The sparrows in the mining towns: a century of adaptation to contamination. Our research will characterise how contamination from the extraction of precious metals can spread through the environment and how it effects a highly urbanised bird – the house sparrow. In many cases, populations of these birds have been intimately associated with mining operations for over a century, and our recent work has provided evidence of adaptation over time. House sparrows provide a great natural system to unde ....The sparrows in the mining towns: a century of adaptation to contamination. Our research will characterise how contamination from the extraction of precious metals can spread through the environment and how it effects a highly urbanised bird – the house sparrow. In many cases, populations of these birds have been intimately associated with mining operations for over a century, and our recent work has provided evidence of adaptation over time. House sparrows provide a great natural system to understand the genetic potential of organisms to adapt to anthropomorphic change in the environment connected with the resources industry. Our work, will bring new insight into the future management of environmental contamination, and the mitigation of adverse effects arising from resource extraction.Read moreRead less
Managing genetic diversity and evolutionary processes in foundation species for landscape restoration in the midwest of Western Australia. This project analyses genetic structure in four key plant species used for post mining restoration across the midwest. It will provide guidelines for seed collections that ensure planted populations will persist at altered sites after mining and that planted and natural populations can adapt to changing future environmental conditions.
Evolution and biogeography of Australian idiopid trapdoor spiders: implications for conservation biology and environmental assessment. Trapdoor spiders (family Idiopidae) are poorly studied and there are many new species with restricted distributions in the western and arid parts of the continent. This project will use DNA techniques to study their evolution and provide genetic criteria for their identification, environmental assessment and determining conservation priorities.
Islands of rocks: geckos as a model system to understand patterns of biodiversity, endemism and speciation in the Kimberley. Australia is renowned for its diversity of lizards, yet a plethora of new "cryptic" gecko species continue to be discovered. The project will densely sample the complex Kimberley to understand the evolution of its geckos, which will shed light on true levels of species diversity and the geological and environmental history of this biodiversity hotspot.
Body size in the 21st century: integrating evolution, economics and culture. This project will study how evolution and biology interact with culture and economics to shape two important aspects of our world and our lives: the unfolding global obesity crisis and the complex, nuanced judgments people make about body shape. This research will inform the public health issues of obesity and body image problems.
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE190100805
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$382,656.00
Summary
Phylogenetic methods for genome surveillance of microbial pathogens. This project aims to develop phylogenetic approaches to harness the potential evolution of bacterial and virus pathogens data and to improve early detection of infectious outbreaks. Genome surveillance programs consist in routine sequencing of particular organisms to track their evolution over time. Such programs currently exist for important bacterial and virus pathogens. This project expects to develop computational methods t ....Phylogenetic methods for genome surveillance of microbial pathogens. This project aims to develop phylogenetic approaches to harness the potential evolution of bacterial and virus pathogens data and to improve early detection of infectious outbreaks. Genome surveillance programs consist in routine sequencing of particular organisms to track their evolution over time. Such programs currently exist for important bacterial and virus pathogens. This project expects to develop computational methods to improve our understanding of pathogen outbreak emergence and infectious spread using genome data. This project will expand our knowledge base and research capability in the evolution and epidemiology of infectious agents, and aid in the prevention and control strategies of infectious disease benefiting the research priorities of food and health.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE120101954
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$375,000.00
Summary
Discovering Trans-New Guinea: revealing the prehistory of New Guinea. The third largest language family in the world is Trans-New Guinea spoken throughout New Guinea. The origins of this family are unknown. This project will uncover the history of these peoples by applying computational phylogenetic methods to data from these languages, leading to a deeper understanding of human prehistory in the Pacific.
Nowcasting outbreaks leveraging genomic and epidemiological data. This project aims to inform outbreak response planning by developing new models of infectious disease outbreaks. The project expects to generate new knowledge on the processes driving ongoing outbreaks including those of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) and African swine fever by integrating the latest advances in Bayesian outbreak inference alongside unique simulation approaches. Expected outcomes should include a shift in how mo ....Nowcasting outbreaks leveraging genomic and epidemiological data. This project aims to inform outbreak response planning by developing new models of infectious disease outbreaks. The project expects to generate new knowledge on the processes driving ongoing outbreaks including those of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) and African swine fever by integrating the latest advances in Bayesian outbreak inference alongside unique simulation approaches. Expected outcomes should include a shift in how models are developed and used to inform the response to outbreaks as they unfold. This should enable more rapid outbreak containment in Australia and overseas, leading to reduced impacts on public and animal health, and associated industries.Read moreRead less
Environmentally Induced Non-genetic Effects on Ageing and Fitness over Multi-generations and the Evolution of Life-history Trade-offs. This project will study trade-offs among growth, lifespan and fecundity, and test the following three predictions by employing a short-lived fish model and cutting-edge statistical and computational modelling. First, different dietary conditions not only affect the fitness of the organism, but also that of subsequent generations. Second, different nutritional eff ....Environmentally Induced Non-genetic Effects on Ageing and Fitness over Multi-generations and the Evolution of Life-history Trade-offs. This project will study trade-offs among growth, lifespan and fecundity, and test the following three predictions by employing a short-lived fish model and cutting-edge statistical and computational modelling. First, different dietary conditions not only affect the fitness of the organism, but also that of subsequent generations. Second, different nutritional effects and transgenerational effects on fitness-related traits are underpinned by epigenetic (or non-genetic) modifications. Third, such epigenetic modifications and their inheritance influence the evolution of life-history trade-offs. This project will link the emerging field of epigenetics with evolutionary theory, and reveal mechanisms of transgenerational epigenetic inheritance. Read moreRead less
Evolution of defensive and predatory venom in cone snails. This project aims to determine the molecular and cellular origins and mechanisms regulating venom production and release to establish how defensive venoms evolved in cone snails. Cone snails possess a remarkable ability to rapidly and reversibly switch between separate venoms in response to predatory or defensive stimuli, implying that these are separately evolved and regulated mechanisms. The investigators hypothesise that defensive ven ....Evolution of defensive and predatory venom in cone snails. This project aims to determine the molecular and cellular origins and mechanisms regulating venom production and release to establish how defensive venoms evolved in cone snails. Cone snails possess a remarkable ability to rapidly and reversibly switch between separate venoms in response to predatory or defensive stimuli, implying that these are separately evolved and regulated mechanisms. The investigators hypothesise that defensive venoms, originally evolved in the proximal venom duct to protect against threats such as cephalopod and fish predation, have been repurposed in the proximal duct to allow predators to become prey, facilitating the switch from worm to mollusc and fish hunting. The project aims to show the broad implications for the evolution of venoms in animals and discover the regulatory mechanisms driving venom peptide expression.Read moreRead less