Signal manipulation in orb-web spiders. A number of diverse orb-web spiders adorn their webs with conspicuous silk bands called decorations or stabilimenta. Their function remains controversial, but they may act as a visual signal to either attract prey, deter predators or prevent web damage by large non-prey animals. We will test these hypotheses on several Australian orb-web species using field and laboratory experiments. Furthermore, we will investigate the effect of web decorations on specie ....Signal manipulation in orb-web spiders. A number of diverse orb-web spiders adorn their webs with conspicuous silk bands called decorations or stabilimenta. Their function remains controversial, but they may act as a visual signal to either attract prey, deter predators or prevent web damage by large non-prey animals. We will test these hypotheses on several Australian orb-web species using field and laboratory experiments. Furthermore, we will investigate the effect of web decorations on species radiation and hence diversity using molecular techniques to establish phylogenies. This will, at least in part, help resolve this century old debate surrounding web decorations.Read moreRead less
Evolution of maternal provisioning in echinoderms: characterisation of egg nutrients and their roles in development. In the complex life histories of marine invertebrates modification of maternal provisioning lies at the nexus between the evolution of development and speciation in the sea. This project investigates the relationship between egg nutritive profile and developmental mode in echinoderms. It uses the Patiriella sea stars, a powerful model to examine evolution of egg constituents in a ....Evolution of maternal provisioning in echinoderms: characterisation of egg nutrients and their roles in development. In the complex life histories of marine invertebrates modification of maternal provisioning lies at the nexus between the evolution of development and speciation in the sea. This project investigates the relationship between egg nutritive profile and developmental mode in echinoderms. It uses the Patiriella sea stars, a powerful model to examine evolution of egg constituents in ancestral-type developers with small eggs and derived developers exhibiting multiple parallel evolution of large eggs. This project provides insights into evolutionary fine-tuning of oogenesis and its influence on larval type and location of development, features that strongly influence the biogeography of marine invertebrate populations.Read moreRead less
Towards a balanced veiw of parental effects: gaps, biases and opportunities. This project aims to identify and address knowledge gaps in research on parental effects by employing different methodologies (bibliometrics, systematic mapping) and developing novel methods of meta-analysis. This project expects to generate a more holistic and complete view of parental effects on offspring traits than currently appreciated, by elucidating the role of fathers and offspring in addition to mothers. Expect ....Towards a balanced veiw of parental effects: gaps, biases and opportunities. This project aims to identify and address knowledge gaps in research on parental effects by employing different methodologies (bibliometrics, systematic mapping) and developing novel methods of meta-analysis. This project expects to generate a more holistic and complete view of parental effects on offspring traits than currently appreciated, by elucidating the role of fathers and offspring in addition to mothers. Expected outcomes of the project include advancing the field of parental effects and creating new and powerful meta-analytic methods, opening up new avenues for research synthesis. This should provide significant benefits by directing future research in related fields and inspiring new kinds of meta-analyses across disciplines.Read moreRead less
A new class of sodium channel toxin from ant venoms . Ants are diverse and ubiquitous and the ability of certain species to sting is familiar to many of us. Yet we know remarkably little about the chemistry underlying these stings. We recently discovered that the venoms of ants, including common Australian species, harbour a novel and unique class of sodium channel toxins. Building on this discovery, the aim of this project will be to perform an in-depth characterisation of the effects of these ....A new class of sodium channel toxin from ant venoms . Ants are diverse and ubiquitous and the ability of certain species to sting is familiar to many of us. Yet we know remarkably little about the chemistry underlying these stings. We recently discovered that the venoms of ants, including common Australian species, harbour a novel and unique class of sodium channel toxins. Building on this discovery, the aim of this project will be to perform an in-depth characterisation of the effects of these toxins on sodium channels and to uncover the diversity and breadth of this toxin class in ant venoms. The outcome of this project will be novel insights into the chemistry of ant venoms and new insights into sodium channel function.Read moreRead less
Paternal effects: Non-genetic inheritance via seminal fluid? This project seeks to improve understanding of the mechanisms of non-genetic inheritance and its ability to promote adaptation. Although offspring are known to resemble their parents through the action of genes, there is now a growing awareness of non-genetic mechanisms by which parents can affect the growth and health of their offspring. This project aims to quantify the putative role of seminal fluid in so-called non-genetic inherita ....Paternal effects: Non-genetic inheritance via seminal fluid? This project seeks to improve understanding of the mechanisms of non-genetic inheritance and its ability to promote adaptation. Although offspring are known to resemble their parents through the action of genes, there is now a growing awareness of non-genetic mechanisms by which parents can affect the growth and health of their offspring. This project aims to quantify the putative role of seminal fluid in so-called non-genetic inheritance. Using an insect model, the project aims to identify proteins in the seminal fluid that promote early embryo development, explore how males allocate these proteins to their mates, and how females adjust their own reproduction in response to seminal fluid proteins. Improving knowledge of these mechanisms may enable the development of interventions to control the unwanted evolution of harmful organisms.Read moreRead less
