Associate Professor Dylan Korczynskyj

Program Coordinator, Science
BSc (Hons, zoology), PhD (plant ecology)

Email: dylan.korczynskyj@nd.edu.au
Phone: 9433 0107

  • Biography

    Dylan Korczynskyj coordinates and teaches into the Science Program. He joined Notre Dame in 2003 to support the establishment of the Bachelor of Science and lead the review and refinement of the Program as is delivered today. Dylan has contributed more broadly to the leadership of the University and the School of Arts and Sciences, including in the role of the School Dean (2009-14). His teaching and research interests sit mainly within the fields of ecology and plant biology, with publications in areas including ecophyisology, fire ecology, evolution and environmental restoration.

    Shaping his research and academic experience, Dylan has taught at Curtin University, worked with Agriculture WA and supported research by the Department Conservation and Land Management. His teaching experience, skill and commitment to student learning has been recognised by the University (Vice Chancellor’s awards in 2011 and 2021) and further afield (ALTC team award, 2009). Dylan also enjoys promoting science within our community, supporting the Ecological Society of Australia, service to the WA Coordinating Committee for National Science Week, collaborating with PICA gallery, and contributing to initiatives such as The Biodiversity Conference 2021.

  • Teaching areas

    Australian ecology and environmental issues
    Plant and animal ecophysiology
    Botany
    Molecular and cell biology
    Science Communication

  • HDR and Honours Supervision

    Tai White-Toney (PhD) Causes of variable jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata) and marri (Corymbia calophylla) seedling density at establishment following bauxite mining in the Northern Jarrah Forest of Western Australia.
    Mars Tan (PhD) Sedimentation dynamics of the Cagayan de Oro River Catchment (Philippines) and the implications for the adjacent coastal marine environment.

    Eloise Ashton (Honours) The critical role of birds for the pollination of Banksia menziesii (Proteaceae).
    Renae Douglas (Honours) The survival and growth of zamia (Macrozamia riedlei) in rehabilitated bauxite mines and jarrah forest in Western Australia.
    Eugene Olman (Honours) Increasing the treatment effectiveness of a constructed wetland through increasing the water retention time by construction of a small weir.
    Amy Barker (Honours) Distribution of Acacia aphanoclada and the effect of soil mineralogy and water availability on habitat preference.

  • Research expertise and supervision

    Research interests span plant and animal biology, ecology and evolution, including interactions with fire and other environmental disturbances and impacts. Current projects include evolution of plant traits in response to fire, biogeography of the family Cistaceae, marine plastic pollution, and reproduction of plants of  southwestern Australia.

  • Books

    Lamont, B., Ward, D., Eldridge, J., Korczynskyj, D., Colangelo, W., Fordham, C., Clememts, E. & Wittkuhn, R. (2002). Believing the balga: a new method for gauging the fire history of vegetation using grasstrees. In I. Abbott, N. Burrows, MD Fox &.AS George (Ed.), Fire in south-western Australia ecosystems: impacts and management (pp146–169). Leiden, The Netherlands: Backhuys.

  • Journal articles and proceedings

    • Lamont, B.B., Burrows, G. E., & Korczynskyj, D. (2021). High summer temperatures do not interact with fire to promote germination among seeds of Cistaceae: a reinterpretation of Luna (2020) with extra data on wet/dry conditions. Plant Ecology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11258-021-01172-y
    • White‐Toney, T., Korczynskyj, D., Grigg, A., & Bulsara, M. (2019). Variable tree establishment in bauxite mine restoration in south‐west Australia linked to rainfall distribution, seasonal temperatures and seed rain. Ecological Management & Restoration, 20(3), 266–270. https://doi.org/10.1111/emr.12389
    • Korczynskyj, D. (2015). Book Review. How to Do Ecology: A Concise Handbook. Austral Ecology, 40(5), 4-5. doi: 10.1111/aec.12245
    • Douglas, R., Korczynskyj, D., & Koch, J. (2011). Re-establishing the cycad Macrozamia riedlei following mining. Journal of the Australian Network for Plant Conservation, 19(3), 11-12.
    • Korczynskyj, D. (2007). The evolution of grasstree phenology: questioning the fit of an established theory for Australia’s Mediterranean vegetation. Proceedings of the MEDECOS XI Conference (eds. D. Rokich, G. Wardell-Johnson, C. Yates, J. Stevens, K. Dixon, R. McLellan & G. Moss), Kings Park and Botanic Garden: Perth, Australia.
    • Korczynskyj, D. & Lamont, B. (2005). Grasstree (Xanthorrhoea preissii) recovery after fire in two seasons and habitats. Australian Journal of Botany, 53(6), 509-515. doi:10.1071/BT05006
    • Korczynskyj, D. & Lamont, B. (2005). Grasstree (Xanthorrhoea preissii) leaf growth in relation to seasonal and water availability. Austral Ecology, 30(7), 765-774. doi:10.1111/j.1442-9993.2005.01517.x
    • Lamont, B.B., Wittkuhn, R. & Korczynskyj, D. (2004). Turner Review no. 8. Ecology and ecophysiology of grasstrees. Australian Journal of Botany, 52(5), 561-582. doi:10.1071/BT03127

