Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE140100958
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$394,112.00
Summary
Understanding how shared between-sex genetic variance constrains the evolution of sexual dimorphism. Differences between males and females in the expression of shared traits have been of lasting interest to biologists. One fundamental question, which is as yet poorly understood, regards the extent to which a common genome restricts the independent evolution of the sexes. This project proposes a novel way of examining the degree to which the shared genetic architecture restricts the evolution of ....Understanding how shared between-sex genetic variance constrains the evolution of sexual dimorphism. Differences between males and females in the expression of shared traits have been of lasting interest to biologists. One fundamental question, which is as yet poorly understood, regards the extent to which a common genome restricts the independent evolution of the sexes. This project proposes a novel way of examining the degree to which the shared genetic architecture restricts the evolution of the sexes and the costs this imposes on population fitness. The results from the proposed experiments will give a clearer picture of how current measures reflect the true genetic constraint imposed on the sexes from a shared genetic architecture.Read moreRead less
Australian Laureate Fellowships - Grant ID: FL190100134
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$3,010,635.00
Summary
Sexual conflict and evolutionary dynamics of insecticide resistance genes. This project aims to develop new approaches to mitigate resistance evolution by applying sexual selection theory to predict evolution of insecticide resistance in flies. A key assumption of current agriculture management strategies is that resistance carries fecundity or survival costs, but this is rarely demonstrated, especially in nature. Not all resistance mutations are novel; many represent pre-existing variants maint ....Sexual conflict and evolutionary dynamics of insecticide resistance genes. This project aims to develop new approaches to mitigate resistance evolution by applying sexual selection theory to predict evolution of insecticide resistance in flies. A key assumption of current agriculture management strategies is that resistance carries fecundity or survival costs, but this is rarely demonstrated, especially in nature. Not all resistance mutations are novel; many represent pre-existing variants maintained by balancing selection i.e. opposing effects in males and females, or by environmental fluctuations. This research will provide new insight into how resistance evolves and is maintained in natural populations and may result in potential reduction in pesticide use with associated economic and biodiversity benefits. Read moreRead less
The Cape honey bee and the origins of virgin birth. Using honeybees, the aim is to show how a mutation in a single gene creates a new species. This gene causes a shift from sexual to asexual reproduction, allowing workers to clone themselves (virgin birth), thus turning a formerly cooperative species into a social cancer. Observing a real-time speciation event driven by a single gene is an incredibly rare opportunity and enables this project to determine the socio-genetic mechanisms that reduce ....The Cape honey bee and the origins of virgin birth. Using honeybees, the aim is to show how a mutation in a single gene creates a new species. This gene causes a shift from sexual to asexual reproduction, allowing workers to clone themselves (virgin birth), thus turning a formerly cooperative species into a social cancer. Observing a real-time speciation event driven by a single gene is an incredibly rare opportunity and enables this project to determine the socio-genetic mechanisms that reduce gene flow between neighbouring populations and to explain how expression of the gene is regulated. Further, because clonal reproduction often leads to invasiveness in social insects - a dangerous outcome - understanding the origins of virgin birth is also critical to understanding invasiveness.Read moreRead less
Asexual reproduction in honey bee invaders. This project aims to determine whether thelytokous parthenogenesis (the ability of queens and workers to clone themselves) is a critical factor in the successful establishment of invasive social insects in Australia and elsewhere. When an exotic social insect species arrives in Australia the population will usually expire due to a lack of conspecifics for mating, and severe inbreeding. Nonetheless, a few ant, bee and wasp species have managed to estab ....Asexual reproduction in honey bee invaders. This project aims to determine whether thelytokous parthenogenesis (the ability of queens and workers to clone themselves) is a critical factor in the successful establishment of invasive social insects in Australia and elsewhere. When an exotic social insect species arrives in Australia the population will usually expire due to a lack of conspecifics for mating, and severe inbreeding. Nonetheless, a few ant, bee and wasp species have managed to establish here and are among our worst invasive animals. The project plans to show how the Asian hive bee became established in Queensland and to assess the risks it poses to industry and the environment. This research should help the nation to respond more effectively to the next social insect invader.Read moreRead less