John Conran

John Conran is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Adelaide's Faculty of Sciences, Engineering and Technology. His research integrates molecular and morphological approaches to study the evolution, palaeobotany, and biogeography of Australasian plants, particularly monocots, conifers, carnivorous plants, and weeds. He investigates how climate change has influenced diversification in ancient plant groups, especially in nutrient-poor environments.

His work emphasizes character evolution in response to historical climate shifts, with major projects including collaborations with the University of Otago on Miocene fossil floras in New Zealand and with China's Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanic Gardens on tropical plant families. Research interests span palaeobotany, evolutionary biology, and ecology.