Barry Osmond School of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Faculty of Science Australian National University Canberra, ACT 0200, Australia

Contact Details

E: Barry.Osmond@anu.edu.au

Main Research interests

Photosynthesis Plant ecophysiology Global change research

Research Activities

Photosynthesis: from the thylakoid membrane to the biosphere. Photosynthesis, the miracle in which plants turn sunlight, air and water into bread and wine, fuel and fibre, is the most energetic of all biological processes, and possibly the plant process most responsive to stress. Two main areas of current interest are the readily reversible processes of photoprotection, and the slowly reversible processes of photoinactivation that lead to photodamage. The former involve pigment protein transformations in the antennae of photosystem II that lead to the dumping of excess light as heat. The latter involve events in the reaction centre of photosystem II that lead to the destruction of core proteins and loss of function. Approaches to these problems use non-intrusive methods of chlorophyll fluorescence kinetics and imaging in-vivo, and intrusive studies of chloroplast membrane structure and function in-vitro. These techniques are also applied in environmental plant physiology and ecology; to determine the interaction of light with high temperature, water and nutritional stresses, and can be scaled up po remote sensing of the biosphere.

Publications

Ananyev, G., Kolber, Z.S., Klimov, D., Falkowski, P.G., Berry, J.A., Rascher, U., Martin, R. and Osmond, B. (2005) Photosynthetic efficiency in the outer canopy measured by laser-induced chlorophyll fluorescence transients (LIFT). In: van der Est, A. and Bruce, D. (eds). Photosynthesis: fundamental aspects to global perspectives., Allen Press (in press). Ananyev, G., Kolber, Z.S., Klimov, D., Falkowski, P.G., Berry, J.A., Rascher, U., Martin, R., and Osmond, B. (2005) Remote sensing of heterogeneity in photosynthetic efficiency, electron transport and dissipation of excess light in Populus deltoides stands under ambient and elevated CO2 concentrations, and in a tropical forest canopy, using a new laser-induced fluorescence transient (LIFT) device. Clobal Change Biology (in press). Barron-Gafford, G., Osmond, C.B., Grieve, K., Lipson, D. and Murthy, R. (2005) Elevated CO2 differentially effects photosynthesis and carbon balance in poplar stands, a four year study. In: van der Est, A. and Bruce, D. (eds). Photosynthesis: fundamental aspects to global perspectives. Allen Press (in press). Matsubara, S., Naumann, M., Martin, R., Nichol, C., Rascher, U. and Osmond, B. (2005) Slowly Reversible conversion of lutein-epoxide into lutein in Inga leaves: a means of quick photoacclimation? In: van der Est, A. and Bruce, D. (eds). Photosynthesis: fundamental aspects to global perspectives (in press). Matsubara, S., Naumann, M., Martin, R., Rascher, U., Nichol, C., Morosinotto, T., Bassi, R. and Osmond, B. (2005) Slowly reversible de-epoxidation of lutein-epoxide in deep shade leaves of a tropical tree legume may "lock-in" lutein-based photoprotection during acclimation to strong light. Journal of Experimental Botany, 56: 461-468. Rascher, U., Bobich, E.G. and Osmond, C.B. (2004). The "Kluge-Kammer": preliminary evaluation of an enclosed Crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) mesocosm that allows separation of synchronized and desynchronized contributions of CAM plants to whole system gas exchange. Plant Ecol. (in press). Osmond, B. and Förster, B. (2004). Photoinhibition: then and now. In: Demmig-Adams B, Adams III WW, Mattoo A (eds) "Photoprotection, Photoinhibition, Gene Regulation, and Environment" Kluwer Academic Publishers (in press). Walter, A., Rascher, U. and Osmond, B. (2004). Transitions in photosynthetic parameters of midvein and interveinal regions of leaves and their importance during leaf growth and development. Plant Biol. 6, 184-191. Osmond, B., Ananyev, G., Berry, J., Kolber, Z., Langdon, C., Lin, G., Monson, R., Nichol, C., Rascher, U., Schurr, U., Smith, S. and Yakir, D. (2004). Changing the way we think about global change research: scaling up in experimental ecosystem science. Global Change Biol. 10, 393-407. Franklin, L.A., Osmond, C.B. and Larkum, A.W.D.