Identification of genes controlling wood fibre properties in Eucalyptus nitens. Australian forestry is shifting to high intensity eucalypt plantations and increasingly focussing on development of breeds and clones with superior wood and pulp traits. Many of these traits are under moderate to strong genetic control and DNA markers have helped identify regions on eucalypt chromosomes that influence these traits. This project aims to identify the genes at these chromosomal locations that influence ....Identification of genes controlling wood fibre properties in Eucalyptus nitens. Australian forestry is shifting to high intensity eucalypt plantations and increasingly focussing on development of breeds and clones with superior wood and pulp traits. Many of these traits are under moderate to strong genetic control and DNA markers have helped identify regions on eucalypt chromosomes that influence these traits. This project aims to identify the genes at these chromosomal locations that influence wood fibre development and which have a strong influence on major commercial traits. The project will increase our understanding of wood and fibre development in eucalypts, and facilitate development of genetic markers to track superior genes during breeding.Read moreRead less
Genetic association studies of fundamental wood fibre components in Pinus radiata resource populations. Radiata pine is Australia's premiere softwood plantation species occupying in excess of one million hectares, contributing over $18 billion to Australia's GNP and providing employment to 130,000 Australians. With a trade deficit in forest and forest products of $1.85 billion, current massive plantation establishment efforts are in train to reverse this trend. These have to be backed by researc ....Genetic association studies of fundamental wood fibre components in Pinus radiata resource populations. Radiata pine is Australia's premiere softwood plantation species occupying in excess of one million hectares, contributing over $18 billion to Australia's GNP and providing employment to 130,000 Australians. With a trade deficit in forest and forest products of $1.85 billion, current massive plantation establishment efforts are in train to reverse this trend. These have to be backed by research into the factors that determine the base resource's quality, growth and sustainability. Results will lead to improved resource quality, increased productivity and new industrial opportunities, directly improving our trade position and releasing pressure on our native forest resources.Read moreRead less
Functional genetic analysis of wood formation genes in Eucalyptus. Eucalypts are the world's most important plantation hardwood species due to their superior wood characteristics and high growth rates that make them excellent carbon sequestration platforms. Australia is the custodian of the world's natural eucalypt resource and our results will assist in their sustainable use with the potential to transform the national forestry industry by helping to streamline tree improvement efforts. This wi ....Functional genetic analysis of wood formation genes in Eucalyptus. Eucalypts are the world's most important plantation hardwood species due to their superior wood characteristics and high growth rates that make them excellent carbon sequestration platforms. Australia is the custodian of the world's natural eucalypt resource and our results will assist in their sustainable use with the potential to transform the national forestry industry by helping to streamline tree improvement efforts. This will be achieved by increasing our understanding of the development and production of wood, which will lead to increased productivity (more and better quality wood from less land). Custom designed wood also holds much promise for the production of novel biopolymers and as a renewable source for improved biofuels.Read moreRead less
Origin of animal sensory and nervous systems: a case study in cell type evolution. The origin of the nerve cell and the nervous system allowed the first animals to interact with their biotic and abiotic environment in rapid and complex ways. These capabilities are the primary agents for success in the animal kingdom, underpinning the ability to capture food, avoid predation, and find a mate. These same nerve cells have bestowed on the human brain cognitive abilities that have driven our biologic ....Origin of animal sensory and nervous systems: a case study in cell type evolution. The origin of the nerve cell and the nervous system allowed the first animals to interact with their biotic and abiotic environment in rapid and complex ways. These capabilities are the primary agents for success in the animal kingdom, underpinning the ability to capture food, avoid predation, and find a mate. These same nerve cells have bestowed on the human brain cognitive abilities that have driven our biological and cultural evolution. Despite the phenomenal importance of the nerve cell, we know almost nothing about its origin and early evolution. This basic research project seeks to make a major contribution towards addressing this gap in knowledge.Read moreRead less
Insect host/vector genetic responses to rhabdovirus infection. Rhabdoviruses cause important diseases in humans, animals and plants. These viruses are transmitted by insect vectors in which they persist and propagate, an intimate and specific association. Insect-rhabdovirus interactions will be studied at the molecular level using a planthopper-maize rhabdovirus model. Insect genes specifically induced by rhabdovirus infection as well as the viral genes themselves will be identified and characte ....Insect host/vector genetic responses to rhabdovirus infection. Rhabdoviruses cause important diseases in humans, animals and plants. These viruses are transmitted by insect vectors in which they persist and propagate, an intimate and specific association. Insect-rhabdovirus interactions will be studied at the molecular level using a planthopper-maize rhabdovirus model. Insect genes specifically induced by rhabdovirus infection as well as the viral genes themselves will be identified and characterized using genomics and bioinformatics tools. We will extend the same approaches to a comparative analysis of these planthopper genes with other insect-rhabdovirus systems under investigation in our institutes. Identification of viral genes expressed in insects, the insect genes that respond to virus infection, and interpretation of the roles of these genes in insects, may indicate new opportunities to control serious plant and animal diseases through control of virus transmission.Read moreRead less
