Conservation genomics of a critically endangered insect. This project aims to develop tools genotyping large animal genomes, focusing on the case of the Lord Howe Island stick insect, once thought to be extinct and now critically endangered. This project expects to generate molecular tools to monitor the genetic health the insect which has a large, complex and poorly understood genome. Expected outcomes include the development of a preservation and reintroduction strategy for the insect. This pr ....Conservation genomics of a critically endangered insect. This project aims to develop tools genotyping large animal genomes, focusing on the case of the Lord Howe Island stick insect, once thought to be extinct and now critically endangered. This project expects to generate molecular tools to monitor the genetic health the insect which has a large, complex and poorly understood genome. Expected outcomes include the development of a preservation and reintroduction strategy for the insect. This project will benefit ongoing conservation efforts, and is timely given the ongoing eradication of rats from Lord Howe Island where this species once lived. Read moreRead less
Evolution of halophytes: a phyloinformatic approach to understanding and exploiting the traits underlying salt-tolerance in plants. Salinity is an increasing burden on the Australian economy & environment, with >2 million ha of salt-affected land, at an annual cost to agriculture over $187 million. One solution is to exploit naturally salt-tolerant plants to increase productive agricultural land and restore salt-affected environments. To do this, we must increase basic knowledge of the diversity ....Evolution of halophytes: a phyloinformatic approach to understanding and exploiting the traits underlying salt-tolerance in plants. Salinity is an increasing burden on the Australian economy & environment, with >2 million ha of salt-affected land, at an annual cost to agriculture over $187 million. One solution is to exploit naturally salt-tolerant plants to increase productive agricultural land and restore salt-affected environments. To do this, we must increase basic knowledge of the diversity & distribution of salt-tolerance. This project is the first to use DNA sequences from thousands of species to understand the evolution of salt-tolerance in order to provide the foundation for the development of new crop varieties, selection of species that can be developed for bioremediation, and identification of traits that will be profitable targets for breeding programs. Read moreRead less
Molecular phylogeny and biodiversity of the plant family Rutaceae: evidence for Australian-New Caledonian biogeography. The results will contribute biological evidence for geological models of the evolution of New Caledonia and the Southwest Pacific region. Analyses will also contribute to improvement of methods and data interpretation in the field of historical biogeography. The molecular phylogeny will be the foundation for a new predictive classification of Australian Rutaceae at the level ....Molecular phylogeny and biodiversity of the plant family Rutaceae: evidence for Australian-New Caledonian biogeography. The results will contribute biological evidence for geological models of the evolution of New Caledonia and the Southwest Pacific region. Analyses will also contribute to improvement of methods and data interpretation in the field of historical biogeography. The molecular phylogeny will be the foundation for a new predictive classification of Australian Rutaceae at the level of tribes and genera. Improved phylogenetic classification underpins the delivery of biodiversity research, goods and services in Australia. Outcomes of improved taxonomy include species identification for ecological studies, identification of rare species, geographic areas of high conservation value and plants for horticulture.Read moreRead less
A predictive phylogenetic classification for Australian acacias and their tropical legume relatives worldwide. The results of this project will provide the foundation for a new predictive classification of Australian acacias and their relatives, among tropical legumes. Improved phylogenetic classification will underpin the delivery of biodiversity research, goods and services in Australia and neighbouring tropical countries. Outcomes of improved taxonomy include species identification and spec ....A predictive phylogenetic classification for Australian acacias and their tropical legume relatives worldwide. The results of this project will provide the foundation for a new predictive classification of Australian acacias and their relatives, among tropical legumes. Improved phylogenetic classification will underpin the delivery of biodiversity research, goods and services in Australia and neighbouring tropical countries. Outcomes of improved taxonomy include species identification and species selection in various industries and environmental programs. Acacias and legumes are used in agro-forestry, as shade trees for crops, fuel wood, stock feed, nitrogen fixation, planting for land reclamation in arid and salinity-affected areas, and as new plantation timber products. Read moreRead less
Resolving the classification and evolutionary history of the eucalypts. This collaborative project addresses the need to achieve a stable classification of the eucalypts, Australia's most ecologically and commercially important trees. The industry partners are lead agencies with responsibility for classification and identification of biodiversity, delivering taxonomic knowledge for end-users. Despite molecular studies in the last decade, the phylogenetic relationships of a number of the major ....Resolving the classification and evolutionary history of the eucalypts. This collaborative project addresses the need to achieve a stable classification of the eucalypts, Australia's most ecologically and commercially important trees. The industry partners are lead agencies with responsibility for classification and identification of biodiversity, delivering taxonomic knowledge for end-users. Despite molecular studies in the last decade, the phylogenetic relationships of a number of the major subgroups of the eucalypts are unknown. We will sequence new regions of DNA and combine this with morphological data to resolve the relationships of the eucalypt lineages, and hence their classification. Phylogenetic analysis also aids identification of high-value areas for conservation of relictual species.Read moreRead less
Resolving the molecular phylogeny and classification of Australian acacias, a major biodiversity resource. This collaboration with the Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne will resolve the phylogeny of Australia's largest group of flowering plants, the acacias, to form the basis of a new classification. With more than 960 species, Australian acacias are a major biodiversity resource yet their genetic diversity and evolutionary relationships are poorly known. We will determine the main taxonomic gro ....Resolving the molecular phylogeny and classification of Australian acacias, a major biodiversity resource. This collaboration with the Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne will resolve the phylogeny of Australia's largest group of flowering plants, the acacias, to form the basis of a new classification. With more than 960 species, Australian acacias are a major biodiversity resource yet their genetic diversity and evolutionary relationships are poorly known. We will determine the main taxonomic groups and their relationships by sequencing the DNA of more than 300 species. Acacias are of ecological importance and of use in land reclamation, horticulture, and rural craftwood industries.
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Genomic tools for the emerging tropical rock lobster aquaculture industry. Australia has just developed the skills to farm tropical rock lobsters, a popular celebratory dish in Asia. Our project will boost this industry by developing genetic markers, which later can be used to choose the best stud lobsters for breeding.
Developing best-practice approaches for restoring forest ecosystems that are resilient to climate change. Existing restoration practices for forests tend to rely on ad hoc rules of thumb that lack a firm scientific basis and risk failure due to climate change. The project will model biodiversity, genetic and growth performance data to develop best-practice restoration guidelines for forest ecosystems to enable them to become resilient to climate change and maximise biodiversity and carbon captur ....Developing best-practice approaches for restoring forest ecosystems that are resilient to climate change. Existing restoration practices for forests tend to rely on ad hoc rules of thumb that lack a firm scientific basis and risk failure due to climate change. The project will model biodiversity, genetic and growth performance data to develop best-practice restoration guidelines for forest ecosystems to enable them to become resilient to climate change and maximise biodiversity and carbon capture outcomes.Read moreRead less
The role of epigenetic modifications in bovid adaptation to environmental change. This project will explore the role of epigenetic change, where gene expression is regulated without changing the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) sequence, in how animals adapt to rapid climate change. This project will trace epigenetic markers in ancient bison and cows through 30,000 years of climate change, and identify key adaptive genes for the cattle industry.
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.