Daniel Murphy
Senior Research Scientist (Molecular Systematist)
Daniel Murphy is a molecular systematist (systematic botanist) whose research primarily involves the use of molecular data (DNA sequencing) to investigate questions about the systematics, taxonomy, classification and biogeography of flowering plants. Dan is Editor-in-Chief of Australian Systematic Botany, Australia's major scientific journal in his field of research. Dan has a particular interest in the evolutionary history of Australia's flora and the historical connections of this flora to other parts of the world. He has focussed much of his research on Acacia (the largest genus of plants in Australia) and related legumes in the Mimosoideae subfamily. Together with staff at the AI色色 and researchers in tertiary institutions, Dan is involved in a range of research projects, including the biogeography of Persoonia; plant movements of Adansonia and Vachellia (Acacia) farnesiana; grass phylogenetics and DNA barcoding; salinity tolerance research in Acacia; and pollination biology and plant鈥揳nimal interactions.
Much of Dan's work uses the AI色色's living and herbarium collections for molecular research with an overarching aim of integrating systematics and taxonomic research into practical tools. This has resulted in the development of applications of systematics to the areas of plant identification (DNA barcoding), biosecurity, invasive plant studies, and sustainable agriculture.
Publications
Luckow, M., Miller, J.T.,听Murphy, D.J.听and Livshultz, T. (2003). A phylogenetic analysis of the Mimosoideae (Leguminosae) based on chloroplast DNA sequence data. In B. Klitgaard and A. Bruneau (eds),听Advances in Legume Systematics,part 10, pp. 197鈥�220. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Ebach, M.C., Michaelis, M., Shaw, W., Goff, J., Murphy, D.J. and Matthews, S., 2016. Big Data and the Historical Sciences: A Critique. Geoforum, 71, 1鈥�4.
Birch, J.L., Berwick, F., Walsh, N.G., Cantrill, D.J. and Murphy, D.J. (accepted 2015). Australian Systematic Botany.
Joseph, S., Murphy, D.J. and Bhave, M. (2015). Identification of salt tolerant Acacia species for saline land utilisation. Biologia 70, 174鈥�182. DOI: 10.1515/biolog-2015-0032.
Mart铆nez-Bauer, A.E., Mart铆nez, G.C., Murphy, D.J. and Burd, M. (2015). Multitasking in a plant-ant interaction: how does Acacia myrtifolia manage both ants and pollinators? Oecologia. DOI 10.1007/s00442-014-3215-0
Bell, K.L., Rangan, H., Fowler, R., Kull, C.A., Pettigrew, J.D., Vickers, C.E. and Murphy, D.J. (2014). Genetic diversity and biogeography of the boab Adansonia gregorii (Malvaceae: Bombacoideae). Australian Journal of Botany 62, 164鈥�174.
Birch, J.L., Cantrill, D.J., Walsh, N.G. and Murphy, D.J. (2014). Phylogenetic investigation and divergence dating of Poa (Poaceae tribe Poeae) in the Australasian Region. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 175, 523鈥�552. DOI: 10.1111/boj.12185.
Bell, K.L., Murphy, D.J. and Gardner, M.G. (2013). Isolation, via 454 Sequencing, and characterization of microsatellites for Vachellia farnesiana听(Fabaceae: Mimosoideae). Applications in Plant Sciences 1(10): 1300035. doi:
Joseph, S., Bhave, M., Miller J.T. and Murphy, D.J. (2013). . Sustainable Agriculture Research 2, 77鈥�86.
Joseph, S., Murphy, D.J. and Bhave, M. (2013). . Biologia 68, 879鈥�895.
Miller, J.T., Murphy, D.J., Ho, S.Y.W., Cantrill, D.J. and Seigler, D. (2013). Comparative dating of Acacia: combining fossils and secondary calibrations to infer ages of clades with poor fossils records. Australian Journal of Botany 61, 436鈥�445.
Ebach, M.C., Gill, A.C., Kwan, A. Ahyong, S.T.,听Murphy, D.J.听and Cassis, G. (2013). Towards an Australian Bioregionalisation Atlas: a provisional area taxonomy of Australia's biogeographical regions.听Zootaxa听3619, 315鈥�342.听
Joseph, S.,听Murphy, D.J., Miller, J.T. and Bhave, M. (2013). Application of molecular markers for identification of potential salt tolerant plant species for use in agroforestry and saline land reclamation.听APCBEE Procedia听5, 514鈥�519.
Syme, A.E.,听Udovicic, F.,听Stajsic, V.听and听Murphy, D.J.听(2013). A test of sequence-matching algorithms for a DNA barcode database of invasive grasses.听DNA Barcodes听1, 19鈥�26. doi:10.2478/dna-2012-0002
The Legume Phylogeny Working Group (2013). Legume phylogeny and classification in the 21st century: progress, prospects and lessons for other species-rich clades.听Taxon听62, 217鈥�248.
