Origins of invertebrate fauna in Australia since the Cretaceous: a molecular approach using bees as a model taxon. Australia's unique biota is vital for ecological, recreational, and economic reasons, and is a major resource that we need to understand and manage. This project is aimed at understanding the genesis of this biota, and will help us anticipate what lies ahead, in terms of the impact of exotic species and climate change. Benefits also include developing world class scientific profiles ....Origins of invertebrate fauna in Australia since the Cretaceous: a molecular approach using bees as a model taxon. Australia's unique biota is vital for ecological, recreational, and economic reasons, and is a major resource that we need to understand and manage. This project is aimed at understanding the genesis of this biota, and will help us anticipate what lies ahead, in terms of the impact of exotic species and climate change. Benefits also include developing world class scientific profiles with consequent flow-on effects, including international collaboration, and enhanced teaching and awareness of native biota. The project will maintain our already strong track record for training a large number of postgraduate and honours students in benchmark evolutionary research techniques. Read moreRead less
Regressive evolution of eyes in subterranean water beetles of arid-zone Australia: A comparative phylogenetic approach. Reduction or total loss of non-functional characters are common evolutionary phenomena, but little is known of the genetic basis of this regressive evolution. This project will use a phylogenetic framework to investigate the forces responsible for evolution of eyelessness in subterranean water beetles, by studying molecular genetic variation in three key eye developmental genes ....Regressive evolution of eyes in subterranean water beetles of arid-zone Australia: A comparative phylogenetic approach. Reduction or total loss of non-functional characters are common evolutionary phenomena, but little is known of the genetic basis of this regressive evolution. This project will use a phylogenetic framework to investigate the forces responsible for evolution of eyelessness in subterranean water beetles, by studying molecular genetic variation in three key eye developmental genes. The water beetles are explicitly suitable to address the questions due to their numerous independently evolved eyeless species and relatively old age of divergence from surface relatives. The research will provide a major new perspective on regressive evolution and the relationship between gene structure and function.Read moreRead less
Discovery Indigenous Researchers Development - Grant ID: DI0775793
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$85,800.00
Summary
The extent of competition between the native and introduced herbivores of Kangaroo Island. This project examines grazing behaviour and competition among native and introduced herbivores to optimise limited resources in an ecologically fragile environment. The project will provide a biological basis for the development of management strategies to provide positive outcomes for the Kangaroo Island environment and potential economic benefit to the local and national economy. Environmental benefit in ....The extent of competition between the native and introduced herbivores of Kangaroo Island. This project examines grazing behaviour and competition among native and introduced herbivores to optimise limited resources in an ecologically fragile environment. The project will provide a biological basis for the development of management strategies to provide positive outcomes for the Kangaroo Island environment and potential economic benefit to the local and national economy. Environmental benefit includes the reduction of total grazing pressure on pastures and native vegetation of Kangaroo Island, which is one of Australia’s top 15 biodiversity ‘hot spots’, and thus help with conservation efforts on Kangaroo Island. Economic benefit will follow if farmers receive income from a currently wasted resource.Read moreRead less
Sea Snake Diversification: Why Are Certain Taxa And Regions Species-Rich? By generating new knowledge of ecologically and medically important Australasian organisms, this project will benefit biodiversity management, snakebite therapy and pharmaceutical research. Sea snakes reach peak diversity in the Indo-Australian hotspot and are threatened by habitat degradation, fisheries bycatch and rising sea temperatures. Sea snake conservation and marine reserve management strategies will directly ben ....Sea Snake Diversification: Why Are Certain Taxa And Regions Species-Rich? By generating new knowledge of ecologically and medically important Australasian organisms, this project will benefit biodiversity management, snakebite therapy and pharmaceutical research. Sea snakes reach peak diversity in the Indo-Australian hotspot and are threatened by habitat degradation, fisheries bycatch and rising sea temperatures. Sea snake conservation and marine reserve management strategies will directly benefit from a better understanding of local endemism, species boundaries and possible cryptic species. Sea snakes are highly venomous and pose a significant health risk in fishing communities; venom variation has a strong phylogenetic component and is of vital importance in antivenom preparation and bioprospecting. Read moreRead less
Major Evolutionary Events in Reptiles (Including Birds). Evolutionary patterns among the major groups of reptiles (including birds) will be resolved using new information from multiple (>6) nuclear genes combined with existing phenotypic and (mainly mitochondrial) genetic traits. This will simultaneously resolve several high-profile questions, such as: the origin and affinities of turtles, snakes and flightless birds; and the prevalence of phenotypic convergence generated by paedomorphosis and ....Major Evolutionary Events in Reptiles (Including Birds). Evolutionary patterns among the major groups of reptiles (including birds) will be resolved using new information from multiple (>6) nuclear genes combined with existing phenotypic and (mainly mitochondrial) genetic traits. This will simultaneously resolve several high-profile questions, such as: the origin and affinities of turtles, snakes and flightless birds; and the prevalence of phenotypic convergence generated by paedomorphosis and fossoriality. The multiple genetic and phenotypic data sets will also reveal any broad links between genetic and phenotypic evolution (e.g. rate correlations), and the differing abilities of nuclear genes, mitochondrial genes, and phenotypic traits to track (and thus reflect) deep evolutionary branchings.Read moreRead less
Comparative phylogeography of mound springs-invertebrates: identifying genetically divergent populations for conservation and management. The mound springs of the Great Artesian Basin represent one of Australia's most unique and significant environments and are of national biodiversity, cultural and economic significance. The conservation of these unique environments is a national issue following their listing as a threatened ecological community. As economic productivity in the GAB intensifies, ....Comparative phylogeography of mound springs-invertebrates: identifying genetically divergent populations for conservation and management. The mound springs of the Great Artesian Basin represent one of Australia's most unique and significant environments and are of national biodiversity, cultural and economic significance. The conservation of these unique environments is a national issue following their listing as a threatened ecological community. As economic productivity in the GAB intensifies, the mound springs are under increasing threat from escalating groundwater use. The results of this study of genetic diversity in the spring communities will provide a means for the management groups to incorporate a significant biological information into their decision making and help facilitate the conservation of mound springs communities in the Lake Eyre regionRead moreRead less
Assessment of the diversity, distribution and uniqueness of subterranean animals from calcrete aquifers in central western Australia. Recently a rich and diverse subterranean invertebrate fauna (stygofauna) was unexpectedly discovered from numerous isolated calcrete aquifers associated with palaeodrainage channels in central Western Australia. Our recent taxonomic and molecular studies have suggested that stygofaunas within each aquifer may be highly endemic. We aim to test this hypothesis by in ....Assessment of the diversity, distribution and uniqueness of subterranean animals from calcrete aquifers in central western Australia. Recently a rich and diverse subterranean invertebrate fauna (stygofauna) was unexpectedly discovered from numerous isolated calcrete aquifers associated with palaeodrainage channels in central Western Australia. Our recent taxonomic and molecular studies have suggested that stygofaunas within each aquifer may be highly endemic. We aim to test this hypothesis by investigating the diversity, distribution and uniqueness of stygofauna from three major calcrete regions. We further aim to document the environmental conditions and variability within the aquifers and to develop rigorous sampling protocols. Such data are essential for the development of appropriate strategies for sustainable management of subterranean water and their ecosystems.Read moreRead less