  • Conference papers

      • Korczynskyj, D., Partridge, L. & Murphy, J. (2017). To immerse, or not to immerse? Student perspectives of a social justice learning experience. Poster presented at the Higher Education Research Development Society Australia Conference. Sydney, NSW.
      • Korczynskyj, D., He, T. & Lamont, B. (2017). Fire as a selective force in the evolution of the Cistaceae (Europe/USA) and Xanthorrhoeaceae (Australia/South Africa). Paper presented at the XIV MEDECOS & XIII AEET conference, Seville, Spain.
      • Korczynskyj, D., Cooper, C., Johnston, R. & He, T. (2016). How will Australian ringneck parrots manage the thermoregulatory implications of a hotter continent? Paper presented at the Ecological Society of Australia Conference. Fremantle, WA.
      • Douglas, R., Korczynskyj, D. & Koch, J. (2009). Re-establishing the cycad Macrozamia riedlei following mining. Paper presented at the Australasian Plant Conservation Conference, Perth, WA.
      • Barker, A. & Korczynskyj, D. (2007). Acute endemism of Acacia aphanoclada: what factors restrict the toughest plant in town? Paper presented at the Ecological Society of Australia Conference, Perth, WA.
      • Korczynskyj, D. (2007). The evolution of grasstree phenology: questioning the fit of an established theory for Australia’s Mediterranean vegetation. Paper presented at the MEDECOS XI Conference, Perth, WA.
      • Korczynskyj, D. & Lamont, B. (2003). Grasstree resprouting: questioning the obvious conclusion. Paper presented at the Ecological Society of Australia Conference, Armidale, NSW.
      • Korczynskyj, D. & Lamont, B. (2001). How grasstrees recover after fire. Paper presented at the Ecological Society of Australia Conference, Wollongong, NSW.
      • Korczynskyj, D. & Lamont, B. (2001). Grasstree growth response to fire. Paper presented at the Australasian Bushfire Conference, Christchurch, New Zealand.
      • Korczynskyj, D. & Lamont, B. (2001). Explaining rapid inflorescence elongation of the grasstree Xanthorrhoea preissii. Paper presented at the Royal Society of Western Australia Postgraduate Student Symposium, Bentley, WA.
      • Korczynskyj, D. & Lamont, B. (1999). Grasstree growth patterns in relation to fire and season. Paper presented at the Ecological Society of Australia Conference, Fremantle, WA.

  • In the media

  • Professional affiliations

    Ecological Society of Australia (since 1998)
    Royal Society of Western Australia (since 2001)
    International Association for Ecology (since 2005)

  • Community engagement

    • Science in Art Tour guide for the Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts’ exhibition, When the Sky Fell: Legacies of the 1967 Referendum. 2017 National Science Week.
    • Presentation for Birdlife WA (Using museum specimens to answer questions about biological change in space and time: a case study of the Australian ringneck parrots), 2017.
    • Member of the Lance Holt School Council (governing body), 2012-16.
    • Judge for the Western Australian Young Scientist of the Year Awards, 2009.
    • Co-facilitator of the photo-story exhibition, The Colours of Courage - faces of hope, agents of change. Notre Dame/Caritas Australia, 2009.

  • Awards

    • 2021, Vice Chancellor's Award for initiatives that enhance student learning (Science; individual)
    • 2011, Vice Chancellor Award for Initiative that enhance student learning (Notre Dame-Caritas Immersion Team)
    • 2009, Australian Government, Australian Learning & Teaching Council Citation for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning (Aboriginal Youth and Community Wellbeing Team)
    • 2001, WA Children’s Week award recognising contribution to young people.