Brown, G.K.,听Murphy, D.J.,听Kidman, J. and Ladiges, P.Y. (2012). Phylogenetic connections of phyllodinous species of听Acacia听outside Australia are explained by geological history and human-mediated dispersal.听Australian Systematic Botany听25, 390鈥�403.
Hurry, C.R.,听Walsh, N.G.听and听Murphy, D.J.听(2012).听A taxonomic review of听Triodia bunicola听and听T. scariosa听(Poaceae: Chloridoideae), based on morphological and molecular data.听Australian Systematic Botany听25, 304鈥�312. 听听
Sauquet, H., Ho, S.Y.W., Gandolfo, M.A., Jordan, G.J., Wilf, P., Cantrill, D.J., Bayly, M.J., Bromham, L., Brown, G.K., Carpenter, R.J., Lee, D.M.,听Murphy, D.J., Sniderman, J.M.K. and Udovicic, F. (2012). Testing the impact of calibration on molecular divergence times using a fossil-rich group: the case ofNothofagus听(Fagales).听Systematic Biology听61(2), 289鈥�313.听听
Syme, A.E.,听Murphy, D.J., Holmes, G.D., Gardner, S., Fowler, R. and Cantrill, D.J. (2012). An expanded phylogenetic analysis of听Austrostipa听(Poaceae: Stipeae) to test infrageneric relationships.听Australian Systematic Botany听25, 1鈥�10.听
Brown, G.K.,听Murphy, D.J.听and Ladiges, P.Y. (2011). Relationships of the Australo-Malesian genus听Paraserianthes听( Mimosoideae: Leguminosae) identifies the sister group of听Acacia听sensu stricto听and two biogeographical tracks.Cladistics听27, 380鈥�390.
Gibson, M.R., Richardson, D.M., Marchante, E., Marchante, H., Rodger, J.G., Stone, G.N., Byrne, M., Fuentes-Ram铆rez, A., George, N., Harris, C., Johnson, S.D., Roux, J.J.L., Miller, J.T.,听Murphy, D.J., Pauw, A., Prescott, M.N., Wandrag, E.M. and Wilson, J.R.U. (2011). Reproductive biology of Australian acacias: important mediator of invasiveness?听Diversity and Distributions听17(5), 911鈥�933.
Miller, J.T.,听Murphy, D.J., Brown, G.K., Richardson, D.M. and Gonz谩lez-Orozco, C.E. (2011). The evolution and phylogenetic placement of invasive AustralianAcacia听species.听Diversity and Distributions听17(5), 848鈥�860.
Wilson, J.R.U., Gairifo, C., Gibson, M.R., Arianoutsou, M., Bakar, B.B., Baret, S., Celesti-Grapow, L., DiTomaso, J.M., Dufour-Dror, J.-M., Kueffer, C., Kull, C.A., Hoffmann, J.H., Impson, F.A.C., Loope, L.L., Marchante, E., Marchante, H., Moore, J.L.,听Murphy, D.J., Tassin, J., Witt, A., Zenni, R.D. and Richardson, D.M. (2011) Risk assessment, eradication, and biological control: global efforts to limit Australian acacia invasions.听Diversity and Distributions听17(5), 1030鈥�1046.
Brown, G.K., Clowes, C.,听Murphy, D.J.听and Ladiges, P.Y. (2010). Phylogenetic analysis based on nuclear DNA and morphology defines a clade of eastern Australian species of听Acacia听s.s. (section Juliflorae): the 'Acacia longifoliagroup'.听Australian Systematic Botany听23, 162鈥�172.
Murphy, D.J., Brown, G.K., Miller, J.T. and Ladiges, P.Y. (2010). Molecular phylogeny of听Acacia听s.s. (Mimosoideae: Leguminosae) 鈥� evidence for major clades and informal classification.听Taxon听59, 7鈥�19.
Maslin, B.R. and听Murphy, D.J.听(2009). A taxonomic revision of听Acacia verniciflua听and听A. leprosa听(Leguminosae: Mimosoideae) in Australia.听Muelleria27, 183鈥�223.
Brown, G.K.,听Murphy, D.J., Miller, J.T. and Ladiges, P.Y. (2008).听Acacia听s.s. and its relationship amongst tropical legumes, tribe Ingeae (Leguminosae: Mimosoideae).听Systematic Botany听33, 739鈥�751.
Byrne, M., Yeates, D.K., Joseph, L., Kearney, M., Bowler, J., Williams, M.A.J., Cooper, S., Donnellan, S.C., Keogh, J.S., Leys, R., Melville, J.,听Murphy, D.J., Porch, N. and Wyrwoll, K.-H. (2008). Birth of a biome: insights into the assembly and maintenance of the Australian arid zone biota.听Molecular Ecology17, 4398鈥� 4417.
