Professor Alan Walker, FAA
Visiting Professor
Biophysics Department,
School of Physics ,
University of NSW ,
Kensington, NSW 2052  

Email: alanw@mail.usyd.edu.au

Research Aims

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The Big Question

• Understanding nutrient movements between plants and environment, and through ecosystems.

The Short-term goals:

• Analysis of kinetics of K and N uptake in wheat roots and Chara internodes;

Techniques in the Laboratory

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• Currently active: Kinetic modelling of N movements in ecosystems, Analysis of nutrient uptake kinetics by ion-selective electrode methods.

Main areas of expertise

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• Areas of knowledge: Plant cell membranes, Cell physiology of Charophyta, Nutrient transport in plantd and ecosystems
• Technical skills: Plant electrophysiology, Kinetic modelling

Publications - Last 5 Years

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• Walker, NA , Henry, H, Wilson, DJ & JeffrieS, RL. (2003) The dynamics of nitrogen movement in an Arctic salt-marsh in response to goose herbivory: a parameterized model with alternate steady states. Journal of Ecology 91: 637-663.

• Zhang, WH, Skerrett, M, Walker NA , Patrick, JW, Tyerman SD. (2002) N onselective currents and channels in plasma membranes of protoplasts from coats of developing seeds of bean. Plant Physiology 128: 388-399.

• Patrick, JW, Zhang, W-H, Tyerman , SD , Offler, CE & Walker, NA . (2001) Role of membrane transport in phloem translocation of assimilates and water. Australian Journal of Plant Physiology 28: 695-707.

• Holdaway-Clarke TL, Walker NA , Reid RJ, Hepler PK , Overall RL. (2001) Cytoplasmic acidification with butyric acid does not alter the ionic conductivity of plasmodesmata. Protoplasma 215: 184-190.

• Hayes , DE , Smith, FA & Walker, NA . (2001) High-affinity potassium transport into wheat roots involves sodium - a role for HKT1? Australian Journal of Plant Physiology 28: 643-652.

• Zhang, W-H, Walker , NA , Tyerman , SD & Patrick, JW. (2000) Fast activation of a time-dependent outward current in protoplasts derived from coats of developing Phaseolus vulgaris seeds. Planta 211: 894-898

• Walker , NA , Zhang, W-H, Harrington, G, Holdaway , n, & p atrick , jw. (2000) Effluxes of solutes from developing seed coats of Phaseolus vulgaris L. and Vicia faba L.: locating the effect of turgor in a coupled chemiosmotic system. Journal of Experimental Botany 51: 1047-1055.

• Reid, RJ, Mimura, T, Ohsumi, Y, Walker, NA , & Smith FA. (2000) Phosphate uptake in Chara: membrane transport via Na/Pi cotransport. Plant, Cell & Environment 23: 223-228.

• Holdway-Clarke, TL, Walker , NA , Hepler, PK & Overall, RL. (2000) Physiological elevations in cytoplasmic free calcium by cold or ion injection result in transient closure of higher plant plasmodesmata. Planta 210: 329-335.