Dr Conor Meade

    Biology

    Senior Lecturer
    Biological and Geographical Sciences Programme Co-ordinator

    Callan
    2.34
    (01) 708 6386

    Biography

    Associate Professor


    Co-Director BSc Biological and Geographical Sciences 

    Chair, Sustainable Ecosystems Group

    Chair, 7 Skills Writing Programme



    Career posts:
    Associate Professor, Maynooth University (2021-)
    Assistant Professor/ Lecturer, Maynooth University (2006)
    International Research Officer, Marine Institute, Dublin (2006)
    Senior Post-Doctoral Fellow/ PI, Maynooth University (2003-2005)
    Post Doctoral Fellow/ PI, Maynooth University (2001-2003)

    Academic Honours:
    Fulbright EPA Climate Change Scholar, University of Colorado, Boulder (2017)

    Education:
    PhD Botany, Trinity College Dublin (1996-2000)
    BSc Environmental Biology, University College Dublin (1989-1993)

    Research and Innovation:

    My principal research is in plant ecology. I am interested in how plant populations respond to environmental change, especially among arctic-alpine species that occupy extreme habitats. I also work on plant-soil microbiome interactions, both for rare cold habitat species and food crops. I have a number research interests in agro-ecology, including gene-flow among and between crops and their wild relatives, as well as sustainable agriculture, and the application of technology to boost organic farm productivity and resilience. I also have ongoing work in conservation biology, and am active in a number of international biodiversity projects focused on rare plant species in Europe and Tropical Asia.

