Structural reorganization of the hymenopteran mitochondrial genome. This study will be the first detailed investigation of the evolution of mt genome reorganization, and as such it will identify the processes that shape the evolution of a molecule widely used to interpret phylogeny. A description of the processes that lead to mt genome reorganization will have a substantial impact on our understanding in two areas of mt biology; (1) the discovery of new molecular phenomena that impact on the or ....Structural reorganization of the hymenopteran mitochondrial genome. This study will be the first detailed investigation of the evolution of mt genome reorganization, and as such it will identify the processes that shape the evolution of a molecule widely used to interpret phylogeny. A description of the processes that lead to mt genome reorganization will have a substantial impact on our understanding in two areas of mt biology; (1) the discovery of new molecular phenomena that impact on the organization and evolution of this genome, and (2) the interpretation of its phylogenetic content. It will establish our research group as a leader in the field of evolutionary genetics. Training of high quality students, with exposure to international researchers, will be a significant component of this program.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0344009
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$300,000.00
Summary
South Australian Regional Facility for Molecular Evolution and Ecology. Adelaide and Flinders Universities and their partners, the South Australian Museum and the South Australian Research and Development Institute, seek to enhance the throughput and efficiency of molecular genotyping for the large amount of research undertaken in Adelaide in the general areas of molecular evolution and ecology, and to enhance long-term storage and accessibility of the valuable biological materials used for geno ....South Australian Regional Facility for Molecular Evolution and Ecology. Adelaide and Flinders Universities and their partners, the South Australian Museum and the South Australian Research and Development Institute, seek to enhance the throughput and efficiency of molecular genotyping for the large amount of research undertaken in Adelaide in the general areas of molecular evolution and ecology, and to enhance long-term storage and accessibility of the valuable biological materials used for genotyping. This will be achieved by developing a new fully integrated, jointly managed regional facility, that serves all relevant research groups in South Australia.Read moreRead less
New Molecular Approaches to Comparative Phylogeography. Funds are requested to gather data to test new molecular and analytical approaches in the field of molecular phylogeography. We will generate phylogeographic hypotheses from mitochondrial and microsatellite DNA for six species and evaluate the utility of microsatellite data for the reconstruction of phylogeographic history. We will borrow powerful analytical techniques from the field of evolutionary ecology and use them in a completely nove ....New Molecular Approaches to Comparative Phylogeography. Funds are requested to gather data to test new molecular and analytical approaches in the field of molecular phylogeography. We will generate phylogeographic hypotheses from mitochondrial and microsatellite DNA for six species and evaluate the utility of microsatellite data for the reconstruction of phylogeographic history. We will borrow powerful analytical techniques from the field of evolutionary ecology and use them in a completely novel way to test hypotheses of microsatellite diversity. Our research is inter-disciplinary in that we will bridge the gap between molecular phylogenetics and molecular evolution and in so doing make a major advancement in this emerging field.Read moreRead less
Evolutionary, macroecological and phylogenetic patterns in Australasian freshwater crayfish. This project connects Australian systematists to a worldwide project that involves all of the world's living experts on freshwater crayfish evolution in a coordinated effort to answer some very important evolutionary questions. It involves a group of invertebrate animals that are not only readily recognisable, but which in Australia includes the world's largest and the world's most terrestrial crayfish s ....Evolutionary, macroecological and phylogenetic patterns in Australasian freshwater crayfish. This project connects Australian systematists to a worldwide project that involves all of the world's living experts on freshwater crayfish evolution in a coordinated effort to answer some very important evolutionary questions. It involves a group of invertebrate animals that are not only readily recognisable, but which in Australia includes the world's largest and the world's most terrestrial crayfish species. Information gained from the project will contribute to the management of crayfish biodiversity, identification of threatened species and tools to identify these prominent and important members of Australian freshwater ecosystems.Read moreRead less
Origins of invertebrate fauna in Australia since the Cretaceous: a molecular approach using bees as a model taxon. Australia's unique biota is vital for ecological, recreational, and economic reasons, and is a major resource that we need to understand and manage. This project is aimed at understanding the genesis of this biota, and will help us anticipate what lies ahead, in terms of the impact of exotic species and climate change. Benefits also include developing world class scientific profiles ....Origins of invertebrate fauna in Australia since the Cretaceous: a molecular approach using bees as a model taxon. Australia's unique biota is vital for ecological, recreational, and economic reasons, and is a major resource that we need to understand and manage. This project is aimed at understanding the genesis of this biota, and will help us anticipate what lies ahead, in terms of the impact of exotic species and climate change. Benefits also include developing world class scientific profiles with consequent flow-on effects, including international collaboration, and enhanced teaching and awareness of native biota. The project will maintain our already strong track record for training a large number of postgraduate and honours students in benchmark evolutionary research techniques. Read moreRead less
