Erik Veneklaas

1990 PhD: Faculty of Biology, Utrecht University (Utrecht, the Netherlands)
1985 Doctorandus: Faculty of Biology, Utrecht University (Utrecht, the Netherlands)

Roles and responsibilities:

Undergraduate teaching of plant ecology and plant physiology

Research training: Honours, Masters and PhD

Graduate Research Coordinator, School of Biological Sciences

Program Leader Ecophysiology, ARC Centre for Mine-Site Restoration

Expertise:
Physiological ecology
Tropical ecology
Forest and woodland ecology
Role of vegetation in hydrology

Sustainable management of ecosystems for agricultural production, land rehabilitation, etc.
Conservation of natural ecosystems
Adaptation to global change

1993-1996. Veneklaas & Lambers. Productivity and plasticity of woody tropical indoor plants. STW (Dutch Technology Foundation). $250,000.
1999-2000. Veneklaas & Lambers: Is rarity of species in the Banksia genus associated with highly specialised nutrient acquisition mechanisms? Australian Flora Foundation. $6,000.
1999-2002. Lambers, Jasper & Veneklaas: The ecophysiology of restoration of arid-zone mine sites. ARC-SPIRT scheme. Industry partners: Kings Park and Botanic Gardens, Straits Resources Ltd. $135,000.
1999-2000. Lambers & Veneklaas: Exploiting chickpea’s potential to unlock phosphorus from P-fixing soils. Grain Research Committee. $23,000.
2001. Veneklaas: The importance of root exudates for the nutrition and distribution of Western Australia’s Banksia species. Small Grant, UWA/ARC. $5,000.
2001. Veneklaas. Establishing the cause of sudden autumn death in Banksia species. UWA Faculty of Agriculture Bequest Fund. $7,000.
2001. Lambers, Dixon, Veneklaas. Establishing the cause of sudden autumn death in Banksia species. Kings Park and Botanic Garden grant. $9,000.
2001-2004. Lambers, Veneklaas, Bolland: Increased benefits of phosphorus fertiliser through the use of grain legume species. Grains Research and Development Corporation. $120,000.
2001-2004. Lambers, Veneklaas & Koch: An ecophysiological analysis of key factors determining jarrah forest rehabilitation success. Australian Research Council. $69,000.
2001-2004. Lambers, Bolland, Bowden & Veneklaas. An ecophysiological analysis of the response to phosphate fertiliser of different lupin species, canola and wheat on phosphate-fixing soil. Australian Research Council, Linkage Grant. Industry partners: Department of Agriculture, WA, and CSBP fertilizers. $240,000.
2002. Veneklaas. Identifying the cause of sudden autumn death of Banksias. UWA small research grant. $5,000.
2003. Veneklaas. Starting grant, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, UWA. $25,000.
2002-2005. Veneklaas, Lambers, Mcgrath & Dixon. Wandoo crown decline - an ecophysiological diagnosis. Australian Research Council, Linkage Grant. Industry partners: CALM, WA, and Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority, WA. $215,000.
2006-2010. Lambers, Krauss, Koch & Veneklaas. A molecular ecophysiological assessment of the importance of using local provenance seed in plant biodiversity restoration. Australian Research Council, Linkage Grant. Industry partners: Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority, Alcoa World Alumina Australia, Worsley Alumina, Greening Australia. $631,000.
2007. Veneklaas & Mills. Peer Reflection of First Year Biology. Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Western Australia. $4,000.
2007-2011. Lambers, Hinz, Veneklaas, Hancock, Kepic, Wealleans, Kendrick, Porporato. Ecohydrological feedbacks between vegetation and soil in natural and engineered landforms in arid Australia. $1,678,000 (Australian Research Council, Linkage Grant $1,028,000; Minerals and Energy Research Institute WA $200,000; Newcrest Telfer Gold Mine $450,000).
2007-2010. Hinz, Veneklaas. Store-and-release covers for mine waste – the role of vegetation. $250,000 (ACMER/UQ).
2008-2010. Colmer, Veneklaas, Shepherd, Barrett. Ecophysiology of stem succulent halophytes subject to changes in salinity and water availability: distinguishing natural dynamics from potential mine-related impacts. Australian Research Council, Linkage Grant. Industry partners: Fortescue Metals Group and Department of Environment and Conservation. $313,000.
2008-2013. Hardy, Veneklaas et al. Centre of Excellence for Climate Change and Woodland and Forest Health. Funding scheme for Centres of Excellence in Science and Innovation, Western Australia. $2,300,000.
2009-2012. Lambers, Veneklaas, Dixon. Does plant phosphorus economy determine ecological status in biodiverse Australian communities? $315,000 (Australian Research Council, Discovery Grant).

1996-1998: Centro Internacional de Agricultura Tropical (CIAT, Cali, Colombia). Senior Research Fellow (tropical ecology)
1990-1995: Utrecht University, Department of Plant Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (Utrecht, the Netherlands). Postdoctoral Fellow (ecophysiology).

Several projects collaborate with industry partners for strategic research into ecological processes

Water balance of species-rich woodlands and different species’ roles in it
Ecohydrology: interactions between vegetation, soil and climate
Water relations of native plant species
Photosynthesis of sclerophylls
Phosphorus economy of plants: adaptations for efficient P acquisition and P use
Relationships of leaf traits and plant functional types with environmental conditions and community properties
Ecological restoration, rehabilitation and engineering
Tree health in natural and altered ecosystems
Adaptation of crops to abiotic stress

Fluent in English
Spanish and Dutch