How are visual gene pathways lost and restored during reptile evolution? This project aims to investigate how complex traits are lost during evolution, and once lost if they can be regained. The project will use the diverse visual systems of snakes and lizards to shed light on the process of gene loss in degenerative lineages, and discover the mechanisms that compensate for gene losses in taxa with secondarily evolved visual capabilities- providing a case of evolutionary re-innovation in complex ....How are visual gene pathways lost and restored during reptile evolution? This project aims to investigate how complex traits are lost during evolution, and once lost if they can be regained. The project will use the diverse visual systems of snakes and lizards to shed light on the process of gene loss in degenerative lineages, and discover the mechanisms that compensate for gene losses in taxa with secondarily evolved visual capabilities- providing a case of evolutionary re-innovation in complex traits.Read moreRead less
Seminal fluid interferon-gamma: a potential inhibitor of reproductive success. This project aims to investigate mechanisms by which infection, heat stress and psycho-social stress interfere with fertility by inducing a signalling factor in seminal fluid that suppresses female immune adaptation for pregnancy. Factors in seminal fluid in addition to sperm parameters are known to affect male reproductive success, but these are not well defined. The cytokine interferon-gamma (IFNG) is variably prese ....Seminal fluid interferon-gamma: a potential inhibitor of reproductive success. This project aims to investigate mechanisms by which infection, heat stress and psycho-social stress interfere with fertility by inducing a signalling factor in seminal fluid that suppresses female immune adaptation for pregnancy. Factors in seminal fluid in addition to sperm parameters are known to affect male reproductive success, but these are not well defined. The cytokine interferon-gamma (IFNG) is variably present in seminal plasma of several mammalian species. It was recently discovered that IFNG interferes with the female immune response required for reproductive success. This project will investigate how seminal fluid IFNG alters female immune adaptation for pregnancy. This will define how environmental factors induce seminal fluid IFNG and determine whether inhibitory effects of IFNG can be overcome with pharmacological inhibitors to boost reproductive success.Read moreRead less
Impacts of locust control pesticides on arid-zone fauna. Impacts of locust control pesticides on arid-zone fauna. This project aims to understand how different animals encounter pesticide in the landscape through quantifying residue deposition in arid grasslands and investigating how pesticides used to control locust plagues affect fauna. This project will investigate fenitrothion and fipronil, the main pesticides used in Australia for locust control. It will develop a deposition model for aeria ....Impacts of locust control pesticides on arid-zone fauna. Impacts of locust control pesticides on arid-zone fauna. This project aims to understand how different animals encounter pesticide in the landscape through quantifying residue deposition in arid grasslands and investigating how pesticides used to control locust plagues affect fauna. This project will investigate fenitrothion and fipronil, the main pesticides used in Australia for locust control. It will develop a deposition model for aerial pesticide spraying, determine the short-term effect of sprayed pesticides on the behaviour and condition of free-ranging target fauna that use the environment differently, and quantify the relative importance of dietary and non-dietary exposure routes to gauge the importance of animal behaviour on pesticide exposure. Anticipated outcomes are improved baseline assessments for locusticides.Read moreRead less
The birth and death of mammalian sex chromosomes. This project aims to unravel the molecular mechanisms that underlie the transition from autosome to sex chromosome and progressive sex chromosome differentiation in mammals. Monotremes are the only mammalian species with a sex chromosome system that consists of ten sex chromosomes in platypus and nine in echidna. This project will analyse the genetic and epigenetic composition and organisation of the monotreme autosomes that evolved into sex chro ....The birth and death of mammalian sex chromosomes. This project aims to unravel the molecular mechanisms that underlie the transition from autosome to sex chromosome and progressive sex chromosome differentiation in mammals. Monotremes are the only mammalian species with a sex chromosome system that consists of ten sex chromosomes in platypus and nine in echidna. This project will analyse the genetic and epigenetic composition and organisation of the monotreme autosomes that evolved into sex chromosomes in other mammals and compare individual platypus and echidna sex chromosomes to discover how sex chromosomes come to be, differentiate and ultimately are replaced by new sex chromosomes.Read moreRead less
Improving the reintroduction success of mammals. Improving the reintroduction success of mammals. This project intends to improve the anti-predator traits of mammals and reduce the population density of introduced predators, using a novel two-pronged approach to combat predation by introduced predators. Predation by cats and foxes is the chief cause of reintroduction failure in Australian mammals. This project will look to improve the reintroduction success of burrowing bettongs outside predator ....Improving the reintroduction success of mammals. Improving the reintroduction success of mammals. This project intends to improve the anti-predator traits of mammals and reduce the population density of introduced predators, using a novel two-pronged approach to combat predation by introduced predators. Predation by cats and foxes is the chief cause of reintroduction failure in Australian mammals. This project will look to improve the reintroduction success of burrowing bettongs outside predator-free sanctuaries by exposing individuals to predators before release and by harnessing the suppressive effects of dingoes on introduced predators. Anticipated outcomes are improved re-introduction protocols for threatened mammals and re-established populations of endangered wildlife outside predator-free-sanctuaries.Read moreRead less
