Prof Aleksei Oskolski

Associate Professor
Name: Aleksei Oskolski
Location: D2 LAB 235 Auckland Park Kingsway Campus
Botany & Plant Biotechnology Academic Staff  Staff Members

Contact Details:
Tel: +27(0)11 559 3118

Email: aoskolski@uj.ac.za

About Prof Aleksei Oskolski

Prof. Oskolski research interests are mainly focused on structural diversity of flowering plants. He explores the anatomy of stems, leaves and flowers of selected plant groups from southern Africa and other regions in relation to their evolution, biogeography and ecology. Particlarly, Prof Oskolski does studies of fossil woods from the Paleogene and Neogene of China. As an expert in wood identification, he is also involved in several collaborative projects with archaeologists and cultural scientists.

Links

Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=yM43WpMAAAAJ&hl=en

ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6205-8492

Recent Publications:

– Akinlabi F.M., Pirie D.M., Oskolski A.A. 2023. Fire, frost, and drought constrain the structural diversity of wood within southern African Erica (Ericaceae). Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 203 (4): 370-389. https://doi.org/10.1093/botlinnean/boad033

– Frankiewicz K.E., Oskolski A.A. 2023. Raylessness and paedomorphosis: losses and gains of xylem rays en route from procambium to vascular cambium. IAWA Journal 44 (3-4): 516-530. 10.1163/22941932-bja10121

– Huang LL, Li SF, Huang WY, Xiang HLL, Jin JH, Oskolski AA. 2023. Glacial expansion of cold-tolerant species in low latitudes: megafossil evidence and species distribution modelling. National Science Review 10:1-3.  10.1093/nsr/nwad038.

– Huang LL, Li SF, Huang WY, Jin JH, Oskolski AA. 2023. Cryptocarya chinensis from the Upper Pleistocene of South China and its biogeographic and paleoecological implications. iScience 26, 107313, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2023.107313.

– Huang LL, Li SF, Huang WY, Jin JH, Oskolski AA. 2024. Late Pleistocene glacial expansion of a low-latitude species Magnolia insignis: Megafossil evidence and species distribution modeling. Ecological Indicators 158, 111519. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2023.111519.

– Oskolski, A.A., Morris, B.B., Sokoloff, D.D., Severova, E.E. 2024. Flowers from Myanmar amber confirm the Cretaceous age of Rhamnaceae but not of the extant genus Phylica. Nature Plants 10: 219-222. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41477-023-01591-x.

– Oskolski A.A., Akinlabi F.M. 2024. Wood structural diversity in fynbos, chaparral, and maquis: a preliminary estimation. IAWA Journal 45(3): 284-296.  https://doi.org/10.1163/22941932-bja10147

– Shtein I., Gričar J., Lev-Yadun S., Oskolski A., Pace M.R., Rosell J.A., Crivellaro A. 2023. Priorities for bark anatomical research: study venues and open questions. Plants 2023, 12(10), 1985; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12101985

– Wieczorek R.M., Frankiewicz K.E., Oskolski A.A., Horley P. 2023.             The rongorongo tablet from Berlin and the time-depth of Easter Island’s writing system. The Journal of Island and Coastal Archaeology 18(2): 309–328. https://doi.org/10.1080/15564894.2021.1950874

– Zhang R., Huang L.L., Li S.F., Su T., Oskolski A.A. 2024. The fossil woods of Cryptocarya (Laurasia) from the middle Miocene of Southwest China. Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology 324: 105096. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.revpalbo.2024.105096