- HIKING TRAILS AND WILDFLOWERS by Keith and Barbro McCree -

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KEITH J. McCREE
Emeritus Professor of Crop Science
Texas A&M University

BORN : June 12, 1927, Christchurch, New Zealand

EDUCATION :

B.S., Physics, Univ. of New Zealand, 1946
M.S., Physics, Univ. of New Zealand, 1948
Ph.D, Technical Optics, Univ. of London, 1958

PROFESSIONAL RESEARCH INTERESTS :

Crop Physics (physics of the crop environment, photosynthetically active radiation)
Crop Physiology (whole plant photosynthesis, respiration, carbon balance, water stress)

HONORS :

1984 - Superior Achievement Award, Soil and Crop Sciences Dept., Texas A&M University.
1987 - Fellow of the Crop Science Society of America.
1989 - Distinguised Service Award, Faculty of Plant Physiology, Texas A&M University.
1989 - Emeritus Professor, Soil and Crop Sciences Dept., Texas A&M University.

WORK EXPERIENCE :

1948 - 1950 Physicist, Dominion Physical Laboratory, Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, Lower Hutt, New Zealand. Tested equipment against national standards.

1950 - 1952 Physicist, Geophysical Laboratory, Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, Taupo, New Zealand. As part of a team doing geophysical exploration of New Zealand's volcanic hot springs, I measured temperature profiles in exploratory wells for geothermal electric power production. Our research laid the groundwork for geothermal power production at nearby Wairakei.

1952 - 1955 Physicist, Dominion Physical Laboratory, Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, Lower Hutt, New Zealand. Developed light measuring instruments for plant science studies (2,7,8).

1955 - 1958 Research Assistant, Technical Optics, Imperial College of Science and Technology, University of London. Showed that eye movements are essential for color vision. The practical implication of my research is that if you stare too hard at a traffic signal, you may lose your ability to tell what color it is (4,5,6).

1958 - 1967 Physicist, Dominion Physical Laboratory, Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, Lower Hutt, New Zealand. Continued developing light measuring instruments for plant science studies (13,14,15,17,18). Began research on the physiogical basis for photosynthesis and respiration in plants, in collaboration with J.H. Troughton (11,12).

1967 - 1968 Post-doctoral position with R.S. Loomis and W.A. Williams , Agronomy and Range Science Department, University of California at Davis. Studied photosynthesis in fluctuating light. Developed an equation for the rate of respiration of the clover plants, based on the studies with J.H. Troughton in New Zealand, and presented it at a conference in Trebon, Czechoslovakia in 1969. This paper has often been quoted in the literature on respiration in plants (Online version available) (16,19,20,54).

1968 - 1976 Associate Professor, Institute of Life Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas. Determined the action spectrum, absorptance and quantum yield of photosynthesis in crop plants. Developed a new system for measuring photosynthetically active radiation (Online version available). My research showed that lights that appear brightest to humans are not necessarily the best ones for growing plants under controlled conditions (21,22,23,25,26,31,37).

1976 - 77 Program Manager, 'Research Applied to National Needs', National Science Foundation, Washington D.C.

1977 - 1989 Professor, Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, Texas A&M University. Established the growth and maintenance respiration requirements of crop plants. I showed that, on a whole-plant basis over 24 hours, respiratory losses are much greater than had previously been thought, as much as 50% of daytime photosynthetic gains in crop plants (28) (29 to 67). The practical implication is that plants and forests may not be such good 'sinks' as they appear, for the carbon dioxide that humans pour into the atmosphere. My work indicates that a mature forest would be unlikely to sequester much carbon per 24 hours, because it must continuously take up oxygen and release carbon dioxide to maintain its biomass.

TEACHING EXPERIENCE :

Taught graduate level course at Texas A&M University: AGRO 621 : Principles of Crop Physics.

I built new computer simulation models of the carbon balances of plants, with emphasis on agricultural production under dry conditions (65,66,67). I put the models on to one of the first Macintosh computers and used them in my course. My software package 'Exploring Crop Physics' used simulation models to demonstrate the effects of environmental factors such as solar radiation, air temperature, humidity and soil water supply on rates of photosynthesis, respiration and transpiration. The models calculated the energy balance, carbon balance, and water balance of a leaf, a plant or a field crop. They allowed the student to explore the many different ways in which plants can interact with their environments

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Over 60 scientific papers published.
Publications cited over 90 times annually in Science Citation Index.
1974 paper on whole plant respiration selected as 'Citation Classic'.