    Peer Reviewed Journal

    Year Publication
    2024 Lončarević, N.; Liu, U.; Stefanaki, A.; Carapeto, A.; Ensslin, A.; Meade, C.; Metzing, D.; Peci, D.; Fantinato, E.; Colling, G.; Pankova, H.; Akmane, I.; Tsvetkov, I.N.; Sibik, J.; Szitár, K.; Van Meerbeek, K.; Daco, L.; Boudagher, M.; Klisz, M.; Walczak, M.; Evju, M.; Lužnik, M.; Kiehn, M.; Sarginci, M.; Aksoy, N.; Koçer, N.; Barazani, O.; Anastasiu, P.; Stroh, P.; Vit, P.; Vergeer, P.; Puchałka, R.; Kahale, R.; Godefroid, S.; Lanfranco, S.; Parpan, T.; Kull, T.; Rašomavičius, V.; Fišer, Ž.; Glasnović, P. (2024) 'Database of European vascular plants red lists as a contribution to more coherent plant conservation'. Scientific Data, 11 . [Link] [DOI]
    2024 Kozlowski, G.; Fragnière, Y.; Clément, B.; Gilg, O.; Sittler, B.; Lang, J.; Eidesen, P.B.; Lang, S.I.; Wasowicz, P.; Meade, C. (2024) 'Genome Size in the Arenaria ciliata Species Complex (Caryophyllaceae), with Special Focus on Northern Europe and the Arctic'. Plants, 13 . [Link] [DOI]
    2024 Conor Meade; Emma Howard-Williams; Xiaodong Dang; Gregor Kozlowski; Colin Kelleher (2024) 'Our friends in the North: On the Arctic genetic affinity of Arenaria ciliata L. and A. norvegica Gunn. in Ireland'. Irish Naturalists Journal, .
    2022 Kozlowski, G.; Fragnière, Y.; Clément, B.; Meade, C. (2022) 'Genome Size in the Arenaria ciliata Species Complex (Caryophyllaceae), with Special Focus on A. ciliata subsp. bernensis, a Narrow Endemic of the Swiss Northern Alps'. Plants, 11 . [Link] [DOI]
    2022 Meade, C. (2022) 'Flora of Thailand Annonaceae: Uvaria'. Thai Forest Bulletin (Botany), .
    2021 Leeratiwong C.; Jornead S.; Meade C.V. (2021) 'Uvaria clementis (Annonaceae), a new record for Thailand'. Thai Forest Bulletin (Botany), 49 :241-244. [DOI] [Full-Text]
    2021 Meade C.V.; Bueno de Mesquita C.P.; Schmidt S.K.; Suding K.N. (2021) 'The presence of a foreign microbial community promotes plant growth and reduces filtering of root fungi in the arctic-alpine plant Silene acaulis'. Plant Ecology and Diversity, . [DOI] [Full-Text]
    2020 Meade C.; Ryan E.; Mullins E.; Downes M. (2020) 'Successful pollen dispersal modulates with flowering phase in field-hybridizing grasses'. Biology and Environment, 120B (1):51-60. [DOI] [Full-Text]
    2018 Abukrees, F., Kozlowski, G. and Meade, C. (2018) 'Characterization of diverse ploidy in the arctic-alpine Arenaria ciliata species complex (Caryophyllaceae) using shoot meristem staining and flow cytometry analysis of archived frozen tissue'. Plant Species Biology, 33 (2). [DOI] [Full-Text]
    2018 Meade, CV; Parnell, JAN (2018) 'A revised taxonomy for Uvaria (Annonaceae) in continental Asia'. Australian Systematic Botany, 31 :311-356. [DOI] [Full-Text]
    2015 Phelan, S; Fitzgerald, T; Grant, J; Byrne, S; Meade, C; Mullins, E (2015) 'Propensity for seed-mediated gene flow from potato crops and potential consequences for the coexistence of GM and non-GM potato systems'. European Journal of Agronomy, 67 :52-60. [DOI] [Full-Text]
    2015 Parnell J.; Pilla F.; Simpson C.; Van Welzen P.; Chayamarit K.; Chantaranothai P.; Boyce P.; Bygrave P.; Byrne C.; Chen S.; Couch C.; Curtis T.; Dransfield S.; Duyfjes B.; Eianthong W.; Esser H.; Grote P.; Hua Z.; Jebb M.; Kirkup D.; Loc P.; Larsen S.; Macklin J.; Madern A.; Meade C.; Merklinger F.; Middleton D.; Moat J.; Muasya A.; Nakmuenwai P.; Pederson H.; Pendry C.; Prajaksood A.; Pooma R.; Preusapan K.; Puglisi C.; Sathapattayanon A.; Sukkharak P.; Staples G.; Strijk J.; Suddee S.; Sungkaew S.; Tangjitman K.; Teerwatananon A.; Tovaranonte J.; Ung T.; Blasi A.; De Wilde W.; Wilkin P.; Yahara T. (2015) 'A re-examination of the life and work of A.F.G. Kerr and of his colleagues and friends'. Thai Forest Bulletin (Botany), (43):111-131. [Full-Text]
