Old brains, new data - early evolution of structural complexity in the vertebrate head. Of the all the complex structures biology has provided, the evolution of the vertebrate brain and its sensory organs is perhaps the most enigmatic. The fossil record occasionally provides a chance to trace this evolution, but only with the use of novel X-ray scanning techniques can these secrets be detailed in three dimensions. Exploiting the exceptional fossil record from Australia and China, this team will ....Old brains, new data - early evolution of structural complexity in the vertebrate head. Of the all the complex structures biology has provided, the evolution of the vertebrate brain and its sensory organs is perhaps the most enigmatic. The fossil record occasionally provides a chance to trace this evolution, but only with the use of novel X-ray scanning techniques can these secrets be detailed in three dimensions. Exploiting the exceptional fossil record from Australia and China, this team will for the first time collect a vast comparative data base which will yield clues on the early evolution of the ear, eye and brain. Read moreRead less
Australia's exceptional Palaeozoic fossil fishes, and a Gondwana origin for land vertebrates. The 370 million-year-old Gogo deposit in WA has produced the World's best-preserved fossil fishes of Devonian age. New discoveries of related forms in eastern and central Australia document the deep history of Australia's unique vertebrate fauna, and provide new evidence on the evolution of the first jaws and limbs in vertebrates. They indicate that the first land animals may have evolved on the Austral ....Australia's exceptional Palaeozoic fossil fishes, and a Gondwana origin for land vertebrates. The 370 million-year-old Gogo deposit in WA has produced the World's best-preserved fossil fishes of Devonian age. New discoveries of related forms in eastern and central Australia document the deep history of Australia's unique vertebrate fauna, and provide new evidence on the evolution of the first jaws and limbs in vertebrates. They indicate that the first land animals may have evolved on the Australian landmass. These remarkably preserved, information-rich skulls and braincases of some of the oldest known vertebrate fossils provide unique data on early evolution of the head and brain; they are held in national collections as a significant contribution to both National and World Heritage.Read moreRead less
Testing Theories of Historical Divergence using South Eastern Australian Reptiles. The processes that serve to create species diversity must also be preserved in order to allow evolution to continue. My study will clarify the number and distribution of water skink species in south eastern Australia, a biologically diverse, yet under studied area of Australia. I will also be looking at processes, such as dispersal, that determine patterns of species distribution over time. These lizards are also ....Testing Theories of Historical Divergence using South Eastern Australian Reptiles. The processes that serve to create species diversity must also be preserved in order to allow evolution to continue. My study will clarify the number and distribution of water skink species in south eastern Australia, a biologically diverse, yet under studied area of Australia. I will also be looking at processes, such as dispersal, that determine patterns of species distribution over time. These lizards are also found on mountain tops and may be affected by global warming. Understanding how climate change has affected these lizards in the past may help us to predict how climate changes will affect them in the future and better enable us to conserve these and other species in the future.Read moreRead less
Reducing environmental footprint by improving phosphorous use efficiency. While modern agriculture relies heavily on the use of phosphorous fertilizers, most of them are not used by plants and lost in runoff, resulting in a massive environmental damage through contamination of waterways (termed eutrophication). This project takes advantage of an untapped resource - a unique collection of Tibetan wild barley genotypes, to reveal key traits that confer superior phosphorus use efficiency in wild ba ....Reducing environmental footprint by improving phosphorous use efficiency. While modern agriculture relies heavily on the use of phosphorous fertilizers, most of them are not used by plants and lost in runoff, resulting in a massive environmental damage through contamination of waterways (termed eutrophication). This project takes advantage of an untapped resource - a unique collection of Tibetan wild barley genotypes, to reveal key traits that confer superior phosphorus use efficiency in wild barley and identify appropriate candidate genes and their position on chromosomes for further incorporating these traits into commercial barley cultivars. This will reduce the environmental footprint of modern agricultural practices on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems without compromising food security.Read moreRead less
ARC Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology. We propose a novel approach to improve sustainable yield by optimising the overall efficiency of energy capture, conversion and use by plants. Efficiency gains in metabolism, transport, and development will be more effective than optimising single nutrient inputs or product outputs. Improving multiple parameters simultaneously is a necessary solution to the increasing demand for more crop yield from finite land, water, and nutrient resources. Unp ....ARC Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology. We propose a novel approach to improve sustainable yield by optimising the overall efficiency of energy capture, conversion and use by plants. Efficiency gains in metabolism, transport, and development will be more effective than optimising single nutrient inputs or product outputs. Improving multiple parameters simultaneously is a necessary solution to the increasing demand for more crop yield from finite land, water, and nutrient resources. Unpredictable environmental challenges adversely affect plant growth and further perturb plant energy balance, limiting yield. The epigenetic controls, gene variants and signals discovered will provide a new basis for sustainable productivity of crops and will future-proof plants in changing climates.Read moreRead less
Mediator: a new concept for controlled gene expression in plant biotechnology. The Mediator protein complex is a new control point for the activation of all genes in higher organisms and the purpose of this project is to understand how three Mediator subunits regulate disease resistance in plants. The outcomes provide a new concept to direct natural gene expression towards robust crop plants able to cope with climatic variations.