Improving the anti-predator responses of native mammals . Predation by introduced cats and foxes causes extinction and decline in Australian mammals. Protecting threatened mammals inside fenced sanctuaries is effective but they can become overpopulated, inbred and more naive to predators over time. This leads to a dwindling hope of ever restoring them to their natural habitat. Previous research has shown that exposing threatened mammals to low levels of cat predation in large fenced paddocks i ....Improving the anti-predator responses of native mammals . Predation by introduced cats and foxes causes extinction and decline in Australian mammals. Protecting threatened mammals inside fenced sanctuaries is effective but they can become overpopulated, inbred and more naive to predators over time. This leads to a dwindling hope of ever restoring them to their natural habitat. Previous research has shown that exposing threatened mammals to low levels of cat predation in large fenced paddocks improves their anti-predator behaviour, changes their physical appearance and improves survival. This grant seeks to understand the mechanisms (genetic/learning) behind these changes in order to harness and upscale our results and facilitate co-existence between native mammals and introduced predators. Read moreRead less
Predicting seed lifespan for improved curation of conservation seed banks. This project aims to improve the practice of seed banking for the conservation of the Australian flora. Recent evidence points to diverse and complex storage behaviour for wild seeds and to seeds of many species being shorter-lived than anticipated. Predicting seed storage behaviour and viability decline is central to effective seedbanking. This project expects to develop new high throughput technologies and data interrog ....Predicting seed lifespan for improved curation of conservation seed banks. This project aims to improve the practice of seed banking for the conservation of the Australian flora. Recent evidence points to diverse and complex storage behaviour for wild seeds and to seeds of many species being shorter-lived than anticipated. Predicting seed storage behaviour and viability decline is central to effective seedbanking. This project expects to develop new high throughput technologies and data interrogation techniques for predicting seed lifespan in storage, and alternative storage protocols for problematic seeds. Results will allow seed bank managers to more efficiently triage and curate their seed collections and will benefit seed banks globally.Read moreRead less
Genomes on islands: Improving management of Australia's threatened mammals. This project aims to improve the management of endangered mammals by combining data on genomic and morphological variation with results from conservation translocations. Using new genomics methods, the project will measure the effects of small population size on genetic diversity and mutation load, in extinct as well as remnant and translocated populations. The project will monitor seven intensively managed marsupial spe ....Genomes on islands: Improving management of Australia's threatened mammals. This project aims to improve the management of endangered mammals by combining data on genomic and morphological variation with results from conservation translocations. Using new genomics methods, the project will measure the effects of small population size on genetic diversity and mutation load, in extinct as well as remnant and translocated populations. The project will monitor seven intensively managed marsupial species to better understand how to mix populations for fauna restoration projects. This project should improve methods to promote species recovery in Australia and globally.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE150100542
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$355,000.00
Summary
Understanding adaptation of plants along environmental clines. This project aims to address a key debate on the relative roles of dispersal and selection on adaptation, testing how life history traits determine the magnitude of adaptation. Since dispersal should override selection, this project endeavours to show that plants that strongly disperse will display weaker signals of adaptation but a higher capacity to adapt. The project aims to test these predictions with ecological genomics and func ....Understanding adaptation of plants along environmental clines. This project aims to address a key debate on the relative roles of dispersal and selection on adaptation, testing how life history traits determine the magnitude of adaptation. Since dispersal should override selection, this project endeavours to show that plants that strongly disperse will display weaker signals of adaptation but a higher capacity to adapt. The project aims to test these predictions with ecological genomics and functional genetics at a multi-species scale across climate gradients in South Australia, using a novel design that separates dispersal (isolation-by-distance) from selection (isolation-by-ecology). This understanding will provide improved conservation planning that seeks to restore resilience to biological communities that are under increasing environmental pressures.Read moreRead less
Understanding adaptation to improve conservation of Australian flora. Using the Australian flora as our model, this project aims to tackle a central issue of evolution and conservation - what drives species adaptation? Since dispersal should override selection in populations, we predict that plants that are good dispersers will display weak signals of adaptation, but a higher capacity to adapt, than poorer dispersers. From these expectations we plan to develop a new adaptation guild classificati ....Understanding adaptation to improve conservation of Australian flora. Using the Australian flora as our model, this project aims to tackle a central issue of evolution and conservation - what drives species adaptation? Since dispersal should override selection in populations, we predict that plants that are good dispersers will display weak signals of adaptation, but a higher capacity to adapt, than poorer dispersers. From these expectations we plan to develop a new adaptation guild classification, and test predictions using ecological genomics and functional genetics at a continental and multi-species scale. In addition to progressing a central tenet of evolutionary biology, this project aims to improve seed sourcing and biodiversity management, readily applicable to plants that can be quickly classified by life history traits.Read moreRead less