Gabriel K. Ameka [BSc, MPhil, PhD, (Ghana)]
Gabriel Komla Ameka, obtained his PhD in Botany from the University of Ghana, Legon where he is Professor of Organismic Biology, in the Department of Plant and Environmental Biology. He has been Head of Department of Plant and Environmental Biology, University of Ghana, from 1st August 2004 to 31st July 2006, and from 1st August 2012 to 31st July 2015. His research is primarily on biodiversity of algae and land plants, and plant conservation. The focus is on the algae: prokaryotic, and eukaryotic algae, and freshwater angiosperms. There are three broad areas of research interest: Systematic Botany, Plant Biology and Ecology, and Biological Conservation.
Dr Ameka’s research on marine macroalgae of Ghana and the rest of West Africa has resulted in the publication (with DM John & GW Lawson) “The Marine Macro-algae of the Tropical West Africa Sub-region”, Gebr. Borntraeger, Stuttgart; and “Seaweeds of the Tropical West Africa Sub-region: Methods Manual”. He is currently involved in Algal Biotechnological Initiatives, - actively searching for novel and bioactive compounds in micro- and macro-algae. His research on freshwater plants is presently focused on rheophytes of Africa, particularly the fascinating and enigmatic family - the Podostemaceae; and rheophytic bryophytes. His is also involved in DNA Barcoding of Life, particularly of algae and land plants.
He has research associates and collaborators in many African countries; The United Kingdom, Switzerland, Germany, and Canada. Dr. Ameka has published in local and international journals of reputation such as Taxon, Aquatic Botany, Botanical Journal of the Linnaean Society, Kew Bulletin, Phycologia, etc. Currently he is Academic Section Editor for Phytotaxa journal; and regular reviewer for many national and internal journals of high standing.
MEMBERSHIP OF PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS
- Ghana Science Association
- Earthwatch (Europe) - African Fellows
- AETFAT - Association for the Taxonomic Study of the Flora of Tropical Africa
- Plant Working Group, Consortium for the Barcoding of Life
- International Association for Plant Taxonomy
- American Association for the Advancement of Science
SELECTED RESEARCH PUBLICATIONS
1. Amadu, A. A., Qiu, S., Ge, S., Addico, G. N. D., Ameka, G. K., Yu, Z., Xia, W., Abbew, A. W., Shao, D., Champagne, P. & Wang, S. (2021). A review of biopolymer (Poly-β-hydroxybutyrate) synthesis in microbes cultivated on wastewater. Science of the Total Environment 756 (2021) 143729.
2. Savolainen, V., Clottey, A. V., Tra Serges Doubi Bi, Konan, J. L., Quain, M., Bezeng, B. S., Logah, V., Kena, A. W., Osekre, E. A., Atuah, L., Angui, C. M. V., Ameka, G. K., Turkson, B., Boatemaa, A., Anankware, J. P., Boafo, H. A., Agyei-Dwarko, D. & Collins, C. M. (2020). Systems thinking creates opportunities for a circular economy and sustainable palm agriculture in Africa. Current Research in Environmental Sustainability, 1: 31-34.
3. Doamekpor, L. K., Onwona-Agyeman, R. & Ameka, G. K. (2019). Bioenergy: biodiesel from freshwater green microalgae and a cyanobacterium occurring in Ghana. West African Journal of Applied Ecology, 27(2): 51-60.
4. Kuetegue, F., Sonke, B. & Ameka, G. K. (2019). A checklist of rheophytes of Cameroon. Phytokeys: 121: 81-131. doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.121.29924.
5. Sissini, M. N., de Barros Barreto, M. B. B., Szechy, M. T. M., de Lucena, M. B., Oliveira, M. C., Gower, J., Liu, G., de Oliveira Bastos, E., Milstein, D., Gusmao, F., Martinelli-Filho, J. E., Alves-Lima, C., Colepicold, P., Ameka, G. K., de Graft-Johnson, K., Gouvea, L., Torrano-Silva, B., Nauer, F., de Castro Nunes, J. M., Barufi, J. B., Rorig, L., Riosmena-Rodrigues, R., Mello, T. J., Lotufo, L. V. C., & Horta, P. A. (2017). The floating Sargassum (Phaeophyceae) of the South Atlantic Ocean – likely scenarios. Phycologia, 56(3): 321-328.
6. Cheek, M. & Ameka, G. K. (2016). Macropodiella cussetiana (Podostemaceae) a new species from Côte d’Ivoire. Kew Bulletin 71(2): 1-5.
7. Kelly, L., Ameka, G. K. & Chase, M. W. (2010). DNA barcoding of African Podostemaceae (river-weeds): A test of proposed barcode regions. Taxon, 59 (1): 251-260.
8. Ameka, G. K., Ghogue, J.-P. & Rutishauser, R. (2010). Podostemaceae research in Africa (including Madagascar) – the state of the art and open questions. In: X. van der Burgt, J. van der Maesen & J.-M. Onana (eds.), Systematics and Conservation of African Plants, pp. 585-595. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
9. Ghogue, J.-P., Ameka, G. K., Pfeifer, E. & Rutishauser, R. (2009). Enigmatic morphology of Djinga felicis (Podostemaceae- Podostemoideae), a badly known endemic from north-western Cameroon. Botanical Journal of the Linnaean Society, 160: 64-81.
10. Cheek, M. & Ameka, G. K. (2008). Ledermanniella pollardiana sp. nov. (Podostemaceae) from western Cameroon. Nordic Journal of Botany, 26: 214-217.
11. Moline, P., Thiv, M., Ameka, G. K., Ghogue, J.-P., Pfeifer, E. & Rutishauser, R. (2007). Comparative morphological and molecular systematics of African Podostemaceae – Podostemoideae, with emphasis on Dicraeanthus and Ledermanniella from Cameroon. Int. J. Plant Sci. 168 (2): 159-180.
12. Ameka, G. K., Clerk, G. C., Pfeifer, E. & Rutishauser, R. (2003). Developmental morphology of Ledermanniella bowlingii (Podostemaceae) from Ghana. Plant Syst. Evol. 237 (3-4): 165-183
13. John, D. M., Lawson, G. W. & Ameka, G. K. (2003). The Marine Macroalgae of the Tropical West Africa Sub-region. Nova Hedwigia, Beiheft 125. Gebr. Borntraeger, Stuttgart.
14. Ameka, G. K., Pfeifer, E. & Rutishauser, R. (2002). Developmental morphology of Saxicolella amicorum and S. submersa (Podostemaceae: Podostemoideae) from Ghana. Bot. J. Linnean Soc. 139: 255-273.