Tate lab at Massey University

Our research focuses on understanding the nature of plant speciation and diversification using a variety of approaches. We use molecular phylogenetics to test ideas of species relationships, taxonomy, biogeography, and character evolution. We also use morphological and molecular tools to understand different evolutionary processes affecting plant speciation, including hybridization and polyploidy (whole genome doubling) and plant mating systems. A recurrent theme of our research is to assess and understand the repeatability of evolution and its effects on morphological and genomic level traits.

News

July 2019: Congratulations to Weixuan Ning on his successful application to the Australasian Systematic Botany Society Hansjörg Eichler Research Fund to support his research on polyploidy in New Zealand Azorella (Apiaceae).

June 2019: We are very excited to welcome Demet Töre from Turkey and Usama Muhktar from Pakistan to work on our polyploidy project. Our international lab is growing!

January 2019: We are recruiting two PhD students to work on our Marsden-funded project on cytonuclear evolution in polyploids. Note: these positions are now closed.

December 2018: Off to the ASBS meeting in Brisbane – ready for a great week of systematics talks! Weixuan is heading out into the field with co-supervisor Heidi Meudt to hunt down some alpine plants.

November 2018: Very excited to be the recipient of a Marsden Fund to study the cytonuclear aspects of polyploid genome evolution. This project is in collaboration with Murray Cox (Massey), Dan Sloan (Colorado State), and Doug and Pam Soltis (University of Florida/Florida Museum of Natural History). We will be recruiting two PhD students to work on this project, so watch this space!

October 2018: A big welcome to Weixuan Ning to the lab! Weixuan is a new PhD student who will be working on a Marsden-funded project exploring polyploid diversification in native New Zealand plants. Very excited to have him as part of our enthusiastic polyploid team, which includes Bill Lee (Manaaki Whenua - Landcare Research), Heidi Meudt and Patrick Brownsey (Te Papa Tongarewa, The Museum of New Zealand)!

September 2018: A big welcome to Sidra Hussain to the lab! Sidra is a new PhD student who will study cytonuclear genome coordination in Tragopogon polyploids. Very excited to have her dive into the complexity of these polyploid genomes!