Preventing and reversing population declines of northern quolls. This project seeks to develop novel effective strategies to halt and reverse declines in northern quolls by improving their ‘toad-smart’ behaviour. The spread of cane toads threaten northern quolls, which are marsupial predators. We cannot halt the toad invasion, but we can train quolls not to eat cane toads. Trained quolls can survive long term in toad-infested landscapes, and their offspring can learn not to eat toads. This proje ....Preventing and reversing population declines of northern quolls. This project seeks to develop novel effective strategies to halt and reverse declines in northern quolls by improving their ‘toad-smart’ behaviour. The spread of cane toads threaten northern quolls, which are marsupial predators. We cannot halt the toad invasion, but we can train quolls not to eat cane toads. Trained quolls can survive long term in toad-infested landscapes, and their offspring can learn not to eat toads. This project builds on this work by focusing on cultural and genetic transmission of toad-smart behaviour. The project could save numerous quoll populations from extinction.Read moreRead less
Landscape restoration genomics for climate adaptation in eucalyptus foundation species. Understanding the genetic basis of adaptation in foundation species will allow selection of pre-adapted seeds to establish resilient ecosystems which support the broad range of life supporting services. This project will apply genomics to solve real environmental challenges in restoration management and be a model for other foundation species.
Conservation genomics of a critically endangered insect. This project aims to develop tools genotyping large animal genomes, focusing on the case of the Lord Howe Island stick insect, once thought to be extinct and now critically endangered. This project expects to generate molecular tools to monitor the genetic health the insect which has a large, complex and poorly understood genome. Expected outcomes include the development of a preservation and reintroduction strategy for the insect. This pr ....Conservation genomics of a critically endangered insect. This project aims to develop tools genotyping large animal genomes, focusing on the case of the Lord Howe Island stick insect, once thought to be extinct and now critically endangered. This project expects to generate molecular tools to monitor the genetic health the insect which has a large, complex and poorly understood genome. Expected outcomes include the development of a preservation and reintroduction strategy for the insect. This project will benefit ongoing conservation efforts, and is timely given the ongoing eradication of rats from Lord Howe Island where this species once lived. Read moreRead less
Imaging the world of miniature venomous arthropods. Venomous arthropods produce a myriad of biologically active peptides, with many having potential as pharmacological tools, bioinsecticides and pharmaceuticals. Most studies to date have focussed on large arthropods; smaller species remain neglected due to the difficulties of venom collection. This project seeks to further advance the pioneering imaging mass spectrometry approaches the project team developed for imaging toxins in the venom gland ....Imaging the world of miniature venomous arthropods. Venomous arthropods produce a myriad of biologically active peptides, with many having potential as pharmacological tools, bioinsecticides and pharmaceuticals. Most studies to date have focussed on large arthropods; smaller species remain neglected due to the difficulties of venom collection. This project seeks to further advance the pioneering imaging mass spectrometry approaches the project team developed for imaging toxins in the venom glands of spiders and centipedes. By combining high-resolution matrix-assisted laser desorption ionisation imaging data with histological and transcriptomic information the project aims to provide the first detailed insights into the neglected world of miniature arthropod venoms. The approaches developed by this project aim to have wide application in the field of biology.Read moreRead less