The evolution of species traits and spread during biological invasions. Exotic species pose a dire threat to Australia's biodiversity and natural resources due to the speed at which non-indigenous pests spread and the ecological and environmental damage they are capable of causing. The proposed research, on identifying traits associated with the spread of exotic vertebrate species and modelling the reproductive and dispersal parameters among different populations, will provide new knowledge and ....The evolution of species traits and spread during biological invasions. Exotic species pose a dire threat to Australia's biodiversity and natural resources due to the speed at which non-indigenous pests spread and the ecological and environmental damage they are capable of causing. The proposed research, on identifying traits associated with the spread of exotic vertebrate species and modelling the reproductive and dispersal parameters among different populations, will provide new knowledge and aid in developing innovative solutions for arresting the spread of exotic species. The validation of current models of spread will represent a major and timely addition to the national research capability on exotic species, and add substantially to Australia's reputation as a global leader in evolutionary ecology.Read moreRead less
Conducting coatings for control and eradication of unwanted marine biofilms. Biofilms grow on all surfaces and environments posing environmental threats and economic issues globally, costing billions each year to those attempting to eradicate them. To date, biofilm's detailed response to variations in electrochemically generated redox stress and shear is unknown in marine environments. The project aims at (i) developing novel electrically conducting carbon based paints that are stable in marine ....Conducting coatings for control and eradication of unwanted marine biofilms. Biofilms grow on all surfaces and environments posing environmental threats and economic issues globally, costing billions each year to those attempting to eradicate them. To date, biofilm's detailed response to variations in electrochemically generated redox stress and shear is unknown in marine environments. The project aims at (i) developing novel electrically conducting carbon based paints that are stable in marine environments and (ii) investigating how marine biofilms respond to these coatings. The expected outcome of this project is the development of a green alternative antifouling technology that can be used on demand in marine applications. This provides a new solution for controlling the biofouling of surfaces immersed in oceans.Read moreRead less
Industrial Transformation Training Centres - Grant ID: IC220100003
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$4,930,205.00
Summary
ARC Training Centre for Biofilm Research and Innovation . The ARC Training Centre for Biofilm Research and Innovation aims to transform biofouling management strategies for maritime platforms by building on local and international expertise to mentor and train the next generation of interdisciplinary scientists and engineers. Anticipating evolving regulatory stringency, this project expects to establish a dynamic environment for industry partners, students and scientists to collaborate and devel ....ARC Training Centre for Biofilm Research and Innovation . The ARC Training Centre for Biofilm Research and Innovation aims to transform biofouling management strategies for maritime platforms by building on local and international expertise to mentor and train the next generation of interdisciplinary scientists and engineers. Anticipating evolving regulatory stringency, this project expects to establish a dynamic environment for industry partners, students and scientists to collaborate and develop biofilm management strategies. Expected outcomes include new and enhanced collaborations that advance and translate knowledge to better manage biofouling. The significant benefits will include a generation of industry-focused researchers critical for growing Australia’s Defence industry.Read moreRead less
Phylogeny and radiation of flatworm ectoparasites from marine fish using morphology and genetics, with novel approaches to identify pathogenic species. Fish flukes (flatworm parasites) with direct lifecycles can weaken and kill captive fish and threaten lucrative industries like finfish aquaculture and public aquaria in Australia and globally. Traditional approaches and molecular techniques will identify monogenean flukes in a family containing known pathogenic species distributed worldwide. K ....Phylogeny and radiation of flatworm ectoparasites from marine fish using morphology and genetics, with novel approaches to identify pathogenic species. Fish flukes (flatworm parasites) with direct lifecycles can weaken and kill captive fish and threaten lucrative industries like finfish aquaculture and public aquaria in Australia and globally. Traditional approaches and molecular techniques will identify monogenean flukes in a family containing known pathogenic species distributed worldwide. Knowledge of fish disease is paramount for quarantine, risk assessments for import/export and for managing pathogen outbreaks in aquaculture. Benefits include: economic/social improvements in regional/rural Australia where fish farms are expanding; international excellence and core research training in fish parasitology; profitable, exportable expertise; knowledge of endemic and shared pathogens.Read moreRead less
Cell-free immune reactions and suppression. Insects pests and insect vectors of diseases are managed by toxic substances, but insects have a cunning ability to persist. How pesticide-tolerant insect pests recognise and inactivate chemical and biological toxins is poorly understood. While vertebrates with a closed circulatory system use coagulation reactions mainly for wound-healing, invertebrates employ cell-free aggregation reactions for the sequestration and inactivation of potentially damagin ....Cell-free immune reactions and suppression. Insects pests and insect vectors of diseases are managed by toxic substances, but insects have a cunning ability to persist. How pesticide-tolerant insect pests recognise and inactivate chemical and biological toxins is poorly understood. While vertebrates with a closed circulatory system use coagulation reactions mainly for wound-healing, invertebrates employ cell-free aggregation reactions for the sequestration and inactivation of potