Getting smaller as temperatures rise? Body size responses of Australian birds to climate change. Many animals appear to be declining in size as climate change occurs, but why this is so is unclear. Using historical records and museum specimens we will determine the factors underlying body size reductions in Australian birds, and especially the role of changing temperature and ecosystem productivity.
The dark side of light: species and community impacts of night lighting. The presence of artificial light at night (LAN) is one of the most profound recent changes in urban ecosystems. Correlated with increases in LAN are declines in the survival and fitness of species living in urban environments. This project aims to use a multi-disciplinary approach to explore the effect of LAN on survival, reproduction and physiology. It integrates field surveys with laboratory and field experiments and aims ....The dark side of light: species and community impacts of night lighting. The presence of artificial light at night (LAN) is one of the most profound recent changes in urban ecosystems. Correlated with increases in LAN are declines in the survival and fitness of species living in urban environments. This project aims to use a multi-disciplinary approach to explore the effect of LAN on survival, reproduction and physiology. It integrates field surveys with laboratory and field experiments and aims to utilise sophisticated physiological assays to identify the links between LAN, melatonin, immunity, survival and reproduction. The intended outcome of this research is to provide fundamental insights into the biological consequences of LAN at the species and community levels.Read moreRead less
Testing evolutionary predictions about multiple unrelated traits under changed environmental conditions using visual ecology. An understanding of evolution is vital in managing the effects of environmental change. Senses determine success in survival/reproduction and environmental change affects what is sensed. This project will make and test explicit predictions about evolution under changed conditions using visual physiology, environmental parameters and evolution experiments.
Mutual sexual selection and sperm competition in the black swan. The proposed research is curiosity-driven and therefore its main benefit is in enhancing our understanding of the evolutionary processes that shape our natural environment. The proliferation of 'natural history' television programmes, magazines and books demonstrates the very substantial national interest in these topics. The Black Swan is a well-known bird of particular public affection. Its status as a national iconic symbol h ....Mutual sexual selection and sperm competition in the black swan. The proposed research is curiosity-driven and therefore its main benefit is in enhancing our understanding of the evolutionary processes that shape our natural environment. The proliferation of 'natural history' television programmes, magazines and books demonstrates the very substantial national interest in these topics. The Black Swan is a well-known bird of particular public affection. Its status as a national iconic symbol has been reflected in the degree of local and general community interest and involvement in our research in Ballarat to date.Read moreRead less
Sexual signalling and parental care: A life-history perspective. I will use a fish, the Australian desert goby, to gain pivotal insights into male reproductive investment. Under-appreciated as potential study subjects, desert gobies are ideal because males must make important reproductive decisions regarding how much effort to spend on mate attraction and parental care but, importantly, they must do so within the constraints imposed by desert-living. The likely impact of my work in the field of ....Sexual signalling and parental care: A life-history perspective. I will use a fish, the Australian desert goby, to gain pivotal insights into male reproductive investment. Under-appreciated as potential study subjects, desert gobies are ideal because males must make important reproductive decisions regarding how much effort to spend on mate attraction and parental care but, importantly, they must do so within the constraints imposed by desert-living. The likely impact of my work in the field of behavioural ecology will improve Australia's research capacity and profile. By using an Australian species, my research will also raise awareness and understanding of extraordinary fishes living in habitats vulnerable to human impact. Read moreRead less
Experimental evolution of trait interactions under changed environments. This project aims to use altered light in laboratory and wild guppy populations to test directly the following questions: which traits evolve quickly or slowly and how does this depend upon their functional interactions, and how often do different solutions to the same environmental challenges evolve? The evolutionary effects of environmental change on gene regulation and functional interactions among traits are virtually u ....Experimental evolution of trait interactions under changed environments. This project aims to use altered light in laboratory and wild guppy populations to test directly the following questions: which traits evolve quickly or slowly and how does this depend upon their functional interactions, and how often do different solutions to the same environmental challenges evolve? The evolutionary effects of environmental change on gene regulation and functional interactions among traits are virtually unknown. Using evolution experiments, this project aims to explore traits with known functional links: opsin gene regulation patterns (for colour vision), colouration, and colour-based choice. It is expected that vegetation changes cause immediate environment changes, directly affecting animals’ abilities to choose mates, forage, and avoid predation.Read moreRead less