(2003). Photoinhibition, UV-B and algal photosynthesis. In: Larkum AWD, Douglas SE, Raven JA (eds) Photosynthesis in Algae. Advances in Photosynthesis and Respiration, Kluwer, Dordrecht, pp 351-384. Matsubara, S., Morosinotto, T., Bassi, R., Christian, A-L., Fischer-Schliebs, E., Lüttge, U., Orthen, B., Franco, A.C., Scarno, F.R., Förster, B., Pogson, B.J. and Osmond, C.B. (2003). Occurrence of the lutein epoxide cycle in mistletoes of Loranthaceae and Viscaceae. Planta 217, 868-879. Black, C.C. and Osmond, C.B. (2003). Crassulacean acid metabolism photosynthesis: ‘working the night shift’. Photosynth. Res. 76, 329-341. Osmond, B. (2003). Sir Rutherford Ness (Bob) Robertson. Proc. Am. Phil. Soc. 147, 181-186. Hendrickson, L., Ball, M.C., Osmond, C.B., Furbank, R.T. and Chow, W.S. (2003). Assessment of photoprotection mechanisms of grapevine at low temperature. Functional Plant Biol. 30, 621-642. Matsubara, S., Gilmore, A.M., Ball, M.C., Anderson, J.M. and Osmond, C.B. (2002). Sustained down regulation of photosystem II in mistletoes during winter depression of photosynthesis. Functional Plant Biol. 29, 1157-1169. Maddess, T., Rascher, U., Siebke, K., Lüttge, U. and Osmond, B. (2002). Definition and evaluation of the spatio-temporal variations in chlorophyll fluorescence during the phases of CAM, and during endogenous rhythms in continuous light, in thick leaves of Kalanchoe daigremontiana. Plant Biol. 4, 446-455. Osmond, C.B. and Park, Y-M. (2002). Field-portable imaging system for measurement of chlorophyll fluorescence quenching. In Omasa K, Saji, H, Youseffian S, Kondo N (eds) “Air Pollution and Biotechnology-Prospects for Phytomonitoring and Phytoremediation”, pp 309-319, Springer Verlag, Tokyo. Boardman, N.K., Osmond, C.B. and Lüttge, U. (2002). Michael George Pitman 1933-2000. Hist. Rec. Aust. Sci. 14, 193-208. Flexas, J., Escalona, J.M., Evain, S., Gulias, J., Moya, I., Osmond, C.B. and Medrano, H. (2002). Steady state chlorophyll fluorescence (Fs) measurements as a tool to follow variations of net CO2 assimilation and stomatal conductance during water-stress in C3 plants. Physiol. Plant. 114, 231-240. Rascher, U., Hütt, M-T., Siebke, K., Osmond, C.B., Beck, F. and Lüttge, U. (2001). Spatio-temporal variation of metabolism in a plant circadian rhythm: the biological clock as an assembly of coupled individual oscillators. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. (USA) 98, 11801-11805. Förster, B., Osmond, B., and Boynton, J. (2001). Very high light resistant mutants of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii with impaired PSII function: D1 protein dynamics, functional PSII and PSI centers and intersystem electron transport capacities. Proceedings 12th International Congress on Photosynthesis. CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne, www.publish.csiro.au/ps2001 4pp. Matsubara, S., Gilmore, A.M., Ball, M.C., Anderson, J.M. and Osmond, C.B. (2001). Photoprotection under low temperatures: Effects by pigment arrangement in Amyema miquelii. Proceedings 12th International Congress on Photosynthesis. CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne, www.publish.csiro.au/ps2001 4pp. Hendrickson, L., Ball, M.C., Chow, W.S., Furbank, R.T. and