Wood quality improvement for spotted gum. Eucalypts are one of the world's top sources of hardwood saw and pulp logs. This project will provide a model for accelerated tree improvement for wood quality. The aim is to link genes for wood formation with wood quality phenotypes in spotted gum, a priority hardwood eucalypt for Northern Australia. The significance of the approach is time and costs saved in the deployment of plantations of higher wood quality through the circumvention of delays to gen ....Wood quality improvement for spotted gum. Eucalypts are one of the world's top sources of hardwood saw and pulp logs. This project will provide a model for accelerated tree improvement for wood quality. The aim is to link genes for wood formation with wood quality phenotypes in spotted gum, a priority hardwood eucalypt for Northern Australia. The significance of the approach is time and costs saved in the deployment of plantations of higher wood quality through the circumvention of delays to generate populations required for alternative approaches and early selection available with molecular breeding.Read moreRead less
Population growth, genetic variation and adaptation in two Caulerpa species in southeastern Australia. This project will examine factors that influence the population growth, reproduction, genetic variation and adaptation in two seaweeds; the invasive Caulerpa taxifolia and the possibly invasive C. filiformis. A combination of surveys, modelling, molecular genetics and field experiments will be undertaken to achieve this. The current ambiguity surrounding the status of C. filiformis as an inva ....Population growth, genetic variation and adaptation in two Caulerpa species in southeastern Australia. This project will examine factors that influence the population growth, reproduction, genetic variation and adaptation in two seaweeds; the invasive Caulerpa taxifolia and the possibly invasive C. filiformis. A combination of surveys, modelling, molecular genetics and field experiments will be undertaken to achieve this. The current ambiguity surrounding the status of C. filiformis as an invasive species in Australia will be addressed by comparing DNA sequences of Australian and African plants. This project will provide critical data for managing invasive species, but more broadly, increase the current understanding of their biology and the factors important in their population growth and adaptation.Read moreRead less
Northern connections-movement of birds between Australia and its near northern neighbours. This project will better enable Australia to meet its international treaty obligations on migratory birds and provide much needed data on patterns of migratory connectivity in northern Australia. These data are critical for the conservation and management of bird species that spend part of their life-cycle outside Australia. The outputs of the project will be used to assist decision makers with policy and ....Northern connections-movement of birds between Australia and its near northern neighbours. This project will better enable Australia to meet its international treaty obligations on migratory birds and provide much needed data on patterns of migratory connectivity in northern Australia. These data are critical for the conservation and management of bird species that spend part of their life-cycle outside Australia. The outputs of the project will be used to assist decision makers with policy and management decisions relevant to (1) targeted surveillance for exotic and emergent diseases of relevance to Australia and (2) the conservation and management of bird populations in Northern Australia.Read moreRead less
Australian plague locust population genetics and migratory behaviour. The project will allow improved monitoring and forecasting of locusts in Australia and thereby help prevent locust outbreaks. Benefits will arise directly through greater effectiveness in reducing locust damage to crops, and indirectly to Australian rural industry generally through the economic benefits of reduced losses and locust control costs. Environmental and social benefits will also arise from reduced, better targeted u ....Australian plague locust population genetics and migratory behaviour. The project will allow improved monitoring and forecasting of locusts in Australia and thereby help prevent locust outbreaks. Benefits will arise directly through greater effectiveness in reducing locust damage to crops, and indirectly to Australian rural industry generally through the economic benefits of reduced losses and locust control costs. Environmental and social benefits will also arise from reduced, better targeted use of chemical insecticides. This in turn can produce secondary economic benefits, e.g. through enhanced growth and profitability of the organic beef industry within the main locust-outbreak area. Read moreRead less
Testing indicators of genetic exchange and adaptation of populations, essential for biodiversity assessment and management. There will be diverse benefits from our testing and improvement of genetic indicators for exchange between populations and adaptive differentiation of populations. Managers and population biologists will have confidence in choice and use of these vital tools in sustainable use of our terrestrial and aquatic bioresources, as recommended by the federal State of Environment s ....Testing indicators of genetic exchange and adaptation of populations, essential for biodiversity assessment and management. There will be diverse benefits from our testing and improvement of genetic indicators for exchange between populations and adaptive differentiation of populations. Managers and population biologists will have confidence in choice and use of these vital tools in sustainable use of our terrestrial and aquatic bioresources, as recommended by the federal State of Environment system. Also, the use of these tools to identify differential genetic adaptations is the first step in bioprospecting, as well as revealing the raw material for natural and artificial populations to adapt to changes: soil loss, salinity, acidity, climate change. Forensic genetics will benefit from the improved tools for defining subpopulations.Read moreRead less
