Dr Alex Davey
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Dr Alex Davey, Deputy Director of Science (Research)
My role encompasses strategically planning, leading and overseeing RBGE’s research to combat the biodiversity and climate crises in Scotland and globally, growing grant income, enhancing equity, inclusion and access, and working with external partners to ensure impact.
With field experience in South America, tropical Africa and Southeast Asia, my interests range from tropical biodiversity surveying, herbarium taxonomy and systematics, to molecular and morphological phylogenetics, palynology and palaeobotany, vegetation change, and threatened species restoration. I enjoy pushing the boundaries of traditional disciplines, working with artists, poets and social scientists to explore ways to analyse impact and raise awareness of global challenges such as plant extinction and habitat loss and their links to human health and wellbeing
My current research focuses around conservation prioritisation, drawing together synergistic outputs from our species- and habitat-level assessments. I am also working to develop our collaborative research, conservation and horticultural training in China, focused around our field station on the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain near Lijiang, Yunnan Province. I am developing programmes with colleagues in Edinburgh and Berlin, using interdisciplinary approaches to analyse the impact of botanic gardens at local, national and global scales in urban and rural environments.
I am also author of the book World of Plants, Stories of Survival which explores the role of botanic gardens in preventing plant extinctions.
Please get in touch if you would like to discuss possibilities for collaboration with, or dissemination of, RBGE’s science.
Follow me on Twitter @adavey_RBGE and @RBGE_science.
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Useful links:
(I also publish under my maiden name of Wortley)
2023
Yao, Y.-F., Song, X.-Y., et al. 2023. New insights into the origin of buckwheat cultivation in southwestern China from pollen data. New Phytol 237 (6): 2467—2477. https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.18659
2022
Albani Rocchetti, G., Carta, A., et al. 2022. Selecting the best candidates for resurrecting extinct-in-the-wild plants from herbaria. Nat Plants 8: 1385—1393. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41477-022-01296-7
2021
Davey, A.D. 2021. World of Plants, Stories of Survival. Edinburgh: RBGE.
2020
Trivedi, A., Tang, Y.-N., Qin, F., Farooqui, A., Wortley, A.H., Wang, Y.-F., Blackmore, S., Li, C.-S. & Yao, Y.F. Holocene vegetation dynamics and climatic fluctuations from Shuanghaizi Lake in the Hengduan Mountains, southwestern China. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 560: 110035. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.palaeo.2020.110035
Yao, Y.-F., Wang, X., Qin, F., Wortley, A.H., Li, S.-P., Blackmore, S., Li, C.-S. & Wang, Y.-F. Evidence for climate instability during the Younger Dryas interval in the Hengduan Mountains, Yunnan, southwestern China. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 554: 109798. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.palaeo.2020.109798
2018
Harris, D.J. & Wortley, A.H. Monograph of Aframomum (Zingiberaceae). Systematic Botany Monographs 104: 1-206.