1. McCree, K.J. 1954. The solarization of polymethylmethacrylate. Brit. J. Appl. Phys. 5 : 454.

2. Allan, A.H. and K.J. McCree. 1955. Integrating meters for comparing light intensities in plant growth studies. J. Sci. Instr. 32 : 422-424.

3. Magnus, I.A., A.D. Porter, K.J. McCree, J.D. Moreland, and W.D. Wright. 1959. A monochromator : an apparatus for investigation of the response of the skin to ultraviolet, visible and near infrared radiation. Brit. J. Dermatol. 71 : 261-266.

4. McCree, K.J. 1960. Colour confusion produced by voluntary fixation. Optica Acta 7 : 281-290.

5. McCree, K.J. 1960. Small-field tritanopia and the effects of voluntary fixation. Optica Acta 7 : 317-323.

6. McCree, K.J. 1961. The saturation of spectral colours viewed in a small field. Optica Acta 8 : 21-24.

7. McCree, K.J. 1961. Quantitative biology. Nature 192 : 25-26.

8. McCree, K.J. 1965. Light measurements in plant growth investigations. Nature 206 : 527-528 and 210 : 753 (1966).

9. McCree, K.J. 1965. Photoconduction and photosynthesis. I. The photoconductivity of chlorophyll monolayers. Biochem. Biophys. Acta 102 : 90-95.

10. McCree, K.J. 1965. Photoconduction and photosynthesis. II. Photoconduction in wet materials by the condenser method. Biochem. Biophys. Acta 102 : 96-102.

11. McCree, K.J. and J.H. Troughton. 1966. Prediction of growth rate at different light levels from measured photosynthesis and respiration rates. Plant Physiol. 41 : 559-566.

12. McCree, K.J. and J.H. Troughton. 1966. Non-existence of an optimum leaf area index for the production rate of white clover grown under constant conditions. Plant Physiol. 41 : 1615-1622.

13. McCree, K.J. 1966. A solarimeter for measuring photosynthetically active radiation. Agric. Meteorol. 3 : 353-366.

14. McCree, K.J. 1967. Light and growth of plants. New Zealand Science Review 25 : 31-33.

15. McCree, K.J. and R.A. Morris. 1967. A transmission meter for photosynthetically active radiation. J. Agric. Engng. Res. 12 : 246-248.

16. McCree, K.J. and J.H. Troughton. 1968. The prediction of growth rate from incident light or carbon dioxide uptake : a laboratory experiment with white clover. In : F.E. Eckardt (ed.), Functioning of Terrestrial Ecosystems at the Primary Production Level. Proc. Copenhagen Symposium. UNESCO, Paris. pp. 409-414.

17. McCree, K.J. 1968. A solar radiation recorder for plant growth studies. In : F.E. Eckardt (ed.), Functioning of Terrestrial Ecosystems at the Primary Production Level. Proc. Copenhagen Symposium. UNESCO, Paris. pp. 463-466.

18. McCree, K.J. 1968. Infrared-sensitive colour film for spectral measurements under plant canopies. Agric. Meteorol. 5 : 203-208.

19. McCree, K.J. and R.S. Loomis. 1969. Photosynthesis in fluctuating light. Ecology 50 : 422-428.

20. McCree, K.J. 1970. An equation for the rate of respiration of white clover plants grown under controlled conditions. In: I. Setlik (ed.), Prediction and Measurement of Photosynthetic Productivity (Proc. IBP/PP Technical Meeting, Trebon, Czechoslovakia). PUDOC, Wageningen. pp.221-229. (Online version available)

21. McCree, K.J. 1972. The action spectrum, absorptance and quantum yield of photosynthesis in crop plants. Agric.Meteorol. 9 : 191-216.

22. McCree, K.J. 1972. Test of current definitions of photosynthetically active radiation against actual leaf photosynthesis data. Agric. Meteorol. 10 : 443-453.