Australia's oldest jawed fishes: evolution, biostratigraphy and biogeography. The research focusses on a collection of disarticulated remains of placoderms, a group of extinct armoured fishes which dominated Devonian waters (410-354 Mya). The oldest Australian placoderm macroremains so far described are of late Pragian age (400 Mya), and recognized as a highly endemic fauna. An older limestone from New South Wales has yielded new material which includes sclerotic capsules and dermal plates of ....Australia's oldest jawed fishes: evolution, biostratigraphy and biogeography. The research focusses on a collection of disarticulated remains of placoderms, a group of extinct armoured fishes which dominated Devonian waters (410-354 Mya). The oldest Australian placoderm macroremains so far described are of late Pragian age (400 Mya), and recognized as a highly endemic fauna. An older limestone from New South Wales has yielded new material which includes sclerotic capsules and dermal plates of small placoderms. Earliest Devonian (Lochkovian) acanthodians and the new placoderms, unlike the younger taxa, seem closely related to coeval faunas from the circum-Arctic region. The material will help resolve relationships and distribution of these early jawed vertebrates.Read moreRead less
Co-evolution of sociality and sex allocation: phylogenetic comparative approaches using insects. This project investigates the coevolution of sex allocation and sociality. Although linkage between these two traits has long been conjectured in evolutionary ecology, and numerous studies have investigated species-specific relationships, the question of how these two features interact over evolutionary time has not been examined. Here, we apply phylogenetic comparative approaches to determine wh ....Co-evolution of sociality and sex allocation: phylogenetic comparative approaches using insects. This project investigates the coevolution of sex allocation and sociality. Although linkage between these two traits has long been conjectured in evolutionary ecology, and numerous studies have investigated species-specific relationships, the question of how these two features interact over evolutionary time has not been examined. Here, we apply phylogenetic comparative approaches to determine whether sex allocation strategies have influenced subsequent social evolution. In particular, we extend the notion of parental manipulation to ask whether mothers have been able to use sex allocation to influence alloparental behaviour in their offspring, leading to greater levels of altruism.Read moreRead less
Origin of social parasites via sympatric speciation: testing the theory using allodapine bees as a model system. This project addresses a contentious evolutionary conjecture regarding the origin of some species and will help maintain Australia's position in the forefront of evolutionary biology and behavioural ecology. Benefits derive from developing and maintaining world class research excellence, with consequences for scientific competitiveness and training the next generation of young researc ....Origin of social parasites via sympatric speciation: testing the theory using allodapine bees as a model system. This project addresses a contentious evolutionary conjecture regarding the origin of some species and will help maintain Australia's position in the forefront of evolutionary biology and behavioural ecology. Benefits derive from developing and maintaining world class research excellence, with consequences for scientific competitiveness and training the next generation of young researchers in cutting-edge techniques. The project fosters international collaboration, important for maintaining links with the broader scientific community and fostering breadth in postgraduate training. The project will also train 3 PhD students and 1-2 honours students per year, with strong expertise in evolutionary, genetic and ecological research techniques.Read moreRead less
Climate change and cryptic biodiversity in the Australian arid-zone: Molecular phylogeny-based assessment of conservation priorities. Australia's arid zone comprises two thirds of the country yet from a climate change, biodiversity, and conservation point of view it has received little attention relative to eastern Australia. The project will address broad questions in evolutionary biology with unique Australian systems, make a world class contribution to the fields of phylogeography, molecular ....Climate change and cryptic biodiversity in the Australian arid-zone: Molecular phylogeny-based assessment of conservation priorities. Australia's arid zone comprises two thirds of the country yet from a climate change, biodiversity, and conservation point of view it has received little attention relative to eastern Australia. The project will address broad questions in evolutionary biology with unique Australian systems, make a world class contribution to the fields of phylogeography, molecular phylogenetics and conservation genetics and contribute substantially to the continued training of high quality research students and postdoctoral fellows. The project directly addresses two National Priority Research Areas and will supply of critical information to the eight biggest of the 57 Natural Resource Management Regions. Read moreRead less
Comparative phylogeography and conservation genetics of Australia's biodiversity hotspot. Southwestern Australia has been identified as one of the world's 25 biodiversity hotspots. The project will address broad questions in evolutionary biology with unique Australian systems, make a world class contribution to the fields of phylogeography, molecular phylogenetics and conservation genetics and contribute substantially to the continued training of high quality research students. I am a foundation ....Comparative phylogeography and conservation genetics of Australia's biodiversity hotspot. Southwestern Australia has been identified as one of the world's 25 biodiversity hotspots. The project will address broad questions in evolutionary biology with unique Australian systems, make a world class contribution to the fields of phylogeography, molecular phylogenetics and conservation genetics and contribute substantially to the continued training of high quality research students. I am a foundation member of the new ARC Environmental Futures Network: Discovering the Past and Present to Shape the Future. One of its primary listed objectives is "documenting Australia's biodiversity: recognising, understanding and managing key hotspots". My research plan fits in precisely with this research agenda. Read moreRead less