Can endosymbionts alter climate change resilience in insects? This project aims to establish whether endosymbionts alter climate change vulnerability and investigate the potential for endosymbionts to be used as a tool to modify climate change resilience in insects. Heritable endosymbionts – microscopic bacteria living exclusively within host cells – are widespread in insects. A handful of studies indicate that endosymbionts may influence the thermal tolerance of their host, yet whether they al ....Can endosymbionts alter climate change resilience in insects? This project aims to establish whether endosymbionts alter climate change vulnerability and investigate the potential for endosymbionts to be used as a tool to modify climate change resilience in insects. Heritable endosymbionts – microscopic bacteria living exclusively within host cells – are widespread in insects. A handful of studies indicate that endosymbionts may influence the thermal tolerance of their host, yet whether they alter the upper thermal limits and climate change risk of insects is unknown. This fellowship will provide a greater understanding of the consequences of climate change on species persistence, as well as opening up avenues to utilise endosymbionts as a tool to manipulate the climate change resilience of insects.
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Predicting adaptive responses to climate change in Australian native bees. This project aims to understand how insects will adapt to climate change by examining a largely overlooked but economically important group of species: Australian native bees. Native bees are important pollinators of both crops and native plants, but their sensitivity to changes in climate are unknown. Expected outcomes include new knowledge of the resilience of native bees to climate change, and new effective tools for p ....Predicting adaptive responses to climate change in Australian native bees. This project aims to understand how insects will adapt to climate change by examining a largely overlooked but economically important group of species: Australian native bees. Native bees are important pollinators of both crops and native plants, but their sensitivity to changes in climate are unknown. Expected outcomes include new knowledge of the resilience of native bees to climate change, and new effective tools for predicting climate change resilience that can be applied to many species. The intended benefits include increasing our understanding of the potential for native bees to act as future pollinators in Australia’s natural and agro-ecosystems, and guide policy and management decisions to better protect and conserve our bee fauna.Read moreRead less
Interacting with change: inter-specific competition and climate change . The project aims to understand how species will adapt to climate change by examining a largely overlooked process: how competition shapes evolutionary responses. Rising temperatures will fundamentally alter where species live, re-shuffling communities. Yet, how changes in community composition will affect the way current assessments of species vulnerability to climate change is generally unknown. Expected outcomes include i ....Interacting with change: inter-specific competition and climate change . The project aims to understand how species will adapt to climate change by examining a largely overlooked process: how competition shapes evolutionary responses. Rising temperatures will fundamentally alter where species live, re-shuffling communities. Yet, how changes in community composition will affect the way current assessments of species vulnerability to climate change is generally unknown. Expected outcomes include improved species models for predicting responses to climate change through the integration of competitive effects with environmental data. The benefit will be an increased accuracy in predictions of species at risk to climate change which will guide policy and management decisions to protect vulnerable environments better.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE190100831
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$416,670.00
Summary
The effects of mitochondrial genetic variation on physiology and behaviour. This project aims to test how mitochondrial DNA variation drives molecular, physiological, and behavioural differences between genders and among populations. This project, through the testing of a new hypothesis, expects to generate new knowledge to understand why males and females differ consistently in key health-related traits like longevity. The expected outcomes of this project will provide new discoveries that deli ....The effects of mitochondrial genetic variation on physiology and behaviour. This project aims to test how mitochondrial DNA variation drives molecular, physiological, and behavioural differences between genders and among populations. This project, through the testing of a new hypothesis, expects to generate new knowledge to understand why males and females differ consistently in key health-related traits like longevity. The expected outcomes of this project will provide new discoveries that deliver fundamental insights into the genetics of gender differences, with benefits that extend into the biomedical sciences. The project is also expected to enhance the international profile of Australian science through cutting-edge research in evolutionary genetics.Read moreRead less