People
Fay, Michael F.
| Job Title | Head of Genetics |
|---|---|
| Department | Jodrell |
| Section | Genetics |
| Science Teams |
Drylands: Tropical America Rubiaceae United Kingdom Monocots I: General Alismatids & Lilioids Monocots II: Commelinids Large-Scale Syntheses Monocots III: Orchids Drylands: Africa UK Overseas Territories |
| Joined Kew | 1986 |
| Foreign Language(s) | French, Spanish, Welsh |
Qualifications & Appointments
BSc (Hons), Univ. Wales (Aberystwyth), 1981
PhD, Univ. Wales, 1989.
Chair, IUCN-SSC Orchid Specialist Group; Reintroduction Specialist Group
Member, UK Biodiversity Research Advisory Group (UKBRAG)
Hon. Lecturer, University of Birmingham
Associate Lecturer, The Open University
Council, Linnean Society of London (2003-2007)
Council, Systematics Association (2002-2005)
Council, Botanical Society of the British Isles
Editorial Boards: Annals of Botany, Kew Bulletin, Plant Genetic Resources: Characterization and Utilization, Kew Scientist (Editor), Curtis’s Botanical Magazine, Kew Magazine, Lindleyana (1996-2001)
Founding Editor, Botanic Gardens Micropropagation News (1990-1995)
Role
Conservation genetics, phylogenetics and genome research.
Collecting genetic data (DNA fingerprint and sequences) to provide information that is used to help inform conservation of rare species. Much of this work relates to the UK and is carried out in collaboration with the statutory conservation agencies, but some relates to plants from elsewhere, e.g. St Helena, Spain, Brazil. Orchids form a major focus of these studies. Phylogenetic studies mostly focus on monocots, with Asparagales and Liliales being major interests. Other studies include some large genera: Coffea (Rubiaceae), Phylica (Rhamnaceae) and Conostylis (Haemodoraceae). Placement of rare or enigmatic taxa and assessment of species delimitation are areas of overlap between conservation genetics and phylogenetics. Genome research includes coordination of studies on evolution of genome structure and size using a range of cytogenetic and molecular techniques. The role of transposable elements in the evolution of the largest angiosperm genomes is currently a major focus.
Projects
Angiosperm Phylogeny Group III
Complete Generic Phylogenetic Tree for all Seed Plants
Conservation Genetics of UK Plants
Darwin Initiative Assessment of the Coastal Biodiversity of Anegada, British Virgin Islands
Developing a Species and Specimens Database for the UKOTs Programme
DNA Banking of the UK Flora: a Resource for Conservation Genetics and Comparative Plant Biology
Enabling the People of Montserrat to Conserve the Centre Hills
Establishing a Standard DNA Barcode for Land Plants
Ex Situ Conservation of Recalcitrant Seeds: Towards the Delivery of Target 8 of the GSPC
Ex Situ Conservation of Threatened UK Bryophytes
Genomic Studies in Angiosperms
Grasses and Sedges of Britain and Ireland
Haemodoraceae - phylogenetics, biology and conservation
In Vitro Conservation of Bottle Palm (Hyophorbe lagenicaulis (L. Bailey) H.E. Moore)
Introgression of Abiotic Stress Response Genes across Hybrid Zones in Populus
Kew Latin America Research Fellowships
Morphometrics and Phylogeography of Anthurium and Monstera (Araceae) in NE Brazil
Phylogeny and Pollination Biology of Westringieae, Lamiaceae
Plant Diversity Challenge: the Official UK Response to the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation
Population Genetics of UK Orchids
Systematics and Conservation Genetics of Asparagales
Systematics and Conservation Genetics of Liliales
Selected Publications 2001-2005
Fay, M.F. & Cowan, R.S. (2001). Plastid microsatellites in Cypripedium calceolus (Orchidaceae): genetic fingerprints from herbarium specimens. Lindleyana 16: 151-156.
Richardson, J.E., Weitz, F.M., Fay, M.F., Cronk, Q.C.B., Linder, H.P., Reeves, G. & Chase, M.W. (2001). Rapid and recent origin of species richness in the Cape Flora of South Africa. Nature 412: 181-183.
Fay, M.F. & Krauss, S.L. (2003). Orchid Conservation Genetics in the Molecular Age. In Dixon, K.W., Kell, S.P., Barrett, R.L & Cribb, P.J (eds). Orchid Conservation. Natural History Publications, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. 91-112.
Lexer, C. & Fay, M.F. (2005). Adaptation to environmental stress: a rare or frequent driver of speciation? J. Evol. Biol. 18: 893-900.
Fay, M.F., Cowan, R.S. & Leitch, I.J. (2005). The effects of nuclear DNA content (C-value) on the quality and utility of AFLP fingerprints. Ann. Bot. 95: 237-246.
Selected Publications pre-2001
Fay, M.F. & Chase, M.W. (1996). Resurrection of Themidaceae for the Brodiaea alliance, and recircumscription of Alliaceae, Amaryllidaceae and Agapanthoideae. Taxon 45: 441-451.
Fay, M.F., Swensen, S.M. & Chase, M.W. (1997). Taxonomic affinities of Medusagyne oppositifolia. Kew Bulletin 52: 111–120.
Fay, M.F., Bayer, C., Alverson, W.S., Bruijn, A.Y. De & Chase, M.W. (1998). Plastid rbcL sequence data indicate a close affinity between Diegodendron and Bixa. Taxon 47: 43–50.
Fay, M.F., Lledó, M.D., Kornblum, M.M. & Crespo, M.B. (1999). From the waters of Babylon? Populus euphratica in Spain is clonal and probably introduced. Biodiv. Conserv. 8: 769–778
Fay, M.F., Rudall, P.J., Sullivan, S., Stobart, K.L., Bruijn, A.Y. De, Reeves, G., Qamaruz-Zaman, F., Hong, W.-P., Joseph, J., Hahn, W.J., Conran, J.G. & Chase, M.W. (2000). Phylogenetic studies of Asparagales based on four plastid DNA loci. In Wilson, K.L. & Morrison, D.A. (eds). Monocots – Systematics and Evolution 1. CSIRO, Melbourne. 360–371.