Tao, Z.-B., Wortley, A.H., Lu, L., Li, D.-Z., Wang, H. & Blackmore, S. Evolution of angiosperm pollen. 6. The Celastrales, Oxalidales, and Malpighiales (com) clade and Zygophyllales. Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 103(3): 393-442. https://doi.org/10.3417/2018074
Wang, X., Yao, Y.-F., Wortley, A.H., Qiao, H.-J., Blackmore, S., Wang, Y.-F. & Li, C.S. Vegetation responses to the warming at the Younger Dryas-Holocene transition in the Hengduan Mountains, southwestern China. Quaternary Science Reviews 192: 236-248. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2018.06.007
Yu, Y., Wortley, A.H., Lu, L., Li, D.-Z., Wang, H. & Blackmore, S. Evolution of angiosperm pollen. 5. Early diverging Superasteridae (Berberidopsidales, Caryophyllales, Cornales, Ericales, and Santalales) plus Dilleniales. Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 103(1): 106-161. https://doi.org/10.3417/2017017
2017
Yao, Y.-F., Song, X.-Y., Wortley, A.H., Wang, Y.-F., Blackmore, S. & Li, C.-S. Pollen-based reconstruction of vegetational and climatic change over the past ~30 ka at Shudu Lake in the Hengduan Mountains of Yunnan, southwestern China. PLoS One 12(2): e0171967. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0171967
Zhang, M.-Y., Lu, L., Wortley, A.H., Wang, H., Li, D.-Z. & Blackmore, S. Evolution of angiosperm pollen: 4. Basal eudicots. Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 102(1): 141-182. https://doi.org/10.3417/2015035
2015
Blackmore, S., Hong, D.-Y., Raven, P. & Wortley, A.H. 2013/2015. Introduction. In: Hong, D.-Y. & Blackmore, S. (eds), The Plants of China. Beijing: Science Press and Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Dong, L.-N., Wang, H., Wortley, A.H., Li, D.-Z. & Lu, L. Fruit and seed morphology in some representative genera of tribe Rhinantheae sensu lato (Orobanchaceae) and related taxa. Plant Systematics and Evolution 301: 479-500. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00606-014-1087-8
Lu, L., Wortley, A.H., Li, D.-Z., Wang, H. & Blackmore, S. Evolution of angiosperm pollen. 2. Basal angiosperms. Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 100: 227-279. https://doi.org/10.3417/2012048
Luo, Y., Lu, L., Wortley, A.H., Li, D.-Z., Wang, H. & Blackmore, S. Evolution of angiosperm pollen. 3. Monocots. Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 101: 406-455. https://doi.org/10.3417/2014014
Wortley, A.H. & Harris, D.J. Sangha Trees: an identification and training guide to the trees of the northern Republic of Congo. In: Watson, M.F. & Lyal, C. Floras and Faunas Serving Biodiversity Research. Systematics Association Proceedings Volume.
Wortley, A.H., Wang, H., Lu, L., Li, D.-Z. & Blackmore, S. Evolution of angiosperm pollen. 1. Introduction Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 100: 177-226. https://doi.org/10.3417/2012047
Yao, Y.-F., Song, X.-Y., Wortley, A.H., Blackmore, S. & Li, C.-S. A 22 570-year record of vegetational and climatic change from Wenhai Lake in the Hengduan Mountains biodiversity hotspot, Yunnan, Southwest China. Biogeosciences 12: 1525—1535. https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-12-1525-2015
2013
Dong, L.-N., Wang, H., Wortley, A.H. & Li, D.-Z. Phylogenetic relationships in the Pterygiella complex (Orobanchaceae) inferred from molecular and morphological evidence. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 171(3): 491-507. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1095-8339.2012.01326.x
2012
Blackmore, S., Chin, C.-S., Chong Seng, L., Christie, F., Inches, F., Putri, W.U., Watherston, N. & Wortley, A.H. Observations on the morphology, pollination and cultivation of coco-de-mer (Lodoicea maldivica (J.F.Gmel.) Pers., Palmae). Journal of Botany 687832; https://doi.org/10.1155/2012/687832
Blackmore, S., Takahashi, M., Uehara, K. & Wortley, A.H. Development of megaspores and microspores in Isoetes japonica A. Br. (Lycopodiophyta: Isoetaceae). Grana 51(2): 84-96. https://doi.org/10.1080/00173134.2012.677059
Mark, P.J.L., Wortley, A.H. & Furness, C.A. Not a shrinking violet: pollen morphology of Violaceae (Malpighiales). Grana 51(3): 181-193. https://doi.org/10.1080/00173134.2012.679310
Song, X.-Y., Yao, Y.-F., Wortley, A.H., Paudayal, K.N., Li, C.-S. & Blackmore, S. 2012. Holocene vegetation and climate history at Haligu on the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, Yunnan, SW China. Climatic Change 113(3-4): 841-866. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10584-011-0364-6
Wortley, A.H. Phylogeny: the science and underlying data. Ubiquity: the Journal of Pervasive Media 1(1): 104-120. https://doi.org/10.1386/ubiq.1.1.104_7
Wortley, A.H., Blackmore, S., Chissoe, W.F. & Skvarla, J.J. Recent advances in Compositae (Asteraceae) palynology, with emphasis on previously unstudied and unplaced taxa. Grana 51(2): 158-179. https://doi.org/10.1080/00173134.2012.668219
2011
Dhetchuvi, J.-B., Wortley, A.H. & Harris, D.J. A new species of Aframomum (Zingiberaceae) from Central Africa. Phytotaxa 28: 31-34. http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.298.3.7
Dong, L.-N., Wortley, A.H., Wang, H., Li, De.-Z. & Lu, L. The efficiency of DNA barcodes for species delimitation: a case in Pterygiella Oliv. (Orobanchaceae). Journal of Systematics and Evolution 49(3): 189-202. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1759-6831.2011.00124.x
Harris, D.J., Moutsamboté, J.-M., Kami, E., Florence, J., Bridgewater, S.G.M. & Wortley, A.H. An Introduction to the Trees from the North of the Republic of Congo. Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK [English and French editions].
