I am a conservation seed scientist conducting research into the seed biology of (predominantly) Western Australian native plants.

My research is mainly focused around better understanding seed physiology in order to benefit end-users of seeds, such as conservation and restoration practitioners.

Research themes

• Seed biology (dormancy, germination)
• Ex situ seed storage – storage behaviour and longevity
• Seed physiology
• Plant conservation and restoration

Major projects

• The energetic basis to seed longevity and storage (2016 - 2019).
• Seed biology and ex situ storage behaviour of Australian Nymphaea (waterlilies) (2011 - ongoing).

Visit the Seed Conservation section to learn more about the current and past projects.

Selected publications

Dalziell EL, Baskin CC, Baskin JM, Young RE, Dixon KW and Merritt DJ. (2018) Morphophysiological dormancy in the basal angiosperm order Nymphaeales. Annals of Botany. 123(1): 95-106.

Dalziell EL, Erickson TE, Hidayati SN, Walck JL and Merritt DJ (2018). Alleviation of morphophysiological dormancy in the Australian arid-zone endemic shrub, Hibbertia glaberrima Muell. (Dilleniaceae). Seed Science Research. 28(4): 286-293.

Dalziell EL (2018). Tropical waterlilies: Ancient flowers of Western Australia. In: The Natural World of the Kimberley. Clement C, Gresham J and McGlashan, H. The Kimberley Society of Western Australia. Perth, Australia.

Saatkamp A, et al. (2018). A research agenda for seed-trait functional ecology. New Phytologist. 221: 1764-1775. doi: 10.1111/nph.15502.

Tomlinson S, Dalziell EL, Lewandrowski W, Merritt DJ, Dixon KW and Withers PC (2018). Measuring metabolic rates of small terrestrial organisms by fluorescence-based closed-system respirometry. Journal of Experimental Biology. 221: jeb172874 doi: 10.1242/jeb.172874.