Maternal effects and sex allocation: an integrated approach. This project will produce research of a high international standard combining a number of key fields in evolution and ecology. The team we have assembled provides a link between Australian-based researchers and leading overseas theoreticians facilitating integration between evolutionary theory and empirical research on the unique Australian fauna. Furthermore, while climate change is identified as a priority area for research, Australi ....Maternal effects and sex allocation: an integrated approach. This project will produce research of a high international standard combining a number of key fields in evolution and ecology. The team we have assembled provides a link between Australian-based researchers and leading overseas theoreticians facilitating integration between evolutionary theory and empirical research on the unique Australian fauna. Furthermore, while climate change is identified as a priority area for research, Australia typically lacks the history of long-term phenological monitoring that is required to understand climate change impacts. This project takes an important step towards addressing this shortcoming.Read moreRead less
Predicting Biodiversity from Population Dynamics. This research aims to deepen our understanding of how changes to the environment, including those attributable to human activities, influence the ecological and evolutionary mechanisms that generate and maintain biodiversity. This understanding is of urgent importance, in light of the predicted changes in climate and habitat over the next century, because biodiversity is critical to the proper functioning of ecosystems that human societies depend ....Predicting Biodiversity from Population Dynamics. This research aims to deepen our understanding of how changes to the environment, including those attributable to human activities, influence the ecological and evolutionary mechanisms that generate and maintain biodiversity. This understanding is of urgent importance, in light of the predicted changes in climate and habitat over the next century, because biodiversity is critical to the proper functioning of ecosystems that human societies depend upon. The graduate student involved in this research will have the opportunity to receive in-depth training as part of a cross-disciplinary collaboration that combines mathematics, ecology, evolution, and paleontology.
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A multidisciplinary research program to assess limiting factors and predict impacts of climate change for endangered Australian orchids. Climate change poses a significant threat to biodiversity. Australian sexually deceptive orchids are dependent on obligate and specialised interactions with pollinators and fungi. Consequently, they may face a high risk of extinction if climate change uncouples these interactions. Thus orchids provide an important bio-indicator of change. The tools and expertis ....A multidisciplinary research program to assess limiting factors and predict impacts of climate change for endangered Australian orchids. Climate change poses a significant threat to biodiversity. Australian sexually deceptive orchids are dependent on obligate and specialised interactions with pollinators and fungi. Consequently, they may face a high risk of extinction if climate change uncouples these interactions. Thus orchids provide an important bio-indicator of change. The tools and expertise developed will contribute directly to the conservation of endangered Australian orchids, and will take into account the risks of climate change. The project will contribute to the priority research goals of sustainable use of Australia's biodiversity as well as responding to climate change and variability. The project will also provide high quality, cross-disciplinary training.Read moreRead less
Understanding “reinforcement”, an evolutionary process that can lead to the origin of new species and generate species diversity. Understanding how species are formed is of broad significance. National benefit will come from internationally competitive research and collaborations with leading international researchers. Benefits will also come under the ARC Priority Goals of 'An Environmentally Sustainable Australia' as I will (i) provide genetic data that will be invaluable for the conservation ....Understanding “reinforcement”, an evolutionary process that can lead to the origin of new species and generate species diversity. Understanding how species are formed is of broad significance. National benefit will come from internationally competitive research and collaborations with leading international researchers. Benefits will also come under the ARC Priority Goals of 'An Environmentally Sustainable Australia' as I will (i) provide genetic data that will be invaluable for the conservation of a highly threatened species, (ii) determine the importance of contact zones for generating new species and maintaining the evolutionary potential of regions, and (iii) address the role of climate change in shaping diversity over recent evolutionary time, an understanding of which is essential for predicting the impact of future change. Read moreRead less
Stress, virulence and bacterial disease in temperate seaweeds: the rise of the microbes. Climate change is predicted to increase the spread and virulence of pathogens, and decrease the resistance to disease via temperature stress on the hosts. Combined with other human impacts (higher nutrients, pollution), we may be facing a major rise in the effect of disease on natural communities. However, these effects are largely unstudied. We will investigate the impact of marine pathogens on kelps and ....Stress, virulence and bacterial disease in temperate seaweeds: the rise of the microbes. Climate change is predicted to increase the spread and virulence of pathogens, and decrease the resistance to disease via temperature stress on the hosts. Combined with other human impacts (higher nutrients, pollution), we may be facing a major rise in the effect of disease on natural communities. However, these effects are largely unstudied. We will investigate the impact of marine pathogens on kelps and other seaweeds when they are stressed by temperature, elevated nutrients or other anthropogenic stressors. Kelp are the 'trees of the oceans', the organisms responsible for creating much of the habitat that fishes and other organisms live in. The loss of kelp forests due to disease would radically change these environments.Read moreRead less