Wortley, A.H. Ten years of the Lijiang Project. The Botanics 47: 4-6.
2010
Bebber, D.P., Carine, M.A., Wood, J.R.I., Wortley, A.H., Harris, D.J., Prance, G.T., Davidse, G., Paige., J., Pennington, T.D., Robson, N.K. & Scotland, R.W. Herbaria are the major frontier for species discovery. Proceedings of the National Academy of Science of the United States of America 107(51): 22169-22171. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1011841108
Blackmore, S. & Wortley, A.H. Ontogeny and Systematics revisited: developmental models and model organisms. In: Williams, D.M. & Knapp, S. (eds). Beyond Cladistics. University of California Press, Berkeley, CA.
Blackmore, S., Wortley, A.H., Skvarla, J.J., Gabarayeva, N.I. & Rowley, J.R. Developmental origins of structural diversity in pollen walls of Compositae. Plant Systematics and Evolution 284: 17-32 http://www.springerlink.com/content/0203347l2088725p/
2009
Blackmore, S., Wortley, A.H., Skvarla, J.J. & Robinson, H. Evolution of pollen in the Compositae. Pp. 101-130 in: Funk, V.A., Susanna, A., Stuessy, T. & Bayer, R. (eds.). Systematics, Evolution and Biogeography of the Compositae. IAPT, Vienna, Austria.
Harris, D.J. & Wortley, A.H. Liste des Arbres du Parc National de Nouabalé-Ndoki, République du Congo. https://herbaria.plants.ox.ac.uk/bol/Content/Projects/congo/Resources/NNNP.pdf
Harris, D.J. & Wortley, A.H. Liste des Arbres de l’UFA de Kabo, République du Congo https://herbaria.plants.ox.ac.uk/bol/Content/Projects/congo/Resources/Kufa.pdf
Wang, H., Wortley, A.H. & Blackmore, S. Pollen morphology of Crepidinae and Lactucinae (Asteraceae: Cichorieae) and its systematic significance. Grana 48: 160-178 https://doi.org/10.1080/00173130902931209
Wortley, A.H., Blackmore, S. & Skvarla, J.J. Bibliography of pollen literature in the Compositae. Pp. 807-867 in: Funk, V.A., Susanna, A., Stuessy, T. & Bayer, R. (eds.). Systematics, Evolution and Biogeography of the Compositae. IAPT, Vienna, Austria.