Osmond, C.B. (2001). Low morning temperature limits photosynthesis and growth in cool climate grapevines. Proceedings 12th International Congress on Photosynthesis. CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne, www.publish.csiro.au/ps2001 4pp. Rascher, U., Hutt, M-T., Osmond, C.B., Siebke, K. and Lüttge, U. (2001). Spatio-temporal variation of photosynthetic activity during the endogenous circadian CAM rhythm of Kalanchoë daigremontiana: the biological clock as an assembly of coupled nonlinear oscillators. Proceedings 12th International Congress on Photosynthesis. CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne, www.publish.csiro.au/ps2001 4pp. Matsubara, S., Gilmore, A.M. and Osmond, C.B. (2001). Diurnal and acclimatory responses of violaxanthin and lutein epoxide in the Australian mistltoe Amyema miquelii. Aust. J. Plant Physiol. 28, 793-800. Förster, B., Osmond, C.B. and Boynton, J.E. (2001). Very high light resistant mutants of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii: responses of photosystem II, nonphotochemical quenching and xanthophyll pigments to light and CO2. Photosynth. Res. 67, 5-15. Edwards, G.E., Furbank, R.T., Hatch, M.D. and Osmond, C.B. (2001). What does it take to be C4 ? Lessons from the evolution of C4 photosynthesis. Plant Physiol, 125, 46-49. Walker, D.A., Osmond, C.B. and Foyer, C.H. (2000). Some consequences of the public misunderstanding of our science. In: Osmond CB, Foyer CH and BOck G (Eds) Photoprotection of the photosynthetic apparatus. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. (B) 355, 1333-1335. Heifetz, P.B., Förster, B., Osmond, C.B., Giles, L.J., and Boynton, J.E. (1999). Effects of acetate on facultative autotrophy in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii assessed by photosynthetic measurements and stable isotope analysis. Plant Physiol, 122, 1439-1445. Lohaus, G., Heldt, H.W. and Osmond, C.B. (1999). Infection with phloem limited Abutilon mosaic virus causes localised carbohydrate accumulation in leaves of Abutilon striatum: relationships to symptom development and effects on chlorophyll fluorescence quenching during photosynthetic induction. Plant Biol, 2, 161-167. Osmond, B., Maxwell, K., Popp, M. and Robinson, S. (1999). On being thick: fathoming apparently futile pathways of photosynthesis and carbohydrate metabolism in succulent CAM plants. In: Carbohydrate Metabolism in Plants (Burrell M, Bryant J, Kruger N, eds). Bios Science Publ. Oxford. pp183-200. Förster, B., Osmond, C.B., Boynton, J.E. and Gillham, N.W. (1999). Mutants of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii resistant to very high light. J. Photochem. Photobiol. B. 48,127-135. Flexas, J., Badger, M., Chow, W.S., Medrano, H. and Osmond, C.B. (1999). Analysis of the relative increase in photosynthetic O2 evolution when photosynthesis in grapevine leaves is inhibited following low night temperature and/or water stress. Plant Physiol. 121, 675-684. Osmond, C.B., Kramer, D. and Lüttge, U. (1999). Reversible, water stress-induced non-uniform chlorophyll fluorescence quenching in wilting leaves of Potentilla reptans may not be due to patchy stomatal closure. Plant Biol. 1, 618-624. Osmond, B., Schwartz, O. and Gunning, B. (1999). Photoinhibitory printing on leaves, visualised by chlorophyll fluorescence imaging and confocal microscopy, is due to diminished fluorescence from grana. Aust. J. Plant Physiol. 26, 717-724. Osmond, C.B., Anderson, J.M.., Ball, M.C. and Egerton, J.J.G. (1999). Compromising efficiency: The molecular ecology of light resource utilisation in terrestrial plants. In: Advances in Physiological Plant Ecology (Press MC, Scholes JC, Baker M, eds) Blackwells, Oxford. pp. 1-24.