Effects of global climate change on marine phytoplankton: interactions between UV radiation and elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide levels. Global climate change is one of the most significant ecological challenges for the 21st Century. Phytoplankton contribute over 45% of the planet's annual net primary production and form the basis of most aquatic food chains. Conversely, some phytoplankton are toxic and cause problems in marine and fresh waters. Climate change can potentially disrupt aquatic ....Effects of global climate change on marine phytoplankton: interactions between UV radiation and elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide levels. Global climate change is one of the most significant ecological challenges for the 21st Century. Phytoplankton contribute over 45% of the planet's annual net primary production and form the basis of most aquatic food chains. Conversely, some phytoplankton are toxic and cause problems in marine and fresh waters. Climate change can potentially disrupt aquatic foodchains by its impact on primary production by phytoplankton or stimulating growth of potentially toxic forms. Our project will investigate the combined impact of increasing carbon dioxide and ultraviolet light on phytoplankton and thereby help climate modellers assess the impact of climate change on aquatic ecosystems and particularly on the nation's and the world's fisheries.Read moreRead less
Future climate change: consequences for decomposition and pathways of carbon flow through rhizosphere fungal communities. The proposed collaboration will provide novel insights into likely consequences of global climate change on decomposition and pathways of carbon flow through forest soils. This will refine predictive models of future climate change and its impacts on the sustainability of Australia's forests. It will also enhance the protection of our valued habitats and their important soil ....Future climate change: consequences for decomposition and pathways of carbon flow through rhizosphere fungal communities. The proposed collaboration will provide novel insights into likely consequences of global climate change on decomposition and pathways of carbon flow through forest soils. This will refine predictive models of future climate change and its impacts on the sustainability of Australia's forests. It will also enhance the protection of our valued habitats and their important soil biodiversity. The knowledge gained will help land managers to adapt current practices to meet the demands of future climate change. This will maximize the opportunities for sequestering carbon in Australia's forests and so contribute to meeting Australia's global responsibility for mitigation of climate change.Read moreRead less
The Late Pleistocene Peopling of East Asia and Associated Climate-Environment History. This project will contribute to an environmentally sustainable Australia through understanding the long-term history of climate change centred on the monsoon weather system and the scale and magnitude of environmental change and its long-term impacts on human inhabitants in East Asia and Australasia. It helps to safeguard Australia by enhancing our capacity to interpret and engage with our region through great ....The Late Pleistocene Peopling of East Asia and Associated Climate-Environment History. This project will contribute to an environmentally sustainable Australia through understanding the long-term history of climate change centred on the monsoon weather system and the scale and magnitude of environmental change and its long-term impacts on human inhabitants in East Asia and Australasia. It helps to safeguard Australia by enhancing our capacity to interpret and engage with our region through greater understanding of societies and cultures. It will improve understanding of the long-term history and relationships of major groups of people across our region. Many benefits will derive from scientific, educational and cultural exchange between Australia and our neighbour China.Read moreRead less
The molecular basis of oligotrophy: an integrated genomic and functional proteomic study of the model marine oligotroph, Sphingopyxis alaskensis. The project will will enable Australia to take the lead in the global analysis of oligotrophy, highlighting the reputation Australian scientists have in scientific programs of global significance. As Australia is surrounded by some of the most oligotrophic waters in the world, we have access to an enormous natural resource suitable for the isolation of ....The molecular basis of oligotrophy: an integrated genomic and functional proteomic study of the model marine oligotroph, Sphingopyxis alaskensis. The project will will enable Australia to take the lead in the global analysis of oligotrophy, highlighting the reputation Australian scientists have in scientific programs of global significance. As Australia is surrounded by some of the most oligotrophic waters in the world, we have access to an enormous natural resource suitable for the isolation of oligotrophs. Realising the potential of oligotrophs may therefore provide an invaluable source of compounds, enzymes and molecules for biotechnology and industry. Understanding microbial oligotrophy will also ensure we protect our $50 billion dollar tourism industry by remaining abreast of factors which influence the marine environment and directly impact on all coastal activities.Read moreRead less
Ecosystem level impacts of climate change on a temperate grassland. The sustainable use of temperate native pastures is important economically because of grazing and for biodiversity since they are home to many threatened plants. Native pasture sustainability depends on maintaining species diversity and vegetation productivity, both of which have been shown to change in response to climate change. The aims of this project are to elucidate what impact these changes have on the ecosystem propertie ....Ecosystem level impacts of climate change on a temperate grassland. The sustainable use of temperate native pastures is important economically because of grazing and for biodiversity since they are home to many threatened plants. Native pasture sustainability depends on maintaining species diversity and vegetation productivity, both of which have been shown to change in response to climate change. The aims of this project are to elucidate what impact these changes have on the ecosystem properties of a native pasture. This is important, as it will allow likely problems caused by global climate change to be predicted by increasing the understanding of the underlying mechanisms as well as improving the management of grasslands in an environmentally sustainable way. Read moreRead less