Dr Peter Wilkie
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Dr Peter Wilkie, Sapotaceae Researcher
Peter Wilkie is a senior researcher in the Tropical Diversity Section and Editor-in-Chief of the Edinburgh Journal of Botany: An international journal of plant systematics and biodiversity. His main research focus is on the tropical trees of South East Asia, in particular, the family Sapotaceae.
Research aims:
- Produce base-line taxonomic data of the poorly known tree diversity in Malesia
- Produce and utilize large scale distributional data sets to better understand species distributions and biogeographic patterns
- Analyse distributional data for IUCN threat assessments of SE Asian tree species
- Build inter-disciplinary partnerships to develop and deliver in situ and ex situ conservation actions
- Elucidate evolutionary/phylogenetic relationships of tropical trees to establish a robust molecular phylogenetic framework for Sapotaceae research
Current Projects and Activities:
- Production of an account of Sapotaceae for the Flora of Peninsular Malaysia (11+ genera, 80+ species)
- Publication of a molecular phylogeny of the tribe Isonandreae
- Publication of a molecular phylogeny of Payena
- Production of a Monograph of Palaquium (100+ species)
- Maintain and develop the on-line Sapotaceae Resource Centre
- Production of IUCN Red List Assessments for Sapotaceae
- Supervision of MSc and PhD Students
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Dr Peter Wilkie
Useful Links:
Publications
Oldfield, S.& Rivers, M. with contributions by Newton, A. and Wilkie, P. (2023) Rare trees: The fascinating stories of the world's most threatened species. Timber Press Pp: 400.
Phang, A, Pezzini, F.F., Burslem, D.F.R.P., Khew, G.S., Middleton, D.J., Ruhsam, M., Wilkie, P. (2023) Target capture sequencing for phylogenomic and population studies in the Southeast Asian genus Palaquium (Sapotaceae). Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 203 (2): 134–147. https://doi.org/10.1093/botlinnean/boad022
Phang, A., Atkins, H., Wilkie, P. (2022) The effectiveness and limitations of digital images for taxonomic research. Taxon, 71 (5): 1063-1076. https://doi.org/10.1002/tax.12767
Lindsay, S. +120 others (2022) Flora of Singapore Checklist and Bibliography. The Gardens’ Bulletin Singapore, 74 (Suppl. 1): 3–860. https://doi.org/10.26492/gbs74(suppl.1).2022-01
Wilkie, P., (Editor-in-Chief), Hughes, M., Kidner, CA. (2022) Begonia Special Issue. Edinburgh Journal of Botany, 79 (special issue). https://journals.rbge.org.uk/ejb/issue/view/142
Gaisberger, H. + 71 others (2021) Tropical and subtropical Asia's valued tree species under threat. Conservation Biology, 36 (3):1-15. https://doi.org/10.1111/cobi.13873
Grace, O.M. + 18 others (2021) Botanical Monography in the Anthropocene. Trends in Plant Science, 26 (5): 433-441. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tplants.2020.12.018
Cámara-Leret, R. +99 others (2020) New Guinea has the world’s richest island flora. Nature, 584: 579–583. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-020-2549-5
Wilkie, P., Conlon, T. & Hardy, G. (2020) A biography of G. Argent. Edinburgh Journal of Botany, 77 (3): 311-335. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0960428620000141
Argent, G. & Wilkie, P. (2020) Six new species of Vaccinium (Ericaceae) from New Guinea. Edinburgh Journal of Botany, 77 (3): 439-453. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0960428620000104
Ganesan, S.K., Middleton, D.J., & Wilkie, P. (2019) A revision of Pterospermum (Malvaceae/Dombeyoideae) in Malesia. Edinburgh Journal of Botany, 77 (2): 161-241. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0960428619000337