    2013 Walker, K, Howard-Williams, E, Meade, C (2013) '(2013). The distribution and ecology of Arenaria norvegica Gunn. in Ireland'. Irish Naturalists Journal, 32 (1):1-13. [Full-Text]
    2012 Dang, XD; Kelleher, CT; Howard-Williams, E; Meade, CV (2012) 'Rapid identification of chloroplast haplotypes using High Resolution Melting analysis'. Molecular Ecology Resources, 12 :894-908. [DOI] [Full-Text]
    2009 Petti, C; Wendt, T; Meade, C; Mullins, E (2009) 'Evidence of genotype dependency within Agrobacterium tumefaciens in relation to the integration of vector backbone sequence in transgenic Phytophthora infestans-tolerant potato'. Journal of Bioscience and Bioengineering, 107 :301-306. [DOI] [Full-Text]
    2009 Rolston, A; Meade, C; Boyle, S; Kakouli-Duarte, T; Downes, M (2009) 'Intraspecific variation among isolates of the entomopathogenic nematode Steinernema feltiae from Bull Island, Ireland'. Nematology, 11 :439-451. [DOI] [Full-Text]
    2008 O'Brien M.; Spillane C.; Meade C.; Mullins E. (2008) 'An insight into the impact of arable farming on Irish biodiversity: A scarcity of studies hinders a rigorous assessment'. Biology and Environment, 108 (2):97-108. [DOI] [Full-Text]
    2008 Dillon, A.B., C. Meade, A. Rolston, M.J. Downes and C.T. Griffin (2008) 'Establishment, persistence and introgression of exotic entomopathogenic nematodes in a forest ecosystem –mesocosm and post release field studies'. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS, 18 :735-747. [Full-Text]
    2006 Mullins, E; Milbourne, D; Petti, C; Doyle-Prestwich, BM; Meade, C (2006) 'Potato in the age of biotechnology'. Trends in Plant Science, 11 :254-260. [DOI] [Full-Text]
    2006 Rolston, AN; Meade, C; Downes, MJ (2006) 'Analysis of populations of Steinernema feltiae and Heterorhabditis downesi from Bull Island, Ireland, using AFLP'. Nematology, 38 :290-290.
    2006 Ryan E.; Mullins E.; Burke J.; Downes M.; Meade C. (2006) 'Tracing field hybridization in Ryegrass species using microsatellite and morphological markers'. Environmental Biosafety Research, 5 (2):111-117. [DOI] [Full-Text]
    2005 Meade C.; Mullins E. (2005) 'GM crop cultivation in Ireland: Ecological and economic considerations'. Biology and Environment, 105 (1):33-52. [Full-Text]
    2005 Meade C. (2005) 'A new species of Uvaria (Annonaceae) from Southeast Asia'. Adansonia, 27 (1):17-20. [Full-Text]
    2003 Parnell, JAN; Simpson, DA; Moat, J; Kirkup, DW; Chantaranothai, P; Boyce, PC; Bygrave, P; Dransfield, S; Jebb, MHP; Macklin, J; Meade, C; Middleton, DJ; Muasya, AM; Prajaksood, A; Pendry, CA; Pooma, R; Suddee, S; Wilkin, P (2003) 'Plant collecting spread and densities: their potential impact on biogeographical studies in Thailand'. Journal of Biogeography, 30 :193-209. [Full-Text]
    2003 Meade, C; Parnell, J (2003) 'Multivariate analysis of leaf shape patterns in Asian species of the Uvaria group (Annonaceae)'. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 143 :231-242. [Full-Text]
    2002 Meade, CV; Parnelll, JAN (2002) 'Neotypification of Uvaria hirsuta Jack (Annonaceae)'. Taxon, 51 :767-768. [Full-Text]
    2007 Petti, C., Meade, C., Downes, M. and Mullins, E. (2007) 'Facilitating co-existence by tracking gene-dispersal in conventional potato systems with microsatellite markers'. Environmental Biosafety Research, 18 :1-13. [Full-Text]
    2005 Flannery, M., C. Meade and E. Mullins. (2005) 'Employing a composite gene flow index to numerically quantify a crops potential for gene flow:  An Irish Perspective. '. Environmental Biosafety Research, 4 :29-43. [Full-Text]
    2008 Dillon, A. B., Meade, C., Rolston, A., Downes, M. J. and Griffin C. T. (2008) 'Establishment, persistence and introgression of exotic entomopathogenic nematodes in a forest ecosystem'. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS, 18 :735-747. [Full-Text]