The future of fruit fly control: making the Sterile Insect Technique work for Queensland fruit fly. The future of fruit fly control in Australia lies in the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT): it is the only non-pesticide option that can totally eliminate pest populations. Millions of dollars have already been invested to establish an SIT program against Queensland fruit fly (Q-fly) in southern and eastern Australia, but this program is currently largely ineffective due to the poor performance of t ....The future of fruit fly control: making the Sterile Insect Technique work for Queensland fruit fly. The future of fruit fly control in Australia lies in the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT): it is the only non-pesticide option that can totally eliminate pest populations. Millions of dollars have already been invested to establish an SIT program against Queensland fruit fly (Q-fly) in southern and eastern Australia, but this program is currently largely ineffective due to the poor performance of the mass-reared sterile flies. This project will apply genetic, ecological and technical solutions to the problems facing the current Q-fly control program. Effective control of Q-fly will enhance the international competitiveness of Australia's horticultural industries.Read moreRead less
How to stop a range expansion: A molecular ecological examination of the European starling. This project is a test-case for a new integrated proactive management of invading pest species. The partner industries are responsible for controlling European starling invasions that threaten agriculture and Australia's only internationally-recognised terrestrial biodiversity hotspot. This project combines traditional ecology, novel molecular approaches, and new statistics to establish source populatio ....How to stop a range expansion: A molecular ecological examination of the European starling. This project is a test-case for a new integrated proactive management of invading pest species. The partner industries are responsible for controlling European starling invasions that threaten agriculture and Australia's only internationally-recognised terrestrial biodiversity hotspot. This project combines traditional ecology, novel molecular approaches, and new statistics to establish source population(s), and disperser characteristics. This will enable a focused control effort, and training of a graduate student and partner industries in this approach. This project is of great significance to rural Australia, and falls within several research priority areas: protection from pests (RP4, PG2) and an environmentally sustainable Australia (RP1, PG2,3).Read moreRead less
Fruit fly pests in northwestern Australia: invasion, hybridisation or evolution? In northwestern Australia, recent events suggest that a new and serious fruit fly pest is now present, wher previously none existed. Due to difficulties in accurate identification, we do not know whether these new pest fruit flies are endemic fruit flies that have changed their behaviour, invasions of Queensland fruit fly, or hybrids between them. This project will use DNA microsatellites to distinguish between th ....Fruit fly pests in northwestern Australia: invasion, hybridisation or evolution? In northwestern Australia, recent events suggest that a new and serious fruit fly pest is now present, wher previously none existed. Due to difficulties in accurate identification, we do not know whether these new pest fruit flies are endemic fruit flies that have changed their behaviour, invasions of Queensland fruit fly, or hybrids between them. This project will use DNA microsatellites to distinguish between these possibilities. It will also establish whether the different species involved are actually different species, or should be regarded merely as different races. Such distinctions are important both scientifically and for export quarantine purposes.Read moreRead less
How are weeds adapting to life in Australia? Quantifying the rate and direction of evolution in introduced species. Introduced plants are a major problem throughout Australia. Introduced species are listed as one of the most severe threats to biodiversity in Australia, and managing them costs Australia around $4 billion per annum. The information we gather in this project will tell us what sort of changes introduced plants undergo when they arrive in Australia; how quickly plants can adapt to a ....How are weeds adapting to life in Australia? Quantifying the rate and direction of evolution in introduced species. Introduced plants are a major problem throughout Australia. Introduced species are listed as one of the most severe threats to biodiversity in Australia, and managing them costs Australia around $4 billion per annum. The information we gather in this project will tell us what sort of changes introduced plants undergo when they arrive in Australia; how quickly plants can adapt to a new environment, and what sort of species are best able to adapt to new conditions. We will also ask whether introduced species are still adapting to Australian conditions. If so, then we might expect even more naturalised species to become problem weeds in the future. This sort of knowledge is fundamental to our ability to develop appropriate control programs.Read moreRead less
Intersexual arms races - are individuals within marine meta-populations less able to interbreed than assumed? A meta-population structure is thought to describe the inter-connected nature of many populations of marine animals with dispersive larvae. However, new theory predicts some of these populations might be not very inter-connected at all, despite larval migration. In some circumstances, independent, co-evolutionary arms races between sexes might develop within local populations, resulting ....Intersexual arms races - are individuals within marine meta-populations less able to interbreed than assumed? A meta-population structure is thought to describe the inter-connected nature of many populations of marine animals with dispersive larvae. However, new theory predicts some of these populations might be not very inter-connected at all, despite larval migration. In some circumstances, independent, co-evolutionary arms races between sexes might develop within local populations, resulting in individuals becoming increasingly less able to interbreed freely. I will directly test for this, measuring how successfully broadcast spawners can cross-fertilise across populations. This will reveal the genetic structure of these populations and if these animals really do live in a meta-population.Read moreRead less