Co-divergence or opportunism: the evolution of trematode parasitism in the sea. This proposal is for fundamental research into how a major group of parasites (trematodes) has evolved in interaction with its hosts. The work is mainly the kind of 'basic science' that underpins other science without having intended immediate community benefit. However, the work depends strongly on the important task of developing better knowledge of trematodes in Australian native animals. Some of these parasite ....Co-divergence or opportunism: the evolution of trematode parasitism in the sea. This proposal is for fundamental research into how a major group of parasites (trematodes) has evolved in interaction with its hosts. The work is mainly the kind of 'basic science' that underpins other science without having intended immediate community benefit. However, the work depends strongly on the important task of developing better knowledge of trematodes in Australian native animals. Some of these parasites are pathogens of bivalves (scallops, giant clams and oysters) but almost nothing is known about them here. Another benefit of the study is in the training of several postgraduate students who will be able to contribute to the further study and management of parasites in Australia.Read moreRead less
Evolution of the alternation of generations in the land plant life cycle. This project aims to investigate the genetic and evolutionary basis of land plants’ dimorphic life cycle where a single genome can generate two body plans. Like animals, land plants spend part of their life as a diploid, where meiosis generates haploid spores. Unlike animals, these spores grow into multicellular organisms before generating gametes. The project will study a homeodomain protein encoding a gene family that co ....Evolution of the alternation of generations in the land plant life cycle. This project aims to investigate the genetic and evolutionary basis of land plants’ dimorphic life cycle where a single genome can generate two body plans. Like animals, land plants spend part of their life as a diploid, where meiosis generates haploid spores. Unlike animals, these spores grow into multicellular organisms before generating gametes. The project will study a homeodomain protein encoding a gene family that controls the haploid to diploid transition in unicellular algae and fungi. It will investigate land plant genes in a flowering plant and a liverwort. These findings could help scientists understand and manipulate important processes such as pollen and seed production.Read moreRead less
Distinguishing among patterns of extinction and speciation through geological and climatic change: a molecular modelling approach. This research will enhance our understanding of the ancient origins of Australia's unique floral heritage. By developing new molecular modelling methods, it will strengthen Australia's position at the cutting edge of evolutionary phylogenetics. When Australia separated from Gondwana by continental drift 32 million years ago, the changed ocean circulation patterns tri ....Distinguishing among patterns of extinction and speciation through geological and climatic change: a molecular modelling approach. This research will enhance our understanding of the ancient origins of Australia's unique floral heritage. By developing new molecular modelling methods, it will strengthen Australia's position at the cutting edge of evolutionary phylogenetics. When Australia separated from Gondwana by continental drift 32 million years ago, the changed ocean circulation patterns triggered global climate change. The result was turnover of biota world-wide and dramatic changes within Australia. We will develop new insights into the rate and mode of these changes that will have international significance. Understanding the long-term turnover of flora from previous global climate changes will help to predict the impact of current and future climate change.Read moreRead less
Intergenomic conflict and the evolution of uniparental inheritance of mitochondria. Why do all mammalian male sperm cells destroy their own mitochondria after fertilisation? A major evolutionary theory, the conflict hypothesis, aims to answer this question. The argument goes as follows. If an organism were to contain mitochondria from both parents, each mitochondrial lineage would be selected in an “arms race” to replicate faster than the other lineage, and this would likely be costly to the org ....Intergenomic conflict and the evolution of uniparental inheritance of mitochondria. Why do all mammalian male sperm cells destroy their own mitochondria after fertilisation? A major evolutionary theory, the conflict hypothesis, aims to answer this question. The argument goes as follows. If an organism were to contain mitochondria from both parents, each mitochondrial lineage would be selected in an “arms race” to replicate faster than the other lineage, and this would likely be costly to the organism. Uniparental inheritance of mitochondria prevents such evolutionary arms race. Sounds plausible? Yes. Has it been tested? No. This project will be the first attempt to test this intriguing hypothesis. Experimental evidence for the evolution of selfish mitochondria would provide solid support for this major evolutionary theory. Read moreRead less
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