Leader: Phil Rundel

Contributed by Phil Rundel

Name:  Phil Rundel
 
Job (title and organization): Distinguished Professor of Biology, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles
 
Where do you work (city and country):  Los Angeles, California, United States

Degree(s): 
I have an undergraduate degree from Pomona College in Claremont, California, and Masters and Ph.D. degrees from Duke University. I have taught at the Facultad de Ciencias of the Universidad de Chile in Santiago as a visiting professor, and had shorter visiting associations with universities in South Africa, Australia, and Greece.
 
Describe your work/research: 
I've spent the past 40 years investigating a variety of aspects of the ecology of mediterranean-climate regions. This work has allowed me to travel extensively through all five of these regions. We ecologists like the idea of replicated experiments, and what could be better than having five mediterranean-climate regions as examples of how evolution has operated in these five isolated areas of the world with similar climate regimes. The more I spend time in other Mediterranean regions, the better I understand how our California ecosystems function.

While my core research area lies with the physiological ecology of plant adaptations to environmental stress, my work has broadened over the years to include a range of studies not only in this field but also in looking at the biogeographic patterns of speciation in mediterranean-climate regions and increasingly into the conservation biology of these regions.

What inspires you in your work?
The biodiversity of the five mediterranean-climate regions is remarkable.  These areas cover only slightly more than 2% of the world’s land area yet contain 20% of the world’s vascular plant species. We all want to protect and conserve rainforest ecosystems for their diversity yet there has been too little public appreciation of the incredible biodiversity we have here in California and the other mediterranean regions, and the multiple threats to its survival.  The better we understand the unique factors that have led to the evolution of our diverse mediterranean-climate floras, the better we will be able to plan for conserving this biodiversity in a world with multiple development pressures and a changing climate. A critical element in all of this is the need to communicate our science effectively to decision-makers and develop an informed general public.

What are the highlights of your career accomplishments? 
My career in the University of California system has given me the encouragement to work broadly in my studies, and has provided me with wonderful colleagues and a steady stream of bright students. Perhaps my greatest accomplishment overall has been with the students who have been stimulated by my enthusiasm for ecology and conservation biology to have gone on to advanced degrees in these fields. Many of the students now have leadership roles in universities and government agencies around the world. I also feel proud of the role I have played with others of founding the International Society for Mediterranean Ecology (ISOMED) as an international scientific organization.

Why is the Global Mediterranean Action Network exciting to you?
 The Global Mediterranean Action Network provides a focus and visibility on issues related to conservation of these important ecosystems.  While individual scientists have an important role to play in research, conservation organizations like the The Nature Conservancy bring added resources and an active outreach in communicating well with the public.

Personal Interests?
Home (a nice house at the urban/wildland interface in the hills of the Santa Monica Mountains), travel (not getting there but spending time internationally working with local colleagues), pets (three dogs and three cats), and gardening (a mélange of species from all five mediterranean regions).

How did your early experiences in nature influence you?
Although having a strong interest in nature from a fairly early age, I nevertheless entered college as an economics major, thinking that it would be nice to focus on a well-paid profession in the business world. My first field biology course in college altered that view, and I changed my junior year to major in Botany with a minor in Geology.
 
What are your favorite species and/or landscapes?
Of course I have a special attraction to the five Mediterranean-climate regions. I have also worked in tropical rainforests, and find these fascinating as well. If I had to pick a favorite species, thinking big, it would be giant sequoias in the Sierra Nevada.  These were the subjects of my Ph.D. dissertation and a charismatic species to be sure.

Why are you passionate about conservation?
I'm passionate about conservation for all of these reasons that I have described above. I have a deep-seated appreciation for biodiversity and the remarkable complexity of natural ecosystems, and want to see this biodiversity preserved for future generations.

What gives you hope?
Despite much to be worried about with diverse threats to our natural ecosystems and in particular to those in the five mediterranean-climate regions, there are multiple reasons to be cautiously optimistic about progress we are making in conservation biology.  The field of conservation biology has developed well over the past few decades and these advance are now being communicated more effectively to decision makers and resource managers. The general public is now better educated about environmental issues and the intrinsic value of biodiversity, although much more needs to be done.

What activities do you enjoy in your spare time?
When not actively involved in my chosen profession, my leisure activities range widely from broadening my experiences through travel and reading to watching mindless television programs. The UCLA basketball team always needs my help.