Reid, J.C. and听Murphy, D.J.听(2008). Some case studies of听Acacia听as weeds and implications for herbaria.听Muelleria听26(1), 57鈥�66.
Murphy, D.J.听(2008). A review of the classification of听Acacia听(Leguminosae, Mimosoideae).听Muelleria听26(1), 10鈥�26.
Ariati, S.R.,听Murphy, D.J., Gardner, S. and Ladiges, P.Y. (2007). Morphological and genetic variation within the widespread species听Acacia victoriae(Mimosaceae).听Australian Systematic Botany听20, 54鈥�62.
Ariati, S.R.,听Murphy, D.J., Udovicic, F. and Ladiges, P.Y. (2006). Molecular phylogeny of three groups of acacias (Acacia听subgenus听Phyllodineae) in arid Australia based on the internal and external transcribed spacer regions of nrDNA.听Systematics and Biodiversity听b, 417鈥�426.
Brown, G.K., Ariati, S.R.,听Murphy, D.J., Miller, J.T. and Ladiges P.Y. (2006). Bipinnate acacias (Acacia听subg.听Phyllodineae听sect.听Botrycephalae) of eastern Australia are polyphyletic based on DNA sequence data.听Australian Systematic Botany听19, 315鈥�326.
Ladiges, P.Y., Ariati, S.R. and听Murphy, D.J.听(2006). Biogeography of the听Acacia victoriae,听pyrifolia听and听murrayana听species groups in arid Australia.听Journal of Arid Environments听66, 462鈥�476.
Gardner, S.K.,听Murphy, D.J., Newbigin, E., Drinnan, A.N. and Ladiges, P.Y. (2005). An investigation of phyllode variation in听Acacia verniciflua听and听A. leprosa听(Mimosaceae), and implications for taxonomy.听Australian Systematic Botany听8, 383鈥�398.
Smith Z.F., Murphy D.J., James E.A. and McLean C.B. (2005). Molecular investigation of the听Diuris听'punctata'听group in south eastern Australia.听Selbyana26, 217鈥�228.
Hunter, A.M., Orlovich, D.A., Lloyd, K.M., Lee, W.G. and听Murphy, D.J.听(2004). The generic position of听Austrofestuca littoralis听and the reinstatement ofHookerochloa听and听Festucella听(Poaceae) based on evidence from nuclear (ITS) and chloroplast (trnL-trnF) DNA sequences.听New Zealand听Journal of Botany听42, 253鈥�262.
Piccinin, R.C.,听Murphy, D.J.听and Ladiges, P.Y. (2004). Morphometric study of a hybrid population of听Acacia verniciflua听and听A. aspera听(Acacia听subgenusPhyllodineae).听Muelleria听19, 9鈥�18.
Miller, J.T., Grimes, J.,听Murphy, D.J., Bayer, R.J. and Ladiges, P.Y. (2003). Molecular phylogenetics of the tribes Acacieae and Ingeae (Mimosoideae) based on chloroplast DNA sequences.听Systematic Botany听28, 558鈥�566.
Murphy, D.J., Miller, J.T., Bayer, R.J., and Ladiges, P.Y. (2003). Molecular phylogeny of听Acacia听subgenus听Phyllodineae听(Mimosoideae: Leguminosae) based on DNA sequences of the internal transcribed spacer region.听Australian Systematic Botany听16, 19鈥�26.
Nelson, G.,听Murphy, D.J.听and Ladiges, P.Y. (2003). Brummitt on paraphyly: a response.听Taxon听52, 295鈥�298.
Udovicic, F. and听Murphy, D.J.听(2002). Successful DNA amplification from听Acacia(Leguminosae) and other refractory Australian plants and fungi using a nested/semi-nested PCR protocol.听Muelleria听16, 47鈥�53.
Murphy, D.J., Udovicic, F. and Ladiges, P.Y. (2000). Phylogenetic analysis of Australian听Acacia听(Leguminosae: Mimosoideae) using sequence variations of an intron and two intergenic spacers of chloroplast DNA.听Australian Systematic Botany听13, 745鈥�754
Other articles
Murphy, D.J.听(2008). Acacia 2006: Knowing and growing Australian wattles.Muelleria听26(1), 3鈥�6.
Murphy, D.J.听(2006). Book Review: Nitrogen fixation in Acacias.听Australian Systematic Botany Society Newsletter听126, 40鈥�41.
Murphy, D.J.听and Reid, J.C. (2006). Wattles as weeds: some case studies from western Victoria. In Australian Plants Society Inc. Maroondah Group (ed.),Proceedings, Acacia 2006: knowing and growing Australian wattles, pp. 55鈥�60. Australian Plants Society Inc. and National Herbarium of Victoria,听Melbourne.
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