Projects per year
Personal profile
Research interests
I am primarily interested in how the structure of the plant surface can influence both biotic and abiotic interactions. I use a range of techniques to investigate these interactions including plant molecular biology, optical analysis, biomimetics and animal behavioural assays.
My research group is currently investigating the control of iridescence production in phylogenetically diverse leaves. Very little is known about leaf iridescence despite the fact that is found in at least 64 different species in 26 families. I was awarded an European Research Council (ERC) starting grant, which started January 2011, to look at the mechanisms and development of iridescence production and its genetic basis in Selaginella uncinata. This species can produce a vivid metallic blue iridescence over its surface, dependent on light conditions. The ERC starting grant is a lab-based plant development and molecular biology project focusing on developing Selaginella uncinata as a model system, and will use a transcriptome-based approach to identify the genes controlling the production of iridescence and behavioural methods to determine the impact of iridescence on animal vision.
Other current areas of interest include:
- Plant surface gloss
- The impact of surface structure on plant wettability and temperature
- Plant insect interactions (pollination and herbivory)
- Bee behaviour
- Iridescence in algae
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Projects
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Developing Carbon dot to supercharge biochar and as a novel product for hydroponics
1/10/18 → 31/03/19
Project: Research
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Research output
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Floral humidity in flowering plants: a preliminary survey
Harrap, M. J. M., Hempel de Ibarra, N., Knowles, H. D., Whitney, H. M. & Rands, S. A., 6 Mar 2020, In: Frontiers in Plant Science. 11, 20 p., 249.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article (Academic Journal) › peer-review
Open AccessFile -
Floral temperature patterns can function as floral guides
Harrap, M. J. M., Hempel de Ibarra, N., Whitney, H. M. & Rands, S. A., Apr 2020, In: Arthropod-Plant Interactions. 14, p. 193-206 14 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article (Academic Journal) › peer-review
Open AccessFile -
Iridescence as Camouflage
Kjernsmo, K., Whitney, H. M., Scott-Samuel, N. E., Hall, J. R., Knowles, H., Tálas, L. & Cuthill, I. C., 3 Feb 2020, In: Current Biology. 30, 3, p. 551-555.e3 9 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article (Academic Journal) › peer-review
Open AccessFile
Datasets
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Data from Deceptive Iridescence (11-2019)
Cuthill, I. C. (Creator), Scott-Samuel, N. E. (Creator), Kjernsmo, K. M. (Creator), Whitney, H. M. (Creator), Knowles, H. (Creator) & Talas, L. (Creator), University of Bristol, 25 Nov 2019
DOI: 10.5523/bris.388y3cip6r6mv25yccy5qum1l7, http://data.bris.ac.uk/data/dataset/388y3cip6r6mv25yccy5qum1l7
Dataset
Prizes
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L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Fellowships
Whitney, Heather M (Recipient), 28 Jun 2011
Prize: National/international honour
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SEB Presidents Medal for Plant Sciences
Whitney, Heather M (Recipient), Jul 2012
Prize: Prizes, Medals, Awards and Grants
Activities
- 1 Fellowship awarded competitively
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ERC Starting Grant - Interdisciplinary study into the functions and development of leaf iridescence - Blueleaf.
Heather M Whitney (Recipient)
1 Jan 2011 → 1 Jan 2016Activity: Other activity types › Fellowship awarded competitively