Animal social behaviour and emerging infectious fungal diseases in nature. This project aims to improve knowledge about the central role that animal social behaviour plays in the spread of emerging infectious fungal diseases in nature. Applying approaches from behavioural ecology, network modelling and quantitative genetics, and utilising rare empirical pre- and post-infection data, the project expects to generate new understandings about how fungal diseases spread through animal populations, ho ....Animal social behaviour and emerging infectious fungal diseases in nature. This project aims to improve knowledge about the central role that animal social behaviour plays in the spread of emerging infectious fungal diseases in nature. Applying approaches from behavioural ecology, network modelling and quantitative genetics, and utilising rare empirical pre- and post-infection data, the project expects to generate new understandings about how fungal diseases spread through animal populations, how animal social behaviour influences disease transmission, and how disease-status affects animal social behaviour. This project should have international impact, and advance current knowledge about disease dynamics. Applied outcomes should inform much-needed control strategies to benefit wildlife and preserve biodiversity. Read moreRead less
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
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE180100949
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$365,058.00
Summary
Did colour vision evolve in the dark? This project aims to investigate the ability of fishes to perceive colour in dim-light conditions by studying representatives from two delicate and endangered ecosystems, coral reefs (nocturnal fish) and the deep-sea. Through a multidisciplinary approach to understanding colour vision and animal behaviour, this study expects to fill a knowledge gap in visual neuroscience and ecology while adding to the understanding of how marine creatures see and interact. ....Did colour vision evolve in the dark? This project aims to investigate the ability of fishes to perceive colour in dim-light conditions by studying representatives from two delicate and endangered ecosystems, coral reefs (nocturnal fish) and the deep-sea. Through a multidisciplinary approach to understanding colour vision and animal behaviour, this study expects to fill a knowledge gap in visual neuroscience and ecology while adding to the understanding of how marine creatures see and interact. This should provide benefits in conservation and management strategies and may also inspire the development of new sensor technologies.Read moreRead less
Unravelling reef fish vision through gene-editing and behavioural ecology. This project aims to enhance understanding of visual neuroscience, genetic control of vision and environmental ecology on The Great Barrier Reef (GBR). Using the anemonefish as a model, together with new genetic, photographic and behavioural approaches, the project aims to reveal novel aspects of colour vision on the reef. Outcomes beyond multiple scientific disciplines include enhanced international collaboration and bui ....Unravelling reef fish vision through gene-editing and behavioural ecology. This project aims to enhance understanding of visual neuroscience, genetic control of vision and environmental ecology on The Great Barrier Reef (GBR). Using the anemonefish as a model, together with new genetic, photographic and behavioural approaches, the project aims to reveal novel aspects of colour vision on the reef. Outcomes beyond multiple scientific disciplines include enhanced international collaboration and building capacity for improved reef guardianship. The benefits are scientific discovery in multiple areas, providing greater community understanding of complex science and a desire to preserve the GBR for future generations.Read moreRead less
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
Evolutionary roots of social bonds in female mammals. The social networks and friendships of wild female kangaroos and how these benefit individuals will be studied. This project will help us understand how the propensity of mammals to form friendships evolved; this understanding of the evolutionary roots of friendships will help in understanding why friendships affect peoples' health and mortality.
Australian Laureate Fellowships - Grant ID: FL140100197
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,970,898.00
Summary
Revealing the invisible: new principles of vision in Australian animals. Revealing the invisible: new principles of vision in Australian animals. This project aims to reveal how the visual systems of marine creatures from the Great Barrier Reef receive and interpret colour and polarisation information, much of which is invisible to the human eye. It aims to utilise this data to tackle fundamental questions in neuroscience and inform bio-inspired camera design and machine-vision solutions. The re ....Revealing the invisible: new principles of vision in Australian animals. Revealing the invisible: new principles of vision in Australian animals. This project aims to reveal how the visual systems of marine creatures from the Great Barrier Reef receive and interpret colour and polarisation information, much of which is invisible to the human eye. It aims to utilise this data to tackle fundamental questions in neuroscience and inform bio-inspired camera design and machine-vision solutions. The resulting new generation of polarisation cameras will be used to characterise the environments, animals and brains that inspired them in the first place. This will help the understanding of how nervous systems convey information and may improve our ability to detect dysfunction in neurons and other cells.Read moreRead less
Habitat degradation on coral reefs. This project aims to determine how reef degradation modifies predator-prey dynamics in fish communities, and how parental effects may help species to cope with habitat change. Live corals are ecosystem engineers that support the world’s most biodiverse communities, but anthropogenic factors have led to unprecedented global declines in live coral. The transition from live to dead coral-dominated habitats is associated with a modified sensory landscape of fear f ....Habitat degradation on coral reefs. This project aims to determine how reef degradation modifies predator-prey dynamics in fish communities, and how parental effects may help species to cope with habitat change. Live corals are ecosystem engineers that support the world’s most biodiverse communities, but anthropogenic factors have led to unprecedented global declines in live coral. The transition from live to dead coral-dominated habitats is associated with a modified sensory landscape of fear for resident fishes, via chemical interference emanating from degraded coral. Inter-generational advantages would help management to regulate reef usage to promote resilience.Read moreRead less
Stomatopods v Cephalopods: discovery from an information coding arms-race. This proposal aims to unlock the power of a 400 million year old evolutionary arms race between two of earth's most successful predators, cephalopods (e.g. octopus) and mantis shrimp (stomatopods). New knowledge in vision (sensor design), neural coding (circuits and information flow) and behavioural (decisions and actions) innovations from these two groups will have fundamental and applied outcomes. The interdisciplinary ....Stomatopods v Cephalopods: discovery from an information coding arms-race. This proposal aims to unlock the power of a 400 million year old evolutionary arms race between two of earth's most successful predators, cephalopods (e.g. octopus) and mantis shrimp (stomatopods). New knowledge in vision (sensor design), neural coding (circuits and information flow) and behavioural (decisions and actions) innovations from these two groups will have fundamental and applied outcomes. The interdisciplinary and comparative nature of the project aims to amplify outcomes in questions of efficient neural coding, optical design and bio-inspired solutions. Benefits from the study include GPS-free navigation in marine engineering and rapid exposure of research results to millions of people through existing communication programs. Read moreRead less
New dimensions in colour and polarisation vision on The Great Barrier Reef. Many animals possess colour vision that outperforms humans and some also have a type of vision we lack altogether, polarisation vision. By comparing design and discovering strategies from the sensory systems of animals on The Great Barrier Reef, the project will enhance our knowledge of their sensory world, their ecosystem and broader visual neuroscience.