics and Evolution.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access -
Wild or Introduced? Investigating the Genetic Landscape of Cacao Populations in South America
Colli-Silva, M., Richardson, J. E., Pirani, J. R. & Figueira, A., Jul 2025, In: Ecology and Evolution. 15, 7, e71746.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access -
AmMYB82 promotes flavonoid accumulation and enhances drought tolerance in Astragalus membranaceus
Qi, L., Su, W., Tian, C., Meng, R., Yuan, Z., Richardson, J. E., Zhou, Y. & Gao, F., 15 Dec 2024, In: Industrial Crops and Products. 222, 120090.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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A phylogenetic framework to study desirable traits in the wild relatives of Theobroma cacao (Malvaceae)
Bossa-Castro, A. M., Colli-Silva, M., Pirani, J. R., Whitlock, B. A., Morales Mancera, L. T., Contreras-Ortiz, N., Cepeda-Hernández, M. L., Di Palma, F., Vives, M. & Richardson, J. E., Sep 2024, In: Journal of Systematics and Evolution. 62, 5, p. 963-978 16 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access -
Combined transcriptome and metabolome analysis highlights a central role of AmMYB30 in MeJA induced flavonoid accumulation in Astragalus membranaceus
Qi, L., Ma, Y., Zheng, L., Yuan, Z., Sun, H., Richardson, J. E., Zhou, Y. & Gao, F., Oct 2024, In: Food Bioscience. 61, 104565.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Press/Media
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‘Drought-tolerant or disease-resistant cacao trees’: Scientists Make Discovery That Could Prevent Chocolate From Becoming Scarce
28/08/24
1 item of Media coverage
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INTERNATIONAL, COLOMBIA: Three species of cacao discovered in the northwest of the...
21/08/24
1 item of Media coverage
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