Understanding the molecular basis of marine invertebrate larval settlement and metamorphosis using complementary molecular, developmental, chemical and ecological approaches. The colonisation and fouling of submerged structures is a major economic problem for maritime industries. This proposal will detail the molecular mechanisms underlying the first crucial steps of marine invertebrate colonisation - settlement and metamorphosis - and determine how natural anti-foulant chemicals impact on these ....Understanding the molecular basis of marine invertebrate larval settlement and metamorphosis using complementary molecular, developmental, chemical and ecological approaches. The colonisation and fouling of submerged structures is a major economic problem for maritime industries. This proposal will detail the molecular mechanisms underlying the first crucial steps of marine invertebrate colonisation - settlement and metamorphosis - and determine how natural anti-foulant chemicals impact on these developmental processes. By using complementary developmental, molecular, chemical and ecological approaches, we will obtain knowledge of key control points in settlement and metamorphosis, and thus identify potential pest management strategies. This proposal comprehensively delineates the role of novel anti-foulants, linking their effect on invertebrate development with their role in shaping marine communities on natural and built surfaces.Read moreRead less
Understanding social cancers: Intra-specific parasitism by honeybee workers. Our project will study the conditions under which normally altruistic honeybee workers parasitise other colonies. Thus we will explore a fundamental question: how is the expression of selfish behaviour normally controlled? Outcomes of this project will be important to our understanding of insect societies but will also have application for those studying the development of tumours in multicellular organisms, the develop ....Understanding social cancers: Intra-specific parasitism by honeybee workers. Our project will study the conditions under which normally altruistic honeybee workers parasitise other colonies. Thus we will explore a fundamental question: how is the expression of selfish behaviour normally controlled? Outcomes of this project will be important to our understanding of insect societies but will also have application for those studying the development of tumours in multicellular organisms, the development of metazoan bodies, and social cohesion in human and non-human societies. Our project will also help protect Australia's honey industry from the devastating social parasites that have ruined the industry in South Africa.Read moreRead less
Alternative reproductive tactics and threshold evolution. This research is focussed at the highest level in the field of evolutionary biology; testing recent theory for the evolution of alternative reproductive tactics and using these species to test hypotheses about adaptation. The proposal involves collaborations with high-profile researchers from three European countries and will increase Australia's standing as a world-leader in evolutionary biology. Australian students will benefit from exp ....Alternative reproductive tactics and threshold evolution. This research is focussed at the highest level in the field of evolutionary biology; testing recent theory for the evolution of alternative reproductive tactics and using these species to test hypotheses about adaptation. The proposal involves collaborations with high-profile researchers from three European countries and will increase Australia's standing as a world-leader in evolutionary biology. Australian students will benefit from exposure to high quality international collaborators. We will also increase our understanding of the biology of the European earwig, a pest species in Australia. Reproductive tactics are exciting topics for media attention and this research will reach a wide and interested Australian and world audience.Read moreRead less
Quantifying condition-dependence in sexual selection. This research centres on testing evolutionary models of sexual selection. The project has relevance for understanding the role of mutations in reducing the fitness of populations and hence has implications for the conservation of endangered species and for human health. The research also investigates how investment in one trait, such as horns, will take resources away from another, like muscle. This has implications for animal production. The ....Quantifying condition-dependence in sexual selection. This research centres on testing evolutionary models of sexual selection. The project has relevance for understanding the role of mutations in reducing the fitness of populations and hence has implications for the conservation of endangered species and for human health. The research also investigates how investment in one trait, such as horns, will take resources away from another, like muscle. This has implications for animal production. The project utilises pest species as research models and will hence provide further understanding of pest life-history, knowledge critical to the success of control programmes. Australian science will further benefit through the research fellow's established collaborations with international scientists.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