    Book Chapter

    Year Publication
    2013 C. Meade (2013) 'Life in Ireland during the Ice Age' In: Secrets of the Irish Landscape. Dublin : RTE.
    2011 van Welzen, P.C., A. Madern, N. Raes, J.A.N. Parnell, D.A. Simpson, C. Byrne, T. Curtis, J. Macklin, A. Trias-Blasi, A. Prajaksood, P. Bygrave, S. Dransfield, D.W. Kirkup, J. Moat, P. Wilkin, C. Couch, P.C. Boyce, K. Chayamarit, P. Chantaranothai, H-J. Esser, M.H.P. Jebb, K. Larsen, S.S. Larsen, I. Nielsen, C. Meade, D.J. Middleton, C.A. Pendry, A.M. Muasya, N. Pattharahirantricin, R. Pooma, S. Suddee, G.W. Staples, S. Sungkaew and A. Teerawatananon. (2011) 'The Current and Future Status of Floristic Provinces in Thailand' In: Land Use, Climate Change and Biodiversity Modeling: Perspectives and Applications. Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA : IGI Global. [DOI]

    Other Journal

    Year Publication
    2021 Živa Fišer, Giovanna Aronne, Tsipe Aavik, Meleksen Akin, Paraskevi Alizoti, Filippos Aravanopoulos, Gianluigi Bacchetta, Manica Balant, Dalibor Ballian, Oz Barazani, Andrea Francesca Bellia, Nadine Bernhardt, Magda Bou Dagher Kharrat, Adrian Bugeja Douglas, Michael Burkart, Dušica Ćalić, André Carapeto, Tor Carlsen, Sílvia Castro, Guy Colling, Joana Cursach, Sara Cvetanoska, Cvetanka Cvetkoska, Renata Ćušterevska, Laura Daco, Kalina Danova, Aida Dervishi, Gordana Djukanović, Snežana Dragićević, Andreas Ensslin, Marianne Evju, Giuseppe Fenu, Ana Francisco, Pedro Pablo Gallego, Marta Galloni, Anatolie Ganea, Birgit Gemeinholzer, Peter Glasnović, Sandrine Godefroid, Mette Goul Thomsen, Melinda Halassy, Aveliina Helm, Marko Hyvärinen, Jasmin Joshi, Amra Kazić, Michael Kiehn, Marcin Klisz, Anneleen Kool, Marcin Koprowski, Anna Kövendi-Jakó, Karel Kříž, Matthias Kropf, Tiiu Kull, Sandro Lanfranco, Predrag Lazarević, Maja Lazarević, Merav Lebel Vine, Ligita Liepina, João Loureiro, Diana Lukminė, Nathalie Machon, Conor Meade, Detlev Metzing, Đorđije Milanović, Luis Navarro, Saša Orlović, Bart Panis, Hana Pankova, Taras Parpan, Ondřej Pašek, Dhimiter Peci, Theodora Petanidou, Kristina Plenk, Radosław Puchałka, Ivan Radosavljević, Hassan Rankou, Valerijus Rašomavičius, Gabriela Romanciuc, Anna Ruotsalainen, Nina Šajna, Terezia Salaj, Carolina Sánchez-Romero, Murat Sarginci, Deborah Schäfer, Ole Seberg, Suzanne Sharrock, Jozef Šibík, Mária Šibíková, Olav Skarpaas, Milena Stanković Neđić, Srdjan Stojnic, Boštjan Surina, Katalin Szitár, Aco Teofilovski, Rannveig Thoroddsen, Ivaylo Tsvetkov, Domas Uogintas, Koenraad Van Meerbeek, Nils van Rooijen, Loukia Vassiliou, Rita Verbylaitė, Philippine Vergeer, Petr Vít, Margareta Walczak, Alex Widmer, Justyna Wiland-Szymańska, Goran Zdunić, Elke Zippel (2021) 'ConservePlants: An integrated approach to conservation of threatened plants for the 21st Century' RIO Research Ideas and Outcomes, . [DOI]
    2002 Meade, C., T. Hodkinson, P. Chalermglin, M Chase, and J. Parnell (2002) 'Revision of Uvaria L. in Continental Southeast Asia: 2 Floral character Evolution in the Uvaria L. Group' Annonaceae Newsletter, 13, :29-32.