23. McCree, K.J. 1972. Significance of enhancement for calculations based on the action spectrum for photosynthesis. Plant Physiol. 49 : 704-706.

24. Benedict, C.R., K.J. McCree, and R.J. Kohel. 1972. High photosynthetic rate of a chlorophyll mutant of cotton. Plant Physiol. 49 : 968-971.

25. McCree, K.J. 1973. The measurement of photosynthetically active radiation. Solar Energy 15 : 83-87.

26. McCree, K.J. 1973. A rational approach to light measurements in plant ecology. Current Advances in Plant Science 3 (4) : 39-43. (Online version available)

27. McCree, K.J. 1974. Changes in the stomatal response characteristics of grain sorghum produced by water stress during growth. Crop Sci. 14 : 273-278.

28. McCree, K.J. 1974. Equations for the rate of dark respiration of white clover and grain sorghum, as functions of dry weight, photosynthetic rate, and temperature. Crop Sci. 14 : 509-514.

29. McCree, K.J. and M.E. Keener. 1974. Simulations of the photosynthetic rates of three selections of grain sorghum with extreme leaf angles. Crop Sci. 14 : 584-587.

30. McCree, K.J. and S.D. Davis. 1974. Effect of water stress and temperature on leaf size, and on size and number of epidermal cells, in grain sorghum. Crop Sci. 14 : 751-755.

31. McCree, K.J. and M.E. Keener. 1974. Effect of atmospheric turbidity on the photosynthetic rates of leaves. Agric. Meteorol. 13 : 349-357.

32. Keener, M.E. and K.J. McCree. 1975. A test of the Duncan model of photosynthesis in plant communities. Crop Sci. 15 : 214-216.

33. Henzell, R.G., K.J. McCree, C.H.M. van Bavel and K.F. Schertz. 1975. Method for screening sorghum genotypes for stomatal sensitivity to water deficits. Crop Sci. 15 : 516-518.

34. McCree, K.J. 1976. A comparison of experimental and theoretical spectra for photosynthetically active radiation at various atmospheric turbidities. Agric. Meteorol. 16 : 405-412.

35. McCree, K.J. 1976. The role of dark respiration in the carbon economy of a plant. In : R.H. Burris and C.C. Black (eds.), CO₂ Metabolism and Plant Productivity (Proc. 5th. Harry Steenbock Symposium, Madison, Wisc. 1975). University Park Press, Baltimore, Md. pp. 177-184.

36. McCree, K.J. and C.H.M. van Bavel. 1976. Respiration and crop production : a case study with two crops under water stress. In : J.J. Landsberg and C.V. Cutting (eds.), Environmental Effects on Crop Physiology (Proc. 5th. Long Ashton Symposium). Acad. Press, London. pp. 199-216.

37. McCree, K.J. 1976. Practical applications of action spectra. In : H. Smith (ed.), Light and Plant Development (Proc. 22nd. Nottingham Easter School in Agricultural Science). Butterworths, London. pp. 461-465.

38. Henzell, R.G., K.J. McCree, C.H.M. van Bavel and K.F. Schertz. 1976. Sorghum genotype variation in stomatal sensitivity to leaf water deficit. Crop Sci. 16 : 660-662.

39. Davis, S.D., C.H.M. van Bavel, and K.J. McCree. 1977. Effect of leaf aging upon stomatal resistance in bean plants. Crop Sci. 17 : 640-645.

40. McCree, K.J. and C.H.M. van Bavel. 1977. Calibration of leaf resistance porometers. Agron. J. 69 : 724-726.

41. McCree, K.J. and J.H. Silsbury. 1978. Growth and maintenance requirements of subterranean clover. Crop Sci. 18 : 13-18.

42. Wilson, D.R., C.J. Fernandez and K.J. McCree. 1978. Carbon dioxide exchange of subterranean clover in variable light environments. Crop Sci. 18 : 19-22.

43. McCree, K.J. and S. Kresovich. 1978. Growth and maintenance requirements of white clover as a function of daylength. Crop Sci. 18 : 22-25.

44. Davis, S.D. and K.J. McCree. 1978. Photosynthetic rate and diffusion conductance as a function of age in leaves of bean plants. Crop Sci. 18 : 280-282.

