Diatom lipids to reveal sea-ice history in remote Antarctic regions. This project aims to understand seasonal Antarctic sea-ice extent using molecular, geochemical, elemental and genomic characteristics of specific marine phytoplankton (diatoms). Little is known of the seasonal sea-ice variation and the position of the summer sea-ice extent a million years before satellite records, but this information is critical to determining air-sea gas exchange and ecosystem food web regulation. This projec ....Diatom lipids to reveal sea-ice history in remote Antarctic regions. This project aims to understand seasonal Antarctic sea-ice extent using molecular, geochemical, elemental and genomic characteristics of specific marine phytoplankton (diatoms). Little is known of the seasonal sea-ice variation and the position of the summer sea-ice extent a million years before satellite records, but this information is critical to determining air-sea gas exchange and ecosystem food web regulation. This project will unite geochemical and biological approaches to provide the data to improve past Antarctic ecosystem and climate models where sea-ice data is missing. Studying diatom biomarkers in deep sea cores from Australia’s Southern Ocean will redefine knowledge of Antarctic climate and provide data necessary to improve global ecosystem and climate models.Read moreRead less
Microbial Oceanography: Community Heterogeneity Fuelled by Environmental Variability. The ocean is a crucial resource to Australia. This work will open a new area of research within Australian habitats, which will improve our understanding of how the base of the ocean food web functions, and build a new perspective from which to look at the microscopic plankton that influence fisheries yield and species invasions. Appreciating how microbial communities respond to environmental perturbations will ....Microbial Oceanography: Community Heterogeneity Fuelled by Environmental Variability. The ocean is a crucial resource to Australia. This work will open a new area of research within Australian habitats, which will improve our understanding of how the base of the ocean food web functions, and build a new perspective from which to look at the microscopic plankton that influence fisheries yield and species invasions. Appreciating how microbial communities respond to environmental perturbations will provide an improved vantage-point to predict future changes to the Australian marine environment. Leading international scientists will provide conceptual and technical expertise in an Australian based project, applying novel analytical tools not currently employed within oceanographic surveys within Australian waters.Read moreRead less
Coevolution of sundew bugs and sundews. This project aims to conduct a study of insect-plant interactions to determine if insects and plants coevolve or if they diversify by other evolutionary processes. Insect-plant coevolution is a hotly contested field in evolutionary biology. In Australia, a remarkable interaction exists between carnivorous plants and a group of bugs that steal the plant’s prey. This system offers a great opportunity to test competing coevolutionary theories through a combin ....Coevolution of sundew bugs and sundews. This project aims to conduct a study of insect-plant interactions to determine if insects and plants coevolve or if they diversify by other evolutionary processes. Insect-plant coevolution is a hotly contested field in evolutionary biology. In Australia, a remarkable interaction exists between carnivorous plants and a group of bugs that steal the plant’s prey. This system offers a great opportunity to test competing coevolutionary theories through a combination of historical and ecological approaches. The project expects to showcase the evolution and uniqueness of Australia’s native biota.Read moreRead less
Dispersal and gene flow in habitat-forming algae. The temperate coast of Australia has a unique and diverse algal flora. Many of these algae play a central role in subtidal ecology by providing habitat to an astonishing diversity of taxa. Despite this, we have no understanding of levels of gene flow within and among populations of habitat forming algae or how such populations persist in nature. By addressing this lack of knowledge, my research will contribute information that is critical for the ....Dispersal and gene flow in habitat-forming algae. The temperate coast of Australia has a unique and diverse algal flora. Many of these algae play a central role in subtidal ecology by providing habitat to an astonishing diversity of taxa. Despite this, we have no understanding of levels of gene flow within and among populations of habitat forming algae or how such populations persist in nature. By addressing this lack of knowledge, my research will contribute information that is critical for the conservation and management of algal habitats. This is particularly pertinent because anthropogentic stressors are beginning to precipitate significant changes in algal forests along Australia's coastline. Read moreRead less
Reconstructing the human colonisation of the Pacific using modern and ancient chicken DNA. We will reconstruct one of the last great human migrations, from Island Southeast Asia across the Pacific to Hawaii and Easter Island, using DNA from the domestic chicken, which was carried on the voyage. Ancient and modern DNA, and archaeological data will be used to reveal the source, route, timing, and whether contact was made with South America
Microscale insights into ocean-scale processes: microbial behaviour as a driver of ocean biogeochemistry. Microscopic plankton regulate the ocean's chemical cycles, which ultimately support life on earth. However, the ecological interactions driving these processes are poorly understood. This project will use novel approaches to decipher the behaviours of marine microbes, providing a more complete perception of how ocean ecosystems operate and influence climate.
The effect of native invasions on Australian fisheries species. This project aims to forecast climate-related changes in the diversity, distribution and abundance of fisheries species. In a changing world where many people depend on oceans for food and livelihood, predicting the future distribution of fisheries species is a challenge. Native invasions and ocean warming are stressing inshore fisheries species, but rigorous empirical data and models that can reliably forecast these effects are lac ....The effect of native invasions on Australian fisheries species. This project aims to forecast climate-related changes in the diversity, distribution and abundance of fisheries species. In a changing world where many people depend on oceans for food and livelihood, predicting the future distribution of fisheries species is a challenge. Native invasions and ocean warming are stressing inshore fisheries species, but rigorous empirical data and models that can reliably forecast these effects are lacking. This project intends to reveal the drivers of successful native invasions, evaluate their effect on fish diversity and productivity, and develop holistic models that forecast their effects on inshore fisheries species’ near-future distribution and stocks.Read moreRead less
Narrative Ecologies of Warragamba Dam. We are living in a period of significant environmental and land use challenges, many of them accompanied by conflicting understandings and values. This interdisciplinary environmental humanities project focuses on the proposed raising of the Warragamba Dam wall to explore the role of narrative in analysing and responding to socio-environmental controversies: narratives of connection to place, of livelihood and economic prosperity, of deep cultural relations ....Narrative Ecologies of Warragamba Dam. We are living in a period of significant environmental and land use challenges, many of them accompanied by conflicting understandings and values. This interdisciplinary environmental humanities project focuses on the proposed raising of the Warragamba Dam wall to explore the role of narrative in analysing and responding to socio-environmental controversies: narratives of connection to place, of livelihood and economic prosperity, of deep cultural relationships to Country. Ultimately, this project aims to develop new resources for enhancing community understanding and involvement in these complex issues, utilising narrative to enable responses that are creative, inclusive, and just.Read moreRead less
Testing the mechanisms and effects of abrupt and extreme climate change. This project aims to resolve the timing, rate of change, mechanisms and effects of past abrupt and extreme global climate change. These are uncertain for abrupt and extreme warming events in the recent geological record, due to difficulties comparing terrestrial and marine palaeoclimate and faunal records on radiocarbon timescales with independently dated ice cores over the last 50,000 years. By using yearly-resolved tree r ....Testing the mechanisms and effects of abrupt and extreme climate change. This project aims to resolve the timing, rate of change, mechanisms and effects of past abrupt and extreme global climate change. These are uncertain for abrupt and extreme warming events in the recent geological record, due to difficulties comparing terrestrial and marine palaeoclimate and faunal records on radiocarbon timescales with independently dated ice cores over the last 50,000 years. By using yearly-resolved tree ring records, the project will discover when, how and what effect abrupt and extreme change had on global climate and species/ecosystems.Read moreRead less