Behavioural syndromes and social networks in sleepy lizards. Fauna in Australian ecosystems are threatened by habitat fragmentation, changing environments and the spread of exotic pathogens. To manage these threats we need to understand the behavioural flexibility of wildlife populations. This project focuses on how individual behavioural differences can influence social networks and consequently pathogen transmission. It will help to protect our fauna from invasive diseases and contribute to su ....Behavioural syndromes and social networks in sleepy lizards. Fauna in Australian ecosystems are threatened by habitat fragmentation, changing environments and the spread of exotic pathogens. To manage these threats we need to understand the behavioural flexibility of wildlife populations. This project focuses on how individual behavioural differences can influence social networks and consequently pathogen transmission. It will help to protect our fauna from invasive diseases and contribute to sustaining biodiversity. With better knowledge of how diseases spread we can develop more effective controls of those diseases, thereby protecting wildlife species, animal populations and Australian ecosystems. Read moreRead less
Lizard social networks and the spread of parasites. Australian ecosystems are continually threatened by new epidemics of diseases and parasites, some local, others from overseas. Examples include the facial tumours of Tasmanian devils and the fungus that threatens many native frog species. To manage these epidemics effectively, we must understand how they spread through animal populations. This project will help to protect our fauna from invasive diseases. It contributes to sustaining the biodiv ....Lizard social networks and the spread of parasites. Australian ecosystems are continually threatened by new epidemics of diseases and parasites, some local, others from overseas. Examples include the facial tumours of Tasmanian devils and the fungus that threatens many native frog species. To manage these epidemics effectively, we must understand how they spread through animal populations. This project will help to protect our fauna from invasive diseases. It contributes to sustaining the biodiversity of the country. With better knowledge of how diseases of wildlife spread, we can develop more effective control of those diseases thereby protecting wildlife species, animal populations and, ultimately, Australian ecosystems.Read moreRead less
Phylogeography, evolution and taxonomy of humanity's greatest pest, Rattus rattus: Epidemiological, archaeological and conservation implications. This project will characterise a major threat to Australian biosecurity and health, and identify the range of likely disease risks associated with introductions of different 'strains' of black rat. It will provide critical data for management efforts around the world, especially for strategic partners in neighbouring Southeast Asian nations, as well as ....Phylogeography, evolution and taxonomy of humanity's greatest pest, Rattus rattus: Epidemiological, archaeological and conservation implications. This project will characterise a major threat to Australian biosecurity and health, and identify the range of likely disease risks associated with introductions of different 'strains' of black rat. It will provide critical data for management efforts around the world, especially for strategic partners in neighbouring Southeast Asian nations, as well as for conservation efforts within Australia. The data will also provide novel means to track the timing and routes of human prehistoric movements throughout the area. It will establish strategic research collaborations between researchers in zoological, medical, epidemiological, genetics, and conservation fields in a unique multi-disciplinary study.Read moreRead less
New methods for integrating population structure and stochasticity into models of disease dynamics. Epidemics, such as the 2007 equine 'flu outbreak and 2009 swine 'flu pandemic, highlight the need to make informed decisive responses. This project will develop new methods that incorporate two important aspects of disease dynamics---host structure and chance---into mathematical models, and determine their impact in terms of controlling infections.
Estimating genotype-environment interaction using genomic information. This project aims to develop statistical methods that can explore genotype–environment interaction at the genomic level using genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphisms or sequence data. It plans to estimate how the effects of genetic variants change with changing environmental conditions and how overall genetic variance changes due to changing effects in specific gene regions. It plans to deliver statistical models and meth ....Estimating genotype-environment interaction using genomic information. This project aims to develop statistical methods that can explore genotype–environment interaction at the genomic level using genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphisms or sequence data. It plans to estimate how the effects of genetic variants change with changing environmental conditions and how overall genetic variance changes due to changing effects in specific gene regions. It plans to deliver statistical models and methods and an efficient algorithm implemented in software, which would broadly benefit the field of complex trait genetics. Methods to estimate genotype–environment interaction effects at the genomic level would help elucidate complex biological systems, including human genetic response to changing environmental factors and the potential adaptation of animals to changing environmental conditions.Read moreRead less
Reconstructing wheat evolution using ancient DNA. The domestication of wild grasses by farmers was a step change in human history; it led to the emergence of modern cereals and with them, western civilisation. This project will apply modern DNA sequencing methods to 5000-year-old cereal seeds to reconstruct the history of wheat, barley and other crops, and identify lost ancient forms and diversity.