|
His
research in the field of evolutionary biology focuses on plant pollinator
interactions. The interactions between flowers and their pollinators are not
only important for seed production of wild plants and crops but have also been
instrumental in the evolution of the spectacular diversity of the world’s
flowering plants. He has recently developed a strong interest in the role of
floral volatiles in mediating specialized plant-pollinator interactions, and
has established a state-of-the-art laboratory for the study of chemical clues
used by plants to attract insect pollinators. Johnson has contributed
significantly to the understanding of the evolutionary diversification of
plants in southern Africa and also the ecological requirements that plants have
for their reproduction Johnson
has published more than 200 peer-reviewed scientific papers, co-authored two
books, and has also written many popular science articles. He
is currently on the editorial boards of two international journals, Oecologia
and Arthropod-Plant Interaction, and was guest editor for a special edition of
the South African Journal of Botany in 2009. He received the National Research
Foundation (NRF) President's Award in 1999 and currently holds an A-2 rating
from NRF. |