Plant physiological ecology. Mechanisms of plant response to global climate change; comparative photosynthesis of C3 and C4 plants; stress physiology; water relations; mechanisms affecting productivity, competition, and species distributions.

Selected Publications:

Muhaidat, R., Sage, R. F., Dengler, N. G. (2007).  Diversity of Kranz anatomy and biochemistry in C4 eudicots. American Journal of Botany 94(3). 147, 362 - 381.

Nelson, EA, Sage, TL, Sage, RF (2005).  Functional leaf anatomy of plants with crassulacean acid metabolism. Functional Plant Biology. 32, 409-419.

Kocacinar, F, Sage, RF (2004).  Photosynthetic pathway alters hydraulic structure and function in woody plants. Oecologia. 139, 214 - 223.

Sage, R.F. (2004).  The evolution of C4 photosynthesis. New Phytologist. 78(1), 161 (2) : 341-370.

Sage, R.F., Sage, T.L. (2002).  Microsite characteristics of Muhlenbergia richardsonis (Trin.) Rydb., an alpine C4 grass from the White Mountains, California. Oecologia. 132, 501-508.

Sage, R.F., Coleman, J.R. (2001).  Effects of low atmospheric CO2 on plants: more than a thing of the past. Trends Plant Sci.. 6, 18-24.

Sage, RF, Monson, RK (1998).  C4 Plant Biology. Academic Press, Published December 1998. 139, eds Sage, RF & Monson, RK.

Sage, R.F. (1995).  Modification of fire disturbance by elevated CO2. Biological Diversity in a CO2-Rich World. Volume 49,

Sage, R.F. (1995).  Was low atmospheric CO2 during the Pleistocene a limiting factor for the origin of agriculture. Global Change Biology. 1, 93-106.

Sage, R.F. (1994).  Acclimation of photosynthesis to increasing atmospheric CO2: the gas exchange perspective. Photosynthesis Research. 39, 351-368.