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Description
Oceanic islands are storehouses for unique creatures. Zoologists have long been fascinated by island animals because they break all the rules. Speedy, nervous, little birds repeatedly evolve to become plump, tame, and flightless on islands. Equally strange and wonderful plants have evolved on islands, although their evolution is poorly understood, relative to animals.
Professor Kevin Burns from the School of Biological Sciences will discuss ‘the island syndrome’ in plants, summarising two decades of research at Victoria University of Wellington looking at whether plants repeatedly evolve similar patterns in dispersal ability, size, and defence on islands.