The importance of phenotypic plasticity in maintaining and introducing variation. This research is a synthesis of behaviour, natural and sexual selection, physiology, and natural and breeding ecology-important interactions that are rarely considered simultaneously in biology. It will contribute to our understanding of life-history decisions, and a long-neglected source of the variation that is the raw material for adaptation and for economically-important breeding programs . These results will h ....The importance of phenotypic plasticity in maintaining and introducing variation. This research is a synthesis of behaviour, natural and sexual selection, physiology, and natural and breeding ecology-important interactions that are rarely considered simultaneously in biology. It will contribute to our understanding of life-history decisions, and a long-neglected source of the variation that is the raw material for adaptation and for economically-important breeding programs . These results will have far-reaching implications for economically-important improvements to medicine, conservation, and crop and livestock production. This work will strengthen Australia's strong research profile in evolutionary genetics, physiology and ecology.Read moreRead less
Novel, Cost-Effective Methods for Measuring Methane Emissions from Grazing Livestock. Agriculture is second only to energy generation as a source of greenhouse gas emissions in Australia. Methane from cattle and sheep constitute 60% of these agricultural emissions. Their abatement is a win-win goal for the agricultural industry, reducing greenhouse emissions while increasing food efficiency. This project will develop a novel, cost- and-labour efficient method for on-farm measurements of the emis ....Novel, Cost-Effective Methods for Measuring Methane Emissions from Grazing Livestock. Agriculture is second only to energy generation as a source of greenhouse gas emissions in Australia. Methane from cattle and sheep constitute 60% of these agricultural emissions. Their abatement is a win-win goal for the agricultural industry, reducing greenhouse emissions while increasing food efficiency. This project will develop a novel, cost- and-labour efficient method for on-farm measurements of the emissions of methane from free-grazing cattle and sheep in their undisturbed environment. The method will be used to assess the dependence of methane emissions on factors such as diet and the efficacy of proposed methods for abatement of methane emissions, as well as providing improved data to the National Greenhouse Gas Inventory.Read moreRead less