Packed to perform: the effects of telomere traits and free radicals on sperm phenotypes, fertilization success, and offspring viability. This project will integrate telomeres, free radicals and sperm biology into a coherent research program on the roles of free radicals in eroding telomeres and dictating: success in sperm competition and cryptic female choice; longevity and life time fitness in the wild; and, transgenerational effects on offspring viability, in particular mediated via paternal t ....Packed to perform: the effects of telomere traits and free radicals on sperm phenotypes, fertilization success, and offspring viability. This project will integrate telomeres, free radicals and sperm biology into a coherent research program on the roles of free radicals in eroding telomeres and dictating: success in sperm competition and cryptic female choice; longevity and life time fitness in the wild; and, transgenerational effects on offspring viability, in particular mediated via paternal telomere length. Specifically, the project researches how sperm telomere length in sires shorten under stress and how this epigenetic effect is transferred from sires to sons and potentially moderates also filial success in sperm competition and attractiveness in cryptic female choice. Read moreRead less
Lamarckian lizards: novel integration of telomere epigenetics, free radicals and innate antioxidants in condition-dependant sexual signal evolution. In 2009, the Nobel Prize in physiology was awarded Drs. Blackburn, Greider and Szostak for discoveries on telomeres. This project will investigate how telomeres not only cap chromosomes from destruction by free radicals, but also have a key role in life itself, in their influence on ageing, longevity, ornaments and lifetime reproductive success.
Female fluids in post-copulatory sexual selection. This project aims to test the causes, consequences and mechanisms of female reproductive fluids in modulating fertilisation bias in a model vertebrate species, the zebrafish. Female reproductive fluids (the fluid surrounding eggs) may moderate sperm selection by females, thus facilitating mate choice at the gamete level. This project will study interactions involving sperm and female reproductive fluid in an evolutionary framework. The intended ....Female fluids in post-copulatory sexual selection. This project aims to test the causes, consequences and mechanisms of female reproductive fluids in modulating fertilisation bias in a model vertebrate species, the zebrafish. Female reproductive fluids (the fluid surrounding eggs) may moderate sperm selection by females, thus facilitating mate choice at the gamete level. This project will study interactions involving sperm and female reproductive fluid in an evolutionary framework. The intended outcome is increased knowledge of these processes, and better understanding of how non-gamete factors affect fertility, which could benefit fields as diverse as human fertility and aquaculture.Read moreRead less
Experimental evolution of trait interactions under changed environments. This project aims to use altered light in laboratory and wild guppy populations to test directly the following questions: which traits evolve quickly or slowly and how does this depend upon their functional interactions, and how often do different solutions to the same environmental challenges evolve? The evolutionary effects of environmental change on gene regulation and functional interactions among traits are virtually u ....Experimental evolution of trait interactions under changed environments. This project aims to use altered light in laboratory and wild guppy populations to test directly the following questions: which traits evolve quickly or slowly and how does this depend upon their functional interactions, and how often do different solutions to the same environmental challenges evolve? The evolutionary effects of environmental change on gene regulation and functional interactions among traits are virtually unknown. Using evolution experiments, this project aims to explore traits with known functional links: opsin gene regulation patterns (for colour vision), colouration, and colour-based choice. It is expected that vegetation changes cause immediate environment changes, directly affecting animals’ abilities to choose mates, forage, and avoid predation.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE150101720
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$386,923.00
Summary
Pollination by sexual deception and the evolution of specialisation. Specialised pollination systems are of global scientific importance because they offer unique insights into speciation and are exceptionally vulnerable to anthropogenic change. Fundamental gaps remain in our knowledge of the adaptations required for specialisation, the ecological processes favouring its evolution, and whether specialisation facilitates or constrains floral evolution. This project aims to address these questions ....Pollination by sexual deception and the evolution of specialisation. Specialised pollination systems are of global scientific importance because they offer unique insights into speciation and are exceptionally vulnerable to anthropogenic change. Fundamental gaps remain in our knowledge of the adaptations required for specialisation, the ecological processes favouring its evolution, and whether specialisation facilitates or constrains floral evolution. This project aims to address these questions in a unique and diverse group of Australian orchids that are pollinated by sexual mimicry. This work will apply experimental, ecological and phylogenetic approaches to understand the visual and chemical adaptations to sexual mimicry and their consequences for species diversification, floral evolution and conservation.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE150101625
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$385,536.00
Summary
The evolutionary significance of ejaculate-female interactions. The way that ejaculates interact with the female reproductive tract is thought to have profound evolutionary implications in internal fertilizers. Yet we currently lack clear insights into these processes in most taxa, precisely because such ejaculate-female interactions are hidden from view inside the female's reproductive tract. In this project an integrated series of experiments on a model vertebrate (the guppy) will overcome the ....The evolutionary significance of ejaculate-female interactions. The way that ejaculates interact with the female reproductive tract is thought to have profound evolutionary implications in internal fertilizers. Yet we currently lack clear insights into these processes in most taxa, precisely because such ejaculate-female interactions are hidden from view inside the female's reproductive tract. In this project an integrated series of experiments on a model vertebrate (the guppy) will overcome the inherent challenges in studying ejaculate-female interactions. The project aims to shed new light on the role that ejaculate-female interactions play in sperm competition, and will explore the consequences of these interactions at different evolutionary levels and across varying social environments.Read moreRead less
Pheromone attenuation: signal perception in changing atmospheric landscapes. Insects use chemical signals, or pheromones, to communicate with conspecifics. To convey information, the pheromone molecules must pass through the atmosphere and physically interact with receptors, typically located on the antennae of the receiver. Pheromones, like other organic compounds, are degraded by ozone, UV light, and radicals. While we know that pheromone plumes attenuate through the dispersal of molecules, th ....Pheromone attenuation: signal perception in changing atmospheric landscapes. Insects use chemical signals, or pheromones, to communicate with conspecifics. To convey information, the pheromone molecules must pass through the atmosphere and physically interact with receptors, typically located on the antennae of the receiver. Pheromones, like other organic compounds, are degraded by ozone, UV light, and radicals. While we know that pheromone plumes attenuate through the dispersal of molecules, the additional impact of pheromone degradation has been ignored. Our project aims to highlight the significance of odour survival for insect chemical communication by examining how atmospheric conditions, including air pollution, affects signal integrity, antennal morphology and signal perception.Read moreRead less
The physiological ecology of forest succession: explaining shade tolerance variation in evergreen and deciduous trees. This work will strengthen both the theoretical framework and the local knowledge base for sustainable timber production from natural forests, and for habitat restoration programs (National Research Priority 1.5: Sustainable Use of Australia's Biodiversity). These same advances of global and local relevance will also enable better quality input into models predicting vegetation d ....The physiological ecology of forest succession: explaining shade tolerance variation in evergreen and deciduous trees. This work will strengthen both the theoretical framework and the local knowledge base for sustainable timber production from natural forests, and for habitat restoration programs (National Research Priority 1.5: Sustainable Use of Australia's Biodiversity). These same advances of global and local relevance will also enable better quality input into models predicting vegetation dynamics under climate change scenarios (Research Priority 1.7: Responding to climate change & variability). Furthermore, by clarifying relationships of shade tolerance with other stress-tolerance strategies, this work will help us understand the evolutionary potential of local floras to respond to global change.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
Testing evolutionary predictions about multiple unrelated traits under changed environmental conditions using visual ecology. An understanding of evolution is vital in managing the effects of environmental change. Senses determine success in survival/reproduction and environmental change affects what is sensed. This project will make and test explicit predictions about evolution under changed conditions using visual physiology, environmental parameters and evolution experiments.