Wellsow, J., Hart, M., Wilkie, P., Harris, D.J. (2019) A taxonomic revision of the African genus Desplatsia Bocq. (Malvaceae - Grewioideae). European Journal of Taxonomy, 584: 1-38. https://doi.org/10.5852/ejt.2019.584
Wilkie, P. (2019) Obituary: George Argent, Rhododendron expert nicknamed ‘Edinburgh’s Indiana Jones of Botany’. Scotsman Newspaper 21 May. https://www.scotsman.com/news/people/obituary-george-argent-rhododendron-expert-nicknamed-edinburgh-s-indiana-jones-of-botany-1-4930462
Wilkie, P., Hughes, K., Newman, N. (Eds) (2018) Proceedings of the 10th Flora Malesiana Symposium. Sibbaldia, 16: 1-197. https://journals.rbge.org.uk/rbgesib/issue/view/21
Wilkie, P. (2018) Editorial. The 10th Flora Malesiana Symposium. Sibbaldia, 16: 1-4. https://journals.rbge.org.uk/rbgesib/article/view/239
Wilkie, P. (2018) Obituary: Tony Whitten (1953-2017). Sibbaldia, 16: 7. https://journals.rbge.org.uk/rbgesib/article/view/243
Hutabarat, P.W.K., Wilkie, P. (2018) The Sapotaceae of Indonesia and the potential role of botanic gardens in their conservation. Sibbaldia, 16: 141-154. https://journals.rbge.org.uk/rbgesib/article/view/252
Kümpers, B.M.C., Richardson, J.E., Anderberg, A.A., Wilkie, P., Ronse De Craene, L.P. (2016) The significance of meristic changes in the flowers of Sapotaceae Juss. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 180 (2):161-192. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/boj.12363
Wilkie, P. & Argent, G.C.G. (2016) A new species of Diplycosia (Ericaceae) from Southern Kalimantan, Indonesia. Edinburgh Journal of Botany, 73 (1): 139-142. https://journals.rbge.org.uk/ejb/article/view/1596
Richardson, J.E., Bakar, A., Tosh, J. Armstrong, K., Smedmark, J., Andernerg, A.A., Slik, F., Wilkie, P. (2014) The influence of tectonics, sea-level changes and dispersal on migration and diversification of Isonandreae (Sapotaceae). Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 174 (1): 130-140. https://academic.oup.com/botlinnean/article/174/1/130/2416357
Wilkie, P. (2013) A New Species of Pterospermum Schreb. (Dombeyoideae, Malvaceae/Sterculiaceae) from Southern Thailand. Thai Forest Bulletin, 41, 10-12.
Wilkie, P., Dalberg Poulsen, A., Harris, D., Forrest, L.L. (2013) The collection and storage of plant material for DNA extraction: The Teabag Method. Gardens’ Bulletin Singapore, 65 (2): 231-234. https://www.nparks.gov.sg/sbg/research/publications/gardens'-bulletin-singapore/-/media/sbg/gardens-bulletin/gbs_65_02_y2013_v65_02/4-4-65-2-10-y2013-v65p2-gbs-pg-231.ashx
Wilkie, P. (2011) Towards an account of Sapotaceae for Flora Malesiana. Gardens’ Bulletin Singapore, 63 (1&2): 145-153. https://www.nparks.gov.sg/sbg/research/publications/gardens'-bulletin-singapore/-/media/sbg/gardens-bulletin/gbs_63_01,-a-,02_y2011_v63_01,-a-,02/63_01,-a-,02_145_y2011_v63p1,-a-,p2_gbs_pg_145.ashx
Wilkie, P & Berhaman, A. (2011) Sterculiaceae. In: E. Soepadmo, L.G. Saw, Chung R.C.K. and Kiew, R. (eds.) Tree Flora of Sabah and Sarawak Vol 7. Pp. 108. Ampang Press Sdn. Bhd., Kuala Lumpur.
Slik, J.W.F., +15 others (2009) Environmental correlates for Borneo’s tropical tree species diversity and compositional patterns. Diversity and Distributions, 15: 523-532. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1472-4642.2009.00557.x
Wilkie, P. (2009) A Revision of Scaphium (Sterculioideae, Malvaceae/Sterculiaceae). Edinburgh Journal of Botany, 66 (2): 283-328. https://journals.rbge.org.uk/ejb/article/view/1340
Phongsak, P. & Wilkie, P. (2008) Scaphium affine (Mast.) Pierre (Sterculiaceae) new for Thailand. Thai Forest Bulletin (Bot.), 36: 61-69.
