Dr Matt Elliot, Plant Health and Biosecurity Scientist
The introduction of harmful organisms into new regions is one of the primary causes of global biodiversity loss. RBGE's plant health and biosecurity programme is therefore aimed to improve our understanding of a) the drivers that cause the introduction of plant pest and pathogen species into new regions, b) how to prevent invasions, and c) how to manage the novel species that have already been inadvertently introduced.
Our research provides evidence that can be used by practitioners, statutory bodies and policy makers to improve plant health and biosecurity knowledge and processes in their work areas. This includes providing practical management advice for land managers and plant producers to both prevent future pest and disease incursions and manage the introduced species we already have.
Specific research interests include: clarifying the pathways which enable novel species to enter a new region; gauging their spread once introduced; quantifying the impact of pests and diseases and the vulnerability of native habitats to invasion; the non-market costs of introduced species; evaluating the regulatory actions that are, and could be, used to improve biosecurity; predicting the potential impact of climate change on plant pest and disease distributions.
RBGE work closely with the Scotland's Centre of Expertise for Plant Health to ensure that our plant health and biosecurity research has relevance for stakeholders in horticulture, forestry, agriculture, and the natural environment in Scotland.
In addition to research, I am the Biosecurity Officer at RBGE were I work with teams across the organisation to look at ways to improve biosecurity on our sites and during conservation activities. To this end, RBGE were the first public garden in the UK to become Plant Healthy Certified. This ensures that our garden and nursery biosecurity processes are subjected to an annual external audit to ensure that they are continually improving.