Are good males bad females? Sexual conflict in hermaphrodites. Animal hermaphrodites (organisms that are both males and females) are extremely common and important from both an economic and ecological perspective but we know little about the evolution of this group. This project will examine how sexual conflict, so pervasive in organisms with separate sexes, affects the evolution of hermaphrodites.
Wild eco-evolutionary dynamics: the decline of an iconic Australian bird. This project aims to dissect the ecological and evolutionary processes causing a decline in an iconic Australian bird species. Studies that can properly test explanations for declines in wild populations are rare. This project aims to test how environmental and genetic processes shape individual traits, how these traits determine fitness and how changes in individual fitness affect population dynamics. The project expects ....Wild eco-evolutionary dynamics: the decline of an iconic Australian bird. This project aims to dissect the ecological and evolutionary processes causing a decline in an iconic Australian bird species. Studies that can properly test explanations for declines in wild populations are rare. This project aims to test how environmental and genetic processes shape individual traits, how these traits determine fitness and how changes in individual fitness affect population dynamics. The project expects to provide essential information for the improved management of Australian bird populations, and for understanding the effects of environmental change on natural systems globally.Read moreRead less
Larval dispersal and settlement mechanisms in the first genome-enabled Australian marine animal, Amphimedon queenslandica (Porifera). We know remarkably little about the lives of the enigmatic animals that live on our stunning coral reefs, except that many have a tiny larval stage that travels far beyond where the adults can go. This project explores how genomes and environment work together to ensure that larvae spread their species around to keep our reefs vibrant and diverse.
Science on the continental shelf: securing our deep-sea biodiversity for the future. This project signals the start of exciting new research using manned submersibles to explore and describe the rich biodiversity inhabiting Australia’s deep-sea continental shelf. The outcomes will provide a sound basis for managing these environmental treasures against the pressing need to use the oil and gas reserves that lie under the seabed.