Staff Profile

My background is in plant population genetics. However, I have a broad range of interests including ecology and conservation, plant biology, biodiversity, ornithology and entomology. I have been involved in plant research at Newcastle University since 2012.

In my current role I lead the plant research technical team providing support to the School's plant research projects. I oversee the plant research labs, molecular diagnostic labs, and plant growth facilities on campus and Cockle Park farm. I co-manage the long-running Palace Leas Hay Meadow Trial.

Qualifications:

PhD Population Genetics

MSc Molecular Ecology

BSc (Hons) Ecology and Conservation and Wildlife Biology 

Professional Affiliations:

Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy

Affiliateship of the City & Guilds of London Institute

I'm a population geneticist. I've mostly worked on Tilia (lime trees) from the UK and across Europe, and from western Siberia, using microsatellite markers to discriminate between species, hybrids, and clonal cultivar groups but I've also worked on Indonesian birds (unpub.) and Whitefly.

Since 2012, I've used Tilia specific microsatellites to: discriminated for the first time between the species and hybrid, and assess the population genetic diversity of the two UK species, T. cordata and T. platyphyllos; highlight the within-population genetic diversity of the rare Siberian lime (T. sibirica) and propose a putative Pleistocene split from the small-leaved lime; assess genetic diversity, relatedness, clonal reproduction, and range effects of two European species.

I have worked with collaborators from American and European Universities and am currently working with UK collaborators (Kew Gardens, Local Countryside Trusts, Local Interest Groups).

• Articles

  • Wolff K, Depner B, Logan SA, Heurich M. Informed conservation management of rare tree species needs knowledge of species composition, their genetic characteristics and ecological niche. Forest Ecology and Management 2021, 483, 118771.
  • Kareem AA, Logan SA, Port G, Wolff K. Bemisia tabaci in Iraq: Population structure, endosymbiont diversity and putative species. Journal of Applied Entomology 2020, 144(4), 297-307.
  • Logan SA, Phuekvilai P, Sanderson R, Wolff K. Reproductive and population genetic characteristics of leading-edge and central populations of two temperate forest tree species and implications for range expansion. Forest Ecology and Management 2019, 433, 475-486.
  • Conover JL, Karimi N, Stenz N, Ane C, Grover CE, Skema C, Tate JA, Wolff K, Logan SA, Wendel JF, Baum DA. A Malvaceae mystery: a mallow maelstrom of genome multiplications and maybe misleading methods?. Journal of Integrative Plant Biology 2019, 61(1), 12-31.
  • Wolff K, Hansen OK, Couch S, Moore L, Sander H, Logan SA. Tilia cultivars in historic lime avenues and parks in the UK, Estonia and other European countries. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening 2019, 43, 126346.
  • Logan SA, Chytry M, Wolff K. Genetic diversity and demographic history of the Siberian lime (Tilia sibirica).. Perspectives in Plant Ecology, Evolution and Systematics 2018, 33, 9-17.
  • Logan SA, Phuekvilai P, Wolff K. Ancient woodlands in the limelight: delineation and genetic structure of ancient woodland species Tilia cordata and Tilia platyphyllos (Tiliaceae) in the UK. Tree Genetics & Genomes 2015, 11, 52.

• Book Chapter

  • Wolff K, Pumphrey R, Logan SA. DNA fingerprinting reveals genetic diversity and spatial patterns in Tilia cordata in Shrawley Wood. In: Green H; Llewellyn F; Milner H; Pumphrey R, ed. Shrawley Wood, History and Natural History. Malvern, Worcestershire, United Kingdom: Greyhound Self-Publishing, 2022.