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Targeted gene flow for conservation. This project aims to develop targeted gene flow as a broad conservation strategy, exploiting natural geographic variation to achieve conservation outcomes. Geographic variation and local adaptation are ubiquitous within species, but conservation managers do not use this heritable variation. The project will develop decision tools to address when to time a targeted gene flow action, and where to source appropriate genetic variation. As case studies, the projec ....Targeted gene flow for conservation. This project aims to develop targeted gene flow as a broad conservation strategy, exploiting natural geographic variation to achieve conservation outcomes. Geographic variation and local adaptation are ubiquitous within species, but conservation managers do not use this heritable variation. The project will develop decision tools to address when to time a targeted gene flow action, and where to source appropriate genetic variation. As case studies, the project will try to use targeted gene flow to halt the invasion of the cane toad in northern Australia and reverse the decline of northern quolls.Read moreRead less
Australian Laureate Fellowships - Grant ID: FL120100074
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,175,454.00
Summary
Using biological invasions to understand evolutionary processes. The invasion of cane toads through Australia has been devastating for many native species, but created opportunities for others. The rapid evolutionary responses stimulated by toad invasion provide a uniquely powerful model system with which to explore the broader question of how species adapt to novel challenges.
The evolution of host-parasite interactions during a biological invasion. This project aims to elucidate how host organisms and their parasites adapt to each other, exploiting the fact that a biological invasion imposes novel evolutionary challenges. This project expects to generate new knowledge about how the interaction between host and parasite species is affected when the system is exposed to powerful new selective forces. Expected outcomes of this project include development of theory, trai ....The evolution of host-parasite interactions during a biological invasion. This project aims to elucidate how host organisms and their parasites adapt to each other, exploiting the fact that a biological invasion imposes novel evolutionary challenges. This project expects to generate new knowledge about how the interaction between host and parasite species is affected when the system is exposed to powerful new selective forces. Expected outcomes of this project include development of theory, training of students in an emerging field, and a nuanced understanding of this important topic. This should provide significant benefits, such as an enhanced ability for wildlife managers to predict the impact of parasites on species of wildlife that are extending their geographic ranges.Read moreRead less
Peripheral isolates as hotbeds of adaptive diversity. This project uses cutting edge molecular technology and spatial analyses to predict the location of diversity relevant to managing the impact of climate change. Knowledge generated in this project will open the door to the informed use of genetic translocation in efforts to kerb expected biodiversity losses.
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE170101116
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$370,159.00
Summary
Adaptations in Tasmanian devil facial tumour disease. This project aims to understand how defence mechanisms against infectious diseases arise and evolve in nature. Infectious diseases exert strong evolutionary pressures on populations, forcing the development of adaptive strategies to fight the costs of infection. The project aims to determine individual differences in response to infection and how these affect population-scale transmission and evolutionary dynamics under natural and managed sc ....Adaptations in Tasmanian devil facial tumour disease. This project aims to understand how defence mechanisms against infectious diseases arise and evolve in nature. Infectious diseases exert strong evolutionary pressures on populations, forcing the development of adaptive strategies to fight the costs of infection. The project aims to determine individual differences in response to infection and how these affect population-scale transmission and evolutionary dynamics under natural and managed scenarios. This is expected to reveal populations’ adaptive capability and resilience against diseases and the effects of management interventions in controlling disease outbreaks and preventing population declines or extinctions.Read moreRead less
Species and gene turnover across environmental gradients - a landscape-level approach to quantify biodiversity and resilience for climate adaptation. Biodiversity corridor planning in Australia desperately needs to progress beyond the simple linking up of remnant vegetation, based on aerial maps and start incorporating ecosystem features which will promote climate adaptation. This project will develop a new genomics method to assess ecosystem resilience for use in national biodiversity corridor ....Species and gene turnover across environmental gradients - a landscape-level approach to quantify biodiversity and resilience for climate adaptation. Biodiversity corridor planning in Australia desperately needs to progress beyond the simple linking up of remnant vegetation, based on aerial maps and start incorporating ecosystem features which will promote climate adaptation. This project will develop a new genomics method to assess ecosystem resilience for use in national biodiversity corridor planning.Read moreRead less
Genomic diversity, tolerance and ecology of wildlife disease. This project aims to understand the regulation of viral disease by vertebrate hosts. Viruses are rapidly evolving threats to humans, agriculture and wildlife and understanding of these threats can be transformed by combining the latest genomic, ecological and immune-pathological approaches. This project expects to reveal how hosts manage the bad effects of viruses in natural populations and fill gaps in fundamental knowledge of virus- ....Genomic diversity, tolerance and ecology of wildlife disease. This project aims to understand the regulation of viral disease by vertebrate hosts. Viruses are rapidly evolving threats to humans, agriculture and wildlife and understanding of these threats can be transformed by combining the latest genomic, ecological and immune-pathological approaches. This project expects to reveal how hosts manage the bad effects of viruses in natural populations and fill gaps in fundamental knowledge of virus-host evolution. Anticipated benefits include improved management, risk assessment and decision-making for animal disease and biosecurity in Australia and globally.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE120102821
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$375,000.00
Summary
Molecular genetic adaptive processes in natural co-evolution between rabbits and the rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus. This project will use extensive sampling and long-term field data to reveal ongoing co-evolutionary mechanisms behind the increasing resistance of pest Australian wild rabbits against a viral pathogen. The results will increase the understanding of evolutionary mechanisms in nature and will provide basic information for biological pest control of rabbits.
Demographic consequences of environmental change for wild bird populations. The project intends to improve our understanding of how climate drives shifts in body size and shape in wildlife populations, and the implications of such responses for population viability. Populations of plants and animals are showing a range of responses to recent, rapid shifts in the Earth’s climate. The ecological and evolutionary significance of these responses and the mechanisms that drive them remain largely unkn ....Demographic consequences of environmental change for wild bird populations. The project intends to improve our understanding of how climate drives shifts in body size and shape in wildlife populations, and the implications of such responses for population viability. Populations of plants and animals are showing a range of responses to recent, rapid shifts in the Earth’s climate. The ecological and evolutionary significance of these responses and the mechanisms that drive them remain largely unknown. Focusing on Australian birds, the project plans to integrate long-term records from citizen science, museum collections and field studies to conduct a comprehensive investigation of the pattern and process of morphological change. Understanding the processes driving change may help in developing strategies to manage our biodiversity as climate changes. Read moreRead less
Getting smaller as temperatures rise? Body size responses of Australian birds to climate change. Many animals appear to be declining in size as climate change occurs, but why this is so is unclear. Using historical records and museum specimens we will determine the factors underlying body size reductions in Australian birds, and especially the role of changing temperature and ecosystem productivity.