Female multiple mating and the evolutionary origins of complex societies. This project plans to connect micro-evolutionary processes with macro-evolutionary change to provide a unified understanding of why animals live together. Evolutionary transitions to and from complex social behaviour appear linked to female multiple mating (polyandry). However, the causal pathway by which variation in polyandry results in the emergence and diversification of sociality is yet to be established. Using a vert ....Female multiple mating and the evolutionary origins of complex societies. This project plans to connect micro-evolutionary processes with macro-evolutionary change to provide a unified understanding of why animals live together. Evolutionary transitions to and from complex social behaviour appear linked to female multiple mating (polyandry). However, the causal pathway by which variation in polyandry results in the emergence and diversification of sociality is yet to be established. Using a vertebrate system we aim to integrate empirical, theoretical and comparative approaches to show: the ecological causes of individual variation in female polyandry; its effect on social behaviours that promote social complexity at the population level; and how this corresponds to divergence in social complexity across species.Read moreRead less
Does mother know best? Unifying proximate causation and ultimate explanation in mammalian sex allocation. The study of parental effects is a fundamental area in evolutionary ecology, but is characterised by poor integration of theory (ultimate causation) and physiology (proximate causation). This is true in sex allocation research that focuses almost exclusively on ultimate causation without integrating the physiological mechanisms for sex ratio adjustment. Using a combination of experiments and ....Does mother know best? Unifying proximate causation and ultimate explanation in mammalian sex allocation. The study of parental effects is a fundamental area in evolutionary ecology, but is characterised by poor integration of theory (ultimate causation) and physiology (proximate causation). This is true in sex allocation research that focuses almost exclusively on ultimate causation without integrating the physiological mechanisms for sex ratio adjustment. Using a combination of experiments and modelling, the project addresses this gap in understanding mammalian sex allocation, specifically: the lack of known mechanism; the connection between proximate mechanistic explanation and adaptive fitness explanations; and, knowledge on constraints. This project argues that one mechanism, pre-implantation glucose levels, links adaptive hypotheses with proximate causation. Read moreRead less
Plasticity and the origins of family. This project aims to answer the question of how family life evolved. Humans and many animals live in stable family groups because of the benefits of cooperation. Surprisingly, we have a very poor understanding of how family living initially evolved. This project will experimentally determine how simple responses to environmental change have driven the evolution of family living and thereby refine theories for understanding social evolution more generally. ....Plasticity and the origins of family. This project aims to answer the question of how family life evolved. Humans and many animals live in stable family groups because of the benefits of cooperation. Surprisingly, we have a very poor understanding of how family living initially evolved. This project will experimentally determine how simple responses to environmental change have driven the evolution of family living and thereby refine theories for understanding social evolution more generally. This information will be useful to environmental policy makers that need to consider the role of environmental change in managing and conserving viable populations.Read moreRead less
Working with wind energy and forestry for effective eagle conservation. This project aims to reduce the impacts of wind turbines and disturbance from forestry activity on the Tasmanian wedge-tailed eagle. It will do this by understanding the flight behaviour, movements and mortality of eagles, and the behavioural responses of breeding birds to forestry-related disturbance. The project will build new knowledge and institutional partnerships that will be used to minimise impacts on the Tasmanian e ....Working with wind energy and forestry for effective eagle conservation. This project aims to reduce the impacts of wind turbines and disturbance from forestry activity on the Tasmanian wedge-tailed eagle. It will do this by understanding the flight behaviour, movements and mortality of eagles, and the behavioural responses of breeding birds to forestry-related disturbance. The project will build new knowledge and institutional partnerships that will be used to minimise impacts on the Tasmanian eagle population, and develop models for use in planning. This will safeguard Australia's largest eagle and improve the sustainability of energy and forest industries. This research will also provide a model for the resolution of similar problems elsewhere in the world.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE150100336
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$369,453.00
Summary
Female multiple mating, male care and the origins of complex sociality. The project aims to connect processes occurring across levels of biological organisation to provide a unified understanding of why animals live together. Evolutionary transitions to and from complex social behaviour appear linked to female multiple mating (polyandry). However, the causal pathway by which variation in polyandry results in the emergence and diversification of sociality is yet to be established. This project ai ....Female multiple mating, male care and the origins of complex sociality. The project aims to connect processes occurring across levels of biological organisation to provide a unified understanding of why animals live together. Evolutionary transitions to and from complex social behaviour appear linked to female multiple mating (polyandry). However, the causal pathway by which variation in polyandry results in the emergence and diversification of sociality is yet to be established. This project aims to combine empirical, theoretical and comparative approaches to address this. It will test: the environmental causes of individual variation in polyandry; its effect on social behaviours that promote social complexity at the population level; and how this corresponds to divergence in social complexity across species.Read moreRead less
Using animal-borne cameras to quantify prey field, habitat characteristics and foraging success in a marine top predator. To understand the factors which influence population dynamics, knowledge of habitat use is required. This project will determine the key ecological characteristics of the Australian fur seal habitat, enabling fundamental issues of foraging ecology and wildlife management to be addressed for the first time in a marine mammal.
Climate change: bridging the gap between environmental induced phenotypic change, population dynamics, and long-term evolution. It is becoming impossible to ignore the impact of global climate change on organisms around the world from changes in migration, distribution to extinction events - yet there is much to understand. This project examines the role of a changing environment during developmental and its effects on ecological and evolutionary outcomes.
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE180100828
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$365,058.00
Summary
Mathematical models for Antarctic animal migrations in a changing climate. This project aims to build state-of-the-art mathematical models for movement processes of high conservation-value Antarctic penguins, seals, and whales. This will generate new capacity to predict the likelihood of changes in sea ice and ocean dynamics impacting important forage migration pathways. These outcomes address knowledge gaps highlighted in climate reporting on Polar Regions and will strategically position Austra ....Mathematical models for Antarctic animal migrations in a changing climate. This project aims to build state-of-the-art mathematical models for movement processes of high conservation-value Antarctic penguins, seals, and whales. This will generate new capacity to predict the likelihood of changes in sea ice and ocean dynamics impacting important forage migration pathways. These outcomes address knowledge gaps highlighted in climate reporting on Polar Regions and will strategically position Australia to create a forward-looking context for conservation management efforts under international treaty commitments.Read moreRead less