Samuel Taylor

Dr. Samuel Taylor is a Lecturer in Plant Science at the Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, where he is affiliated with the Plant and Crop Science department and the Centre of Excellence in Environmental Data Science. His research aligns with LEC's exceptional photosynthesis research groups, working alongside leading researchers such as Elizabete Carmo-Silva, Marjorie Lundgren, Doug Orr, Steve Long, and Martin Parry.

Dr. Taylor completed his PhD at the University of York and has held academic positions at Bowdoin College, The University of Texas at Austin, and The University of Sheffield before joining Lancaster University. His international collaborations span South Africa, China, Australia, Mexico, the USA, and the European Union.

As an environmental plant physiologist, Dr. Taylor specializes in understanding leaf physiology and its influence on plant performance. His research focuses on how plant leaves respond to microclimate, gas exchange measurements of photosynthesis, and genetic variation in leaf performance. He has made significant contributions to understanding the recovery of photosynthesis after shading, the physiological ecology of C4 grasses, differential responses of C3 and C4 grasses to drought, and genetic variation in biofuel crops like switchgrass. His methodological approach integrates field studies with controlled environment experiments, molecular techniques with physiological measurements.

Dr. Taylor's recent publications reveal a strong focus on plant responses to environmental stressors, particularly examining how precipitation gradients affect leaf traits and gene expression in C4 grasses. His work bridges molecular biology, plant physiology, and ecological adaptation, with increasing attention to practical applications in crop improvement and sustainable agriculture, including agrivoltaics research that combines solar energy production with crop cultivation.

• Mobile platform for tracking carbon through agri-ecosystems: ALERT 2024 (2025-2026) - Co-Investigator, BBSRC-funded
• Agrivoltaics Agenda (2024-2025) - Principal Investigator
• Pilot Project - LU BBSRC 2024 International Partnership Fund (2025) - Principal Investigator
• PhotoBoost (2020-2026) - Co-Investigator, European Commission-funded

Dr. Taylor actively supervises 3 postgraduate research students and his research group works at the intersection of plant physiology, environmental science, and sustainable agriculture, with particular emphasis on evaluating impacts of mixed-land-use agrivoltaics on wheat productivity and stress resilience.