Improving grain legume seeds for future climates. Grain legumes are essential for sustainable agriculture and human dietary protein, but seed quality is predicted to decline under future scenarios of high CO2 and warmer temperatures. This project aims to improve legume seed quality under future climates by comparing metabolites and physiological traits of chickpea and other legumes to establish mechanisms by which legumes maximise seed nutrient allocation. The anticipated outcomes include new me ....Improving grain legume seeds for future climates. Grain legumes are essential for sustainable agriculture and human dietary protein, but seed quality is predicted to decline under future scenarios of high CO2 and warmer temperatures. This project aims to improve legume seed quality under future climates by comparing metabolites and physiological traits of chickpea and other legumes to establish mechanisms by which legumes maximise seed nutrient allocation. The anticipated outcomes include new metabolite-based breeding markers for the improvement of crops with higher seed proteins, micronutrients and bioactive compounds that are adapted to future climates. Seed nutrient improvement will also include increased biological nitrogen fixation to reduce the need for chemical nitrogen fertilisers.Read moreRead less
Boosting C4 photosynthesis to climate proof crop yields. Building next generation C4 crops, such as maize, sugarcane and sorghum, to cope with drought and heat stress is requisite to ensure the supply of food and fodder. Here we will increase the content and / or catalytic efficiency of the primary carboxylase of C4 photosynthesis (PEPC) that supplies CO2 to the carbon concentrating mechanism and ensures high photosynthetic rates. We will develop new SynBio tools to create and test novel PEPC is ....Boosting C4 photosynthesis to climate proof crop yields. Building next generation C4 crops, such as maize, sugarcane and sorghum, to cope with drought and heat stress is requisite to ensure the supply of food and fodder. Here we will increase the content and / or catalytic efficiency of the primary carboxylase of C4 photosynthesis (PEPC) that supplies CO2 to the carbon concentrating mechanism and ensures high photosynthetic rates. We will develop new SynBio tools to create and test novel PEPC isoforms with desirable properties. Ultimately, the project aims to identify isoforms that improve plant fitness under stress conditions. Optimising PEPC activity will provide next generation solutions to improve water balance and carbon assimilation to keep C4 crops productive under future climates.Read moreRead less
Mechanisms of colour production and the evolution of animal signals. This project aims to reveal how diverse colours are produced in reptiles and the information these colours convey about individual health, condition and performance. The project evaluates how stress affects both pigment deposition and the nano-structure of cells and tissues, which together produce colour. By comparing similar colours generated by two entirely different classes of pigment (carotenoids and pteridines), this proje ....Mechanisms of colour production and the evolution of animal signals. This project aims to reveal how diverse colours are produced in reptiles and the information these colours convey about individual health, condition and performance. The project evaluates how stress affects both pigment deposition and the nano-structure of cells and tissues, which together produce colour. By comparing similar colours generated by two entirely different classes of pigment (carotenoids and pteridines), this project will provide new insights into the evolution of animal coloration, and will significantly enhance our understanding of pteridines, one of the most prevalent but least understood classes of pigment in vertebrates.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE130100081
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$500,000.00
Summary
Spectral climate chamber facilities for phenomic studies of plant light response adaptation. Climates are changing, altering planting regimes in agriculture, and disrupting local adaptation in foundation species. The genetic basis of climate adaptation will be dissected in new plant growth facilities, equipped with real-time imaging and environmental controls that can mimic dynamic seasonal growing conditions and weather stress events.