45. McCree, K.J. 1979. Radiation. In : T.W. Tibbits and T.T. Kozlowski (eds.), Controlled Environment Guidelines for Plant Research. Acad. Press, New York. pp. 11-27.

46. Wilson, D.R., C.H.M. van Bavel and K.J. McCree. 1980. Carbon balance of water-deficient grain sorghum plants. Crop Sci. 20 : 153-159.

47. McCree, K.J. 1981. Photosynthetically active radiation. In : O.L. Lange, P.S. Nobel, C.B. Osmond and H. Ziegler (eds.), Physiological Plant Ecology, I : Responses to the Physical Environment. Encyclopedia of Plant Physiology, New Series, Vol. 12A. Springer-Verlag, Berlin, Heidelberg. pp. 41-55.

48. McCree, K.J. 1982. The role of respiration in crop production. Iowa State J. Res. 56: 291-306.

49. McCree, K.J. 1982. Maintenance requirements of white clover at high and low growth rates. Crop Sci. 22 : 345-351.

50. McCree, K.J. and M.E. Amthor. 1982. Effects of diurnal variation in temperature on the carbon balances of white clover plants. Crop Sci. 22 :822-827.

51. Mbah, B.N., E.L. McWilliams and K.J. McCree. 1983. Carbon balance of Peperomia obtusifolia plants during acclimatization to low PPFD. J. Amer. Soc. Hort. Sci. 108 : 769-773.

52. McCree, K.J. 1983. Carbon balance as a function of plant size in sorghum plants. Crop Sci. 23 : 1173-1177.

53. McCree, K.J. 1984. Radiation levels in growth chambers fitted with high intensity discharge lamps, with or without thermal barriers. Crop Sci. 24 : 816-819.

54. McCree, K.J. and R.S. Loomis. 1984. Photosynthetic dynamics. Ecology 65 : 1016-1018.

55. McCree, K.J. 1984. Daily photosynthesis totals calculated from solar radiation histograms. Agric. and Forest Meteorol. 33 : 239-248.

56. McCree, K.J., C.E. Kallsen and S.G. Richardson. 1984. Carbon balance of sorghum plants during osmotic adjustment to water stress. Plant Physiol. 76: 898-902.

57. McCree, K.J. 1985. Citation Classic (McCree, K.J. 1974. Equations for the rate of dark respiration of white clover and grain sorghum, as functions of dry weight, photosynthetic rate, and temperature. Crop Sci. 14 : 509- 514). Current Contents, Number 39, September 30, 1985.

58. Richardson, S.G. and K.J. McCree. 1985. Carbon balance and water relations of sorghum exposed to salt and water stress. Plant Physiol. 79: 1015-1020

59. McCree, K.J. 1986. Whole-plant carbon balance during osmotic adjustment to drought and salinity stress. Aust. J. Plant Physiol. 13 : 33-43.

60. McCree, K.J. 1986. Measuring the whole-plant daily carbon balance. Photosynthetica 20 : 82-93.

61. McCree, K.J. and S.G. Richardson. 1987. Stomatal closure versus osmotic adjustment : a comparison of stress responses. Crop Sci. 27 : 539-543

62. McCree, K.J. and S.G. Richardson. 1987. Salt increases the water use efficiency in water stressed plants. Crop Sci. 27 : 543-547.

63. Stahl, R.S. and K.J. McCree. 1988. Ontogenetic changes in the respiration coefficients of grain sorghum. Crop Sci. 28:111-113.

64. McCree, K.J. 1988. Sensitivity of sorghum grain yield to ontogentic changes in respiration coefficients. Crop Sci. 28:114-120.

65. McCree, K.J. and C.J. Fernandez. 1989. Simulation model for studying physiological water stress responses in whole plants. Crop Sci. 29:353-360.

66. McCree, K.J., C.J. Fernandez and R. Ferraz de Oliveira. 1990. Visualizing interactions of water stress responses with a whole-plant simulation model. Crop Sci. 30:294-300.

67. Fernandez, C.J. and K.J. McCree. 1991. Simulation model for studying dynamics of water flow and water status in plants. Crop Sci. 31:391-398.