    Conference Contribution

    Year Publication
    2019 Meade C. (2019) 1st Workshop on Ecological Data Analysis (Maynooth University) Exploiting multiple statistical approaches in biogeographical analysis Maynooth University, .
    2019 Abukrees, F., Jansen, M. and C. Meade (2019) Irish Plant Scientists Association Annual Meeting Ecophysiological adaptation to climate change in Arctic-Alpine plants Institute of Technology, Carlow, .
    2019 Abukrees, F., Jansen, M. and C. Meade (2019) British Ecological Society Annual Meeting Ecophysiological adaptation to climate change in the Arctic-Alpine Arenaria ciliata species complex (Caryophyllaceae) Belfast, UK, .
    2017 Meade C. (2017) Invited Presentation, UC Boulder EEB Seminar Series Climate-mediated change in biogeographic distribution of European arctic-alpine cushion plants School of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, .
    2016 Abukrees, F., Meade, C. (2016) Ecology and Evolution Ireland Conference Ploidy variation in climate-sensitive Arctic-Alpine plants. 1st Ecology and Evolution Ireland Conference November 2016 Institute of Technology Sligo Sligo, .
    2015 Meade, C., Dang, DX., Howard-Williams, E., Vargas, P. and Kelleher C. (2015) Internationsl Biogeography Society 7th Biennial Meeting The British-Irish Ice Sheet at the end of the LGM: Tabula rasa? Bayreuth, Germany, .
    2015 Conor Meade, Phil Dix, Jackie Nugent, Emmanuelle Graciet (2015) Irish Plant Scientists' Association Meeting National plant science meeting Maynooth (Ireland), .
    2015 Meade C. (2015) Irish Uplands Forum Ireland's Uplands: A Pleistocene Botanic Garden University of Dublin, Trinity College, .
    2014 Meade, C., Dang, DX., Howard-Williams, E., Vargas, P. and Kelleher C. (2014) Plant Biology Europe Congress Multiple Separate Pleistocene Expansion Events Characterize the Arenaria ciliata complex in Europe Dublin, .
    2013 Meade C. and Dang, XD. (2013) Irish Plant Scientists Association Meeting The Biogeography of Minuartia recurva in Ireland and Europe National University of Ireland, Galway, .
    2010 Howard-Williams, E., Kelleher, C., Walker, K. and C. Meade (2010) Irish Plant Scientists Association Meeting Biogeography of the Irish Arctic-Alpine Caryophyllaceae: A Case Study of Arenaria norvegica University College Dublin, .
    2009 Conor Meade (2009) Irish Plant Scientists Association Meeting An empirical gene flow model for Ryegrass University of Dublin, Trinity College, .
    2003 S. Cloney, C. Meade, J. Burke (2003) Gene Flow in wild populations of Brassica rapa L European Science Foundation Programme: Assessing the Impact of Genetically Modified Plants Free University of Amsterdam, 21/01/2003-.
    2003 S. Cloney, C. Meade, J. Burke (2003) Gene flow in wild rape: a framework for estimating transgene spread European Science Foundation AIGM Conference Amsterdam, 21/01/2003-.
    2002 "Presented with Ms Sue Cloney, Dr James Burke and Prof Martin Downes" (2002) Gene-flow in wild populations of Brassica rapa L European Science Foundation Programme: Assessing the Impact of Genetically Modified Plants Free University of Amsterdam, 21/04/2002-.

    Published Report

    Year Publication
    2013 Mullins, E., Collier, M., O'Brien, M., Meade, C., Spillane, C. (2013) Predicting the Impact of Coexistence-Guided, Genetically Modified Cropping on Irish Biodiversity. Environmental Protection Agency, .

    Reviews

    Year Publication
    2008 O'Brien, M; Spillane, C; Meade, C; Mullins, E (2008) AN INSIGHT INTO THE IMPACT OF ARABLE FARMING ON IRISH BIODIVERSITY: A SCARCITY OF STUDIES HINDERS A RIGOROUS ASSESSMENT. DUBLIN: [Reviews] [DOI] [Full-Text]
    Certain data included herein are derived from the © Web of Science (2025) of Clarivate. All rights reserved.

    Teaching Interests

    I co-developed the BSc programme in Biological and Geographical Sciences, introduced in 2020. I also developed and am Academic Lead on the 7 Skills Undergraduate Writing Programme, introduced in 2021, and I co-ordinate the Turnitin online submission platform across Biology modules on Moodle. 

    I co-ordinate and teach the following modules within the Biology undergraduate programme:
    • BI220 Environmental Field Skills
    • BI305 Dissertation
    • BI435 Molecular Ecology and Biogeography
    • BI450 Data Internship
    • BI450 Prior Project
    • BI453 Dissertation (Biological and Geographical Sciences)

    I also teach on the following modules:
    • BI207 Environmental Biology
    • BI303 Ecology
    • BI320 Field Course
    • BI352 Science Communication (Biological and Geographical Sciences)


    Recent Students

    Graduation date Name Degree
    2012 Xiaodong Dang PhD
    2013 Emma Howard-Williams PhD
    2010 CarloAlberto Petti PhD
    2007 Susan Cloney PhD
    2021 Fathi Abukrees PhD