Person

Neales, Thomas Finnis (Tom) (1929 - 2010)

Born: 5 March 1929
Died: 14 August 2010
Victoria, Australia
Occupation: Plant pathologist

Summary

Tom Neales was a plant physiologist who migrated to Australia in 1956 to become Lecturer in the School of Botany at the University of Melbourne, where he taught for over 30 years. His research focused on mineral nutrition in plants, particularly boron. He later moved on to water vapour and carbon dioxide, and pioneered investigations into crassulacean acid metabolism in Australia. Other interests included mesophyll resistance, senescence, abscisic acid's role in plant responses to drought, and the coupling of root respiration with photosynthetic rates. Neales was a foundation member of the Australian Society of Plant Physiologists and active in the Society's affairs.

Details

Chronology

1950: Career position - Assistant Botanist, Oxford University Exploration Society Expedition to Jan Mayen Island
1951?: Education - MA, University of Oxford
1956 - ?: Career position - Lecturer, School of Botany, University of Melbourne
1956: Life event - Migrated to Australia
1956: Career position - Assistant Lecturer in Agricultural Botany, Wye College, University of London
1956: Education - PhD, Wye College, University of London
1958: Career position - Foundation Member, Australian Society of Plant Physiologists
1979: Award - DSc, University of Melbourne
1993: Award - J. G. Wood Lecturer, Australian Society of Plant Physiologists
1994?: Life event - Retired

Related Corporate Bodies

Australian Society of Plant Physiologists (1958 - c. 2000)
Foundation Member 1958; J. G. Wood Lecturer 1993
School of Botany, The University of Melbourne (1880s - )
Lecturer 1956 -

Published resources

Journal Articles

Gaff, Donald and Attiwill, Peter, 'A tribute to Dr Thomas Finnis Neales (5th March 1929 - 13th August 2010)', Phytogen, 12 (3) (2010), 9-11. Details
Neales, T. F. and Incoll, L. D., 'The control of leaf photosynthesis rate by the level of assimilate concentration in the leaf: a review of the hypothesis', Botanical review, 34 (2) (1968), 107-25. Details
Neales, Tom, 'A Botanical Pioneer from the Melbourne Observatory', Botanic News (2007), 4-5. Details
Neales, Tom, 'Our Society - an historical perspective: an early history of the Australian Society of Plant Physiologists', Phytogen, 11 (2) (2009), 8-18. Details

Helen Cohn

Created: 1 October 2026

EOAS ID: biogs/P008167b.htm

This Edition: 2026 August - Bibliographies
Larneuk - Gariwerd calendar - Pre-spring: late July to August - season of nesting birds
Reference: https://www.bom.gov.au/resources/indigenous-weather-knowledge/indigenous-seasonal-calendars/gariwerd-calendar#bom-anchor-list__item-larneuk-season-of-nesting-birds

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