Wilkie, P. (2008) A new species of Scaphium (Sterculioideae, Malvaceae/Sterculiaceae) from Borneo. Edinburgh Journal of Botany, 65 (3): 475-481.
https://journals.rbge.org.uk/ejb/article/view/1301/1192
Argent, G., Wilkie, P., Madulid, D. (2007) Lobelia proctorii sp. nov. (Lobelioideae, Campanulaceae / Lobeliaceae) from the Philippines. Plant Ecology, 192 (2): 157-160.
Wilkie, P. (2007) A new species of Pterospermum schreb. (Dombeyoideae, Malvaceae/Sterculiaceae) from Cambodia and Vietnam. Edinburgh Journal of Botany, 64 (2): 179-183. https://journals.rbge.org.uk/ejb/article/view/1176
Wilkie, P., Clark, A., Pennington, R.T., Cheek, P., Bayer, C., & Wilcock, C.C. (2006) Phylogenetic Relationships within the Subfamily Sterculioideae (Malvaceae/Sterculiaceae-Sterculieae). Using the Chloroplast Gene ndhF. Systematic Botany, 31(1): 160-170. https://www.jstor.org/stable/25064137
Wortley, A.H. & Wilkie, P. (2005) Thematic Review of Darwin Initiative’s Contribution to the Global Taxonomy Initiative. DEFRA (UK Government) Report.
Wilkie, P., Argent, G., Campbell, E., Saridan, A. (2004) The Diversity of 15 hectares of lowland mixed dipterocarp forest, Central Kalimantan. Biodiversity and Conservation, 13: 695-708. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1023/B:BIOC.0000011721.04879.79
Slik, J.W.F., + 16 others (2003) A floristic analysis of the lowland dipterocarp forests of Borneo. Journal of Biogeography, 30 (10): 1517-1531. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1046/j.1365-2699.2003.00967.x
Wilkie, P., Sands, M.J.S., Mendum, M. (1999) Begonia chloroneura (Begoniaceae): a new species from the Philippine island of Luzon. The New Plantsman, 6 (3): 132-138.
Wilkie, P. & Saridan, A. (1999) The limitations of vernacular names in an inventory study, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia. Biodiversity and Conservation, 8 (11): 1457-1467. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1023/A:1008930012467
Argent, G., Saridan, A., Campbell, E.J.F., Wilkie, P. (Eds.) (1997) Manual of the larger and more important non dipterocarp trees of Central Kalimantan. Two vol. Forest Research Institute, Samarinda, Indonesia.
Committees
- Editor-in-Chief 10th Flora Malesiana Symposium Proceedings
- Member of the IUCN/ Species Survival Commission Global Tree Specialist Group
- Member of the Department of Environment’s (DEFRA) Nagoya Protocol stakeholders group
- CBD Policy Coordination for RBGE
- Honorary Fellow University of Edinburgh
- Secretary of the UK Systematics Association (2008-2016)
- Chairman of the Edinburgh Centre for Tropical Forests (2001-2002; 2007-2009).
Project Web Pages
Media Coverage
Botanic garden fighting to save the rainforest from the scorched earth of human activity: The Scotsman 23 february 2018
Read more at: https://www.scotsman.com/news/opinion/dr-peter-wilkie-botanic-garden-fighting-to-save-the-rainforest-from-the-scorched-earth-of-human-activity-1-4694369
Read more at: https://www.scotsman.com/news/opinion/dr-peter-wilkie-botanic-garden-fighting-to-save-the-rainforest-from-the-scorched-earth-of-human-activity-1-4694369
What’s in a name? A mass of analysis: The Scotsman 20 January 2015
http://www.scotsman.com/news/opinion/what-s-in-a-name-a-mass-of-analysis-1-3666334
Saving the Orang-utan: The Scotsman 1 Sept 2015: http://www.scotsman.com/news/environment/scots-scientists-lead-way-in-bid-to-save-orang-utan-1-
What is a Taxonomist: BBC Scotland: 3 September 2015: Kaye Adams Show. Interview starts shortly after 01:34:30.https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b069y5lp
Scientists go to Orangutan's rescue: The Times: September 2015: http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/uk/scotland/article4543999.ece
Discover more
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