2008
Evans, K.M., Wortley, A.H., Simpson, G.E., Chepurnov, V.A. & Mann, D.G. A molecular systematic approach to explore the nature of cryptic diversity within the model species complex Sellaphora pupula agg. (Bacillariophyta). New Phycologist 44: 215-231 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1529-8817.2007.00454.x
Harris, D.J. & Wortley, A.H. Sangha Trees: an Illustrated Identification Manual. Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
Wortley, A.H., Funk, V.F., Robinson, H., Skvarla, J.J. & Blackmore, S. Using pollen morphology to investigate rogue genera in Compositae (Asteraceae). Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology 146: 169-181
Wortley, A.H., Funk, V.A. & Skvarla, J.J. Pollen and the evolution of Arctotideae. The Botanical Review 74: 438-466. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12229-008-9014-8
2007
Blackmore, S., Wortley, A.H., Skvarla, J.J. & Rowley, J.R. Pollen wall development in flowering plants. New Phytologist 174: 483-498 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-8137.2007.02060.x
Evans, K.M., Wortley, A.H. & Mann, D.G. An assessment of potential “bar-code” genes (cox1, rbcL, 18S and ITS rDNA) to aid the identification of diatoms (Bacillariophyta). Protist 158: 349-364.
Harris, D.J. & Wortley, A.H. Draft Checklist of the Trees of the Northern Republic of Congo https://herbaria.plants.ox.ac.uk/bol/Content/Projects/congo/Resources/NCongo_draftchecklist.pdf
Wortley, A.H., Harris, D.J. & Scotland, R.W. On the taxonomy and phylogenetic position of Thomandersia. Systematic Botany 32: 415-444 https://doi.org/10.1600/036364407781179716
2006
Harris, D.J. & Wortley, A.H. A new species of Drypetes (Putranjivaceae) from the Central African Republic. Edinburgh Journal of Botany 63: 253-256. https://doi.org/10.1017/S096042860600059X
Harris, D.J. & Wortley, A.H. A new species of Eriocoelum (Sapindaceae) from the Central African Republic. Kew Bulletin 61: 277-280 http://www.jstor.org/pss/20443275
Wortley, A.H. & Scotland, R.W. Determining the potential utility of datasets for phylogeny reconstruction. Taxon 55: 431-442
Wortley, A.H. & Scotland, R.W. The effect of combining molecular and morphological data in published phylogenetic analyses. Systematic Biology 55: 677-685 https://www.jstor.org/stable/20142964
2005
Wortley, A.H., Harris, D.J., Rudall, P.J. & Scotland, R.W. How much data are needed to resolve a difficult phylogeny? Case study in Lamiales. Systematic Biology 54: 697-709. https://doi.org.10.1080/10635150500221028
Wortley, A.H., Rudall, P.J. & Scotland, R.W. Floral anatomy of Thomandersia (Lamiales), with particular reference to the nature of the retinaculum and extranuptial nectaries. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 149: 469-482 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1095-8339.2005.00507.x
Wortley, A.H. & Wilkie, P. Thematic Review of Darwin Initiative’s Contribution to the Global Taxonomy Initiative. Defra/ECTF.
2004
Wortley, A.H. & Scotland, R.W. Synonymy, sampling and seed plant numbers. Taxon 53: 478-480. https://www.jstor.org/stable/4135625
2003
Scotland, R.W., Hughes, C.E., Bailey, C.D. & Wortley, A.H. The big machine and the much-maligned taxonomist. Biodiversity and Systematics 1: 139-143. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1477200003001178
Scotland, R.W. & Wortley, A.H. How many species of seed plants are there? Taxon 52: 101-104. https://www.jstor.org/stable/3647306
2002
Wortley, A.H., Bennett, J.R. & Scotland, R.W. Taxonomy and phylogeny reconstruction: two distinct research agendas in systematics. Edinburgh Journal of Botany 59: 335-349 https://doi.org/10.1017/S0960428602000203
Irene Manton prize at the Linnean Society of London, 2005.
Brian Thomas Styles Memorial Prize at the University of Oxford, 2004.
Fellow of the Linnean Society of London.
Jack Baker: Exploring the Impact of Royal Botanical Garden Edinburgh's Living and Preserved Collections on Climate and Biodiversity Outcomes in the 21st Century. Co-supervised with Dr Sam Staddon (University of Edinburgh), Dr Aiden Keane (University of Edinburgh) and Suzanne Hermiston (RBGE).
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