The Australian Research Data Commons (ARDC) invites you to participate in a short survey about your
interaction with the ARDC and use of our national research infrastructure and services. The survey will take
approximately 5 minutes and is anonymous. It’s open to anyone who uses our digital research infrastructure
services including Reasearch Link Australia.
We will use the information you provide to improve the national research infrastructure and services we
deliver and to report on user satisfaction to the Australian Government’s National Collaborative Research
Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS) program.
Please take a few minutes to provide your input. The survey closes COB Friday 29 May 2026.
Complete the 5 min survey now by clicking on the link below.
Movement patterns and behavioural strategies of Estuarine Crocodiles: A long-term remote monitoring study using an underwater acoustic array. The on-going recovery of the estuarine crocodile population is creating a paradox for Australians. Although a salient species, an iconic animal, and a firm tourist attraction, estuarine crocodiles pose a significant risk to the public. Knowledge of where crocodiles go, what they do when they get there, and why they select particular habitats at certain tim ....Movement patterns and behavioural strategies of Estuarine Crocodiles: A long-term remote monitoring study using an underwater acoustic array. The on-going recovery of the estuarine crocodile population is creating a paradox for Australians. Although a salient species, an iconic animal, and a firm tourist attraction, estuarine crocodiles pose a significant risk to the public. Knowledge of where crocodiles go, what they do when they get there, and why they select particular habitats at certain times is critical for sustaining the Australian crocodile population, whilst ensuring public safety. This long term study will utilise the latest advancement in underwater acoustic technology to monitor the behavioural and physiological strategies used by estuarine crocodiles in occupying critical habitats, providing vital information for resource managers and policy makers. Read moreRead less
Environmental and physiological drivers of immune function in frogs. This project aims to investigate how ultraviolet B radiation and temperature interact during early development to influence amphibian physiology. The environment can shape ecological processes through effects on an individuals' physiology. The project will combine genetic, biochemical and physiological approaches to investigate the effects of ultraviolet B and temperature on a key fitness determinant – immune system function. T ....Environmental and physiological drivers of immune function in frogs. This project aims to investigate how ultraviolet B radiation and temperature interact during early development to influence amphibian physiology. The environment can shape ecological processes through effects on an individuals' physiology. The project will combine genetic, biochemical and physiological approaches to investigate the effects of ultraviolet B and temperature on a key fitness determinant – immune system function. The project expects to provide information on how environmental conditions experienced during development influence the growth and fitness of frogs. This will improve our capacity to forecast potential ecological-level effects of environmental change on amphibians.Read moreRead less
Manipulative tests of metabolic theory. This project aims to take a new interdisciplinary approach to understanding how energy flows through individuals, populations, communities, and ecosystems. The project expects to develop a new framework for understanding the function of biological systems, bringing together the fields of physiology, ecology, and evolutionary biology, generating research publications, and training students in interdisciplinary research. The proposed research is anticipated ....Manipulative tests of metabolic theory. This project aims to take a new interdisciplinary approach to understanding how energy flows through individuals, populations, communities, and ecosystems. The project expects to develop a new framework for understanding the function of biological systems, bringing together the fields of physiology, ecology, and evolutionary biology, generating research publications, and training students in interdisciplinary research. The proposed research is anticipated to provide a means for understanding how management interventions can alter energy flows in biological systems, bringing benefits across the areas of climate change adaptation, conservation science, agriculture and aquaculture, and fisheries management.Read moreRead less
A new model for animal growth. This project aims to test and further develop a new theory for how animals grow. The new growth theory brings together the fields of physiology, ecology, and evolutionary biology, generating research publications, and training students. The proposed research is anticipated to provide a fundamentally new means for understanding how animals divide energy among growth and reproduction, paving the way for organismal allocation to these processes to be optimised by sele ....A new model for animal growth. This project aims to test and further develop a new theory for how animals grow. The new growth theory brings together the fields of physiology, ecology, and evolutionary biology, generating research publications, and training students. The proposed research is anticipated to provide a fundamentally new means for understanding how animals divide energy among growth and reproduction, paving the way for organismal allocation to these processes to be optimised by selective breeding or genetic manipulation, yielding potential benefits for aquaculture (enhanced growth) or re-introduction (enhanced reproduction).Read moreRead less
Epigenetic effects of environmental thyroid disruption. Anthropogenic impacts increasingly disrupt hormone-mediated responses to environmental change. The project aims to determine the interactive effects of climate warming, light-at-night, and plastic pollution on thyroid hormone signalling, and test whether these effects are passed between generations epigenetically. Epigenetic effects of endocrine disruption are one of the most important emerging conservation threats. Mathematical modelling o ....Epigenetic effects of environmental thyroid disruption. Anthropogenic impacts increasingly disrupt hormone-mediated responses to environmental change. The project aims to determine the interactive effects of climate warming, light-at-night, and plastic pollution on thyroid hormone signalling, and test whether these effects are passed between generations epigenetically. Epigenetic effects of endocrine disruption are one of the most important emerging conservation threats. Mathematical modelling of experimental data will help to predict how animals respond to anthropogenic impacts, and to acquire the tools necessary to maintain ecosystem function and services. The project will therefore have environmental benefits, as well as social benefits stemming from international collaborations and training.Read moreRead less
Plastic pollution: new driver altering responses to variable environments. This project aims to determine how bisphenol A (BPA), which now represents a novel environmental driver, alters physiological responses of animals, and how it interacts with other environmental variables to alter ecological and evolutionary trajectories. Plastic pollution is a monumental global environmental and health problem, and Australia has one of the world’s highest exposures to BPA, a plastics leachate. This projec ....Plastic pollution: new driver altering responses to variable environments. This project aims to determine how bisphenol A (BPA), which now represents a novel environmental driver, alters physiological responses of animals, and how it interacts with other environmental variables to alter ecological and evolutionary trajectories. Plastic pollution is a monumental global environmental and health problem, and Australia has one of the world’s highest exposures to BPA, a plastics leachate. This project will use a new zebrafish gene knock-out model to show whether the effects of BPA are transferred between generations, and will establish an international collaboration, thereby increasing Australia's research capacity. Outcomes from the project are expected to benefit environmental management.Read moreRead less
Scaling of structure, function and energetics of the vertebrate cardiovascular system. The hearts of mammals, reptiles and fish do different amounts of work, depending on the animal’s metabolic rate and body size. This project attempts to understand why hearts are the size and thickness that they are, and whether this results in minimising the work necessary to satisfy the requirements of the animal.
The evolution of biological scaling. This project aims to understand why so few biological traits scale proportionally with body size. In contrast to previous mechanistic studies of this longstanding question, the problem will be approached from an evolutionary viewpoint, using artificial selection to engineer animals in which biological scaling laws are either broken or enhanced. By measuring the consequences of this for fitness, the project will provide a new understanding of how organismal si ....The evolution of biological scaling. This project aims to understand why so few biological traits scale proportionally with body size. In contrast to previous mechanistic studies of this longstanding question, the problem will be approached from an evolutionary viewpoint, using artificial selection to engineer animals in which biological scaling laws are either broken or enhanced. By measuring the consequences of this for fitness, the project will provide a new understanding of how organismal size and physiology evolve in nature. The approach should provide significant benefits to our understanding of the role of genetic constraints in hindering or facilitating biological adaptation, furthering our understanding of the capacity of animals to respond to environmental change.Read moreRead less
Temperature-dependent toxicity of plant secondary compounds to mammalian herbivores. Changes in the toxicity of plant secondary compounds is an unexplored consequence of rises in ambient temperatures. Evidence from agricultural and laboratory studies suggests that temperature dependent toxicity can have major effects on the intake and metabolism of plant secondary metabolites by mammals. These effects are mediated by a decrease in liver metabolism and by the effects of plant secondary metabolite ....Temperature-dependent toxicity of plant secondary compounds to mammalian herbivores. Changes in the toxicity of plant secondary compounds is an unexplored consequence of rises in ambient temperatures. Evidence from agricultural and laboratory studies suggests that temperature dependent toxicity can have major effects on the intake and metabolism of plant secondary metabolites by mammals. These effects are mediated by a decrease in liver metabolism and by the effects of plant secondary metabolites on mitochondrial function which leads to greater heat production. The project will quantify the importance of temperature dependent toxicity and measures the changes in the cost of detoxification to better model the effects of climate change on marsupial herbivores.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE160101408
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$372,000.00
Summary
Key mammalian survival strategies in a rapidly changing environment. The aim of this project is to quantify behavioural and physiological traits in mammals that are crucial for survival in a changing environment. It aspires to identify the most influential habitat and climatic factors that determine the relationship between individual foraging effort and energy-saving mechanisms. Understanding how individuals manage their daily energy needs – a crucial aspect of an animal’s life history – may pr ....Key mammalian survival strategies in a rapidly changing environment. The aim of this project is to quantify behavioural and physiological traits in mammals that are crucial for survival in a changing environment. It aspires to identify the most influential habitat and climatic factors that determine the relationship between individual foraging effort and energy-saving mechanisms. Understanding how individuals manage their daily energy needs – a crucial aspect of an animal’s life history – may provide significant understanding of how individuals survive to reproduce and ultimately sustain thriving populations. This novel scientific knowledge may enable managers of protected areas and threatened species in Australia and worldwide to develop informed policies to ensure positive interactions between natural and human systems and to sustain biodiversity.Read moreRead less