Dr Ailbhe Brazel Awarded Prestigious Research Ireland Pathway Programme Grant
Building climate-resilient crops through research on low oxygen sensing and responses in plants
We are delighted to share that Dr Ailbhe Brazel has recently been awarded a prestigious Research Ireland Pathway Programme grant to investigate low oxygen sensing and responses in plants, with the aim of developing greater climate resilience in crops.
The Research Ireland Pathway Programme is a highly competitive national funding scheme designed to support outstanding early-career researchers in establishing themselves as independent research leaders. With an overall success rate of around 20%, the award represents a major achievement and supports researchers in building their own research programmes, including the supervision of postgraduate students.
Ailbhe has been working as a Teaching Fellow on the TERRAFORM Project since August 2024 and will now move on to develop her own independent research programme as a Research Assistant Professor in the Botany Discipline at Trinity College Dublin.
As part of the programme, Ailbhe is currently recruiting for a 3-month Research Assistant position and a funded 4- year PhD student to join the project.
Huge congratulations to Ailbhe on this fantastic achievement – we are excited to see this research programme grow and develop.
Plant Climate Lab at the Botany–Zoology Postgraduate Symposium 2026
On April 30th and May 1st, the annual Botany–Zoology Postgraduate Research Symposium 2026 took place at Trinity College Dublin, bringing together postgraduate researchers from across the School of Natural Sciences to share research spanning ecology, social science, zoology, and botany.
On the second day of the symposium, Dr Sate Ahmad delivered the keynote presentation on ecological restoration – the process of assisting the recovery of native ecosystems that have been degraded, damaged, or destroyed. The talk highlighted both the scientific and practical importance of restoration in responding to biodiversity loss and environmental change.
Plant Climate Lab postgraduate researcher Siddiq Muhammad also presented a 10-minute talk on the PlantChem Project: Investigating the Shift in Plant Chemistry Due to Climate Change – A Multidisciplinary Approach.
The presentation explored how rising atmospheric CO₂ and climate change may be altering the elemental composition of plants themselves — the fundamental “building blocks” of plant life. Using the same plant species collected from the same sites across 24 locations and seven major biomes, the study compared historic samples (1989–1991) with modern collections (2013–2015).
The findings revealed striking shifts in plant “elementomes”, with elemental composition changes ranging from 3% to as high as 61% over just a few decades. The greatest changes were observed in subtropical deserts, temperate rainforests, and dry tropical seasonal forests, highlighting how environmental change is physically restructuring plant chemistry on a global scale. These hidden shifts may have major implications for ecosystem functioning, herbivore nutrition, and global nutrient cycling.
The talk was followed by a lively Q&A session and received excellent feedback from the symposium organisers.
It was wonderful to see such a diverse and inspiring range of postgraduate presentations throughout the symposium, and a pleasure to reconnect with colleagues and friends across the School.
Nature as Medicine - Evaluating Forest Bathing for Student Wellbeing
Forest bathing at Trinity College Botanic Gardens as a growing green prescription for student mental health
The Witness Tree Walk & Talk
Exploring Witness Trees: Art Meets Science at the Botanic Garden
On 6 March 2026, the Plant Climate Lab hosted a Witness Tree Walk & Talk at the Trinity College Botanic Garden for artists from The Black Church Print Studio. The event brought together art and science through a shared exploration of trees as living witnesses to environmental change.
The afternoon began with an introduction to the Witness Tree project, outlining its scientific and cultural significance. Participants were then divided into four groups, each led by a member of our team – Prof. Jennifer McElwain, Michelle Murray, Leticia Candido, and Richard Slevin. As they moved through the garden, the artists were introduced to a range of witness tree species, learning about their ecological histories and the stories they hold within their growth.
Following the walk, the group gathered for coffee and conversation. This informal session provided an opportunity to examine plant specimens and leaf microphotography, as well as engage in a lively Q&A and discussion around themes of climate change, memory, and representation. These exchanges created a space for dialogue between scientific research and artistic practice.
The participating artists will now develop a series of print works inspired by their interpretations of the Witness Tree project, extending the conversation beyond the garden and into new creative forms.
This event highlighted the value of interdisciplinary collaboration, fostering fresh perspectives on environmental change and deepening public engagement with plant science.
Plant Climate Lab at PalAss 2025
Plant Climate Lab Contributions and Recognition at PalAss 2025
Members of the Plant Climate Lab attended and contributed to the 69th Annual Meeting of the Palaeontological Association, held in Portsmouth, UK, from 11–15 December 2025. The meeting brought together researchers from across the palaeontological community and featured a strong presence from our lab across the scientific programme.
Prof. Jennifer McElwain delivered the Annual Address, Exploring Earth’s dynamic atmospheres and ecosystems, highlighting how fossil plant proxies and palaeo-functional traits provide critical insights into long-term Earth system change. Dr Miriam Slodownik presented her research on the Austral Antarctic forest during the Early Eocene Climatic Optimum, contributing to discussions on polar ecosystems and climate sensitivity in deep time.
We are also delighted to congratulate Miriam on her election as Early Career Research Officer for the Palaeontological Association. With multiple members of the Plant Climate Lab participating in talks, sessions, and events across the meeting, PalAss 2025 was an excellent opportunity to showcase our research and engage with the wider palaeontological community.
In the Footsteps of Ancient Forests
Miriam Slodownik’s Expedition Across Eastern Australia’s Botanical Landscapes
I’ve just returned from an inspiring trip to eastern Australia, where I combined conference travel with exploring some of the country’s most remarkable forests. As someone who studies ancient plant ecosystems, visiting modern rainforests offers an important perspective to picture the long-vanished ecosystems of our past. Walking through the dense, humid forests of north-eastern Australia, filled with bunyas, cedars, figs and vines, gave me a fleeting sense of what Australia’s Antarctic rainforests may have felt like 53 million years ago and let me reflect on a key question at the centre of my MSCA project POLARIS.: what made polar rainforests so different under extreme seasonality and unusual light conditions near the south pole.
The conference itself, the Australasian Systematic Botany Society meeting, was another memorable part of the trip. This year featured a large palaeo-session and the first time our small palaeobotany chapter met formally as part of the society. This felt like a new beginning: a moment of recognition for our discipline and an opening of doors for new collaborations between botanists and palaeobotanists. I presented both my PhD research on Australian fossil floras and the Witness Tree Project, and it was wonderful to see strong interest from researchers across fields. The conference excursion to Dorrigo National Park, a vast and lush rainforest, gave me a chance to learn more about rainforest plants as we walked and learned from one another in the field.
My trip concluded at the Queensland Herbarium, where I met with researchers, gave a seminar, and had the chance to see the impressive collections of Australian and International plants. The identification room, with a reference specimen sorted by families, was particularly useful for identifying species. It was the perfect end to my adventure-filled with fossils, forests, and an amazing community of researchers.
by Miriam Slodownik
Prof. Jennifer McElwain Delivers Oxford Autumn Lecture
Trees Through Time with Prof. Jennifer McElwain
Last week, Professor Jennifer McElwain delivered her invited public lecture “Trees Through Time” as part of the University of Oxford Botanic Garden and Arboretum Autumn Lecture Series. The event took place at the Oxford University Museum of Natural History on Thursday, 20 November, and was attended both in person and online.
If you missed the live lecture, the full recording is now available on YouTube:
Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/live/dpNrLJXBrMw
In the talk, Jennifer explores the deep-time history of Earth’s forests, from the earliest land plants to the rise of complex tree ecosystems, and shows how these evolutionary milestones fundamentally shaped our planet’s climate. She highlights how shifts in plant life altered atmospheric CO₂, influenced global temperatures, and even contributed to major environmental transitions. By looking at ancient ecosystems preserved in the fossil record, Jennifer reveals what they can teach us about today’s rapidly changing climate and the future resilience of modern forests.
Visit from Prof. Isabel Patricia Montañez (UC Davis)
Prof. Isabel Patricia Montañez Visits Trinity and Delivers Lecture on the Evolution of Atmospheric CO₂
This week, PlantClimateLab was delighted to welcome Prof. Isabel Patricia Montañez, the Chancellor’s Leadership Distinguished Professor in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at the University of California, Davis.
Prof. Montañez’s research explores the evolution of atmospheric CO₂ through deep time, investigating how global carbon cycling, climate, and ecosystems interacted during major transitions from glaciated to non-glaciated worlds. Her pioneering work on paleo-CO₂ reconstructions provides essential insights into how Earth’s climate system responds to CO₂-driven change, offering vital analogues for our warming future.
During her visit, Prof. Montañez delivered a lecture at Trinity College Dublin titled: “Reconstructing the Evolution of Atmospheric CO₂: Lessons from the Deep Past for Our Climate Future.” In her talk, she discussed the challenges and advances in constraining paleo-CO₂ estimates and outlined a path forward toward building a next-generation CO₂ record for the past 400 million years. She also presented new work reconstructing CO₂–climate–ecosystem feedbacks during the Late Paleozoic Ice Age, when CO₂ levels fluctuated within ranges comparable to both the last ice age and projections for this century. The event concluded with a wine and cheese reception (6–8 pm, Main Foyer, Museum Building), offering an opportunity for informal discussion and collaboration.
Earlier in the day, Catarina and Will from our group joined Prof. Montañez for lunch and a discussion on ongoing research connections – including her role as Catarina’s co-PI for her PhD project. Later, she took time to meet and chat with other members of the team, showing genuine interest in their work and offering insightful, thoughtful feedback – exactly the kind of generous exchange that defines great scientific collaboration.
It was a great pleasure to host Prof. Montañez and to exchange ideas on the future of paleo-CO₂ research and its implications for understanding Earth’s changing climate.
Christos Presents PlantClimateLab at Trinity’s Climate Gateway Launch
PlantClimateLab at Trinity College Dublin’s Climate Gateway Launch
Recently, Dr Christos Chondrogiannis had the chance to represent PlantClimateLab at the launch of the new Climate Gateway at Trinity College Dublin.
The event, held on 4 November 2025, brought together researchers, policy-makers, industry leaders, and community partners to mark the opening of this new initiative aimed at building momentum for a more resilient, climate-ready future.
Christos presented our posters highlighting the lab’s work on plant-based climate solutions, ecosystem modelling, and nature-inspired adaptation strategies, like plant-enhanced weathering as a part of the Terraform project. He also had the opportunity to connect with colleagues from across Trinity and beyond who are working on climate resilience, biodiversity, and sustainability research.
The Climate Gateway aims to connect Trinity expertise with wider society – linking policy, business, education, and communities to co-create actionable climate solutions. Our participation reflects PlantClimateLab’s ongoing commitment to collaborative, interdisciplinary approaches to tackling the climate challenge.
We’re excited to continue contributing to the Climate Gateway network and exploring new ways our research can support Ireland’s transition to a sustainable, nature-positive future.
Professor McElwain Featured on the Blindboy Podcast
Jennifer McElwain Joins Blindboy for a Conversation on the Evolution of Life on Earth
Professor Jennifer McElwain recently joined Blindboy for a fascinating and wide-ranging conversation about the evolution of plants, mass extinction events, and how life on Earth has literally terraformed our planet over deep time – shaping the atmosphere, climate, and environments we depend on today.
The discussion beautifully echoes the themes at the heart of our Terraform Project, where we explore how plants have driven planetary change throughout Earth’s history and what that can teach us about future climate resilience and life beyond Earth.
True to Blindboy’s unique and creative interview style, the conversation is anything but conventional — curious, humorous, and thought-provoking, bringing complex plant science to life in a way that’s accessible and engaging. Professor McElwain’s reflections highlight how studying ancient ecosystems not only deepens our understanding of the past but also offers powerful insights into how living systems shape planetary environments.
It’s not every day you hear palaeobotany, climate science, and philosophical musings on humanity’s place in the universe all in one podcast episode.
Listen and read (transcript available):