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<H2 class=storyHeadline><FONT size=2>From THE STAR</FONT></H2>
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<H2 class=storyHeadline>Saving the plant life</H2>
<P class=byline>Tuesday, March 13, 2012 6:00 </P></DIV>
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<DIV id=articleImage><IMG
title="Richard Pender examines plants in Hawaii as part of his research into their reproduction "
alt="Richard Pender examines plants in Hawaii as part of his research into their reproduction "
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<P>Richard Pender examines plants in Hawaii as part of his research into their
reproduction </P></DIV></DIV>
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<P>The birds and the bees. It's an age-old story that makes the world go round.
But what happens when the birds and bees disappear?<BR><BR>Former Lincoln High
School student Richard Pender is currently in Hawaii, researching the impact on
plants when the creatures that pollinate them become extinct.<BR><BR>"It is a
question that is of global concern, and the questions I am addressing in Hawaii
can be directly applied to New Zealand's flora," said Mr Pender, a PhD
student.<BR><BR>Mr Pender said Hawaii, like New Zealand, has a lot of species
found nowhere else in the world due to its isolation as an island.<BR><BR>This
makes it ideal for studying unique plant species and the effects of invasion by
plant introduction, he said.<BR><BR>Mr Pender said he loves Hawaii and that it's
"an awesome place" to live and study.<BR><BR>"I'm interested in islands and how
floras evolve on islands. Hawaii is one of the best places to work and study in
that regard. I'm really into the outdoors, so when I do get time off I like to
make the most of it. Hawaii allows me to live a really good life while working
really hard."<BR><BR>Mr Pender is studying at the Manoa Campus in Honolulu at
the University of Hawaii, and said the island is not so different from his
homeland.<BR><BR>"Both places have a fairly laid-back atmosphere. That's
something I really appreciate."<BR><BR>As a student at Lincoln High School, Mr
Pender was "really into horticulture", which led to a post-school apprenticeship
at the Christchurch Botanic Gardens and two years working at the Royal
Horticultural Society in England.<BR><BR>He then returned to New Zealand to
study a Bachelor of Science at the University of Canterbury.<BR><BR>Now Mr
Pender is fulfilling his love of horticulture as he investigates how the flora
of Hawaii reproduce in the absence of their pollinators.<BR><BR>"Plants are
amazing! Growing plants is both art and science. Horticulture and botany is
really multi-faceted, taking in environmentalism, evolution, design, history.
I'm really lucky to be involved in this career path. I also get to work with
some really cool people who are just as passionate about plants and the
environment as I am."<BR><BR>Mr Pender's research was born after arriving in
Hawaii and realising that only a small number of studies on the impacts of bird
pollinator loss had been conducted.<BR><BR>"Essentially I am hoping to find out
if the plants that I am working with can still be pollinated by Hawaiian
honeycreepers, which are a group of bird species that evolved in Hawaii. Some of
the bird species have bills adapted for feeding from the nectar of Hawaiian
lobeliads. So they are mutualists, each helping the other out."<BR><BR>Mr Pender
said destruction of the plant and pollinators' habitats and invasion by other
species means many of the honeycreeper and lobeliad species are now extinct or
endangered.<BR><BR>His research has shown the plants he's working with can
partially compensate for pollinator loss.<BR><BR>"The only problem with this is
that self pollination has been shown to lead to inbreeding depression due to
close relatives mating. This is a real concern," he said.<BR><BR>While bee
numbers are declining globally, Mr Pender said predators are also a major threat
to pollinators in New Zealand such as tui and bellbirds.<BR><BR>If we lose
pollinators, our native plants may become extinct, he said.<BR><BR>"The tragedy
is that those species evolved, likely over very long periods. We [could] lose
unique species and the species are what make the fabric of
ecosystems."<BR><BR>Mr Pender said he hopes his research will "raise awareness
of the problem ".<BR><BR>Due to finish his research at the end of the year, Mr
Pender will return to New Zealand to continue research, education and
consultation on flora.<BR><BR>Mr Pender's study was made possible when he
received the J. R. Templin Trust Scholarship which offers postgraduate students
the chance to study at a United States university, binding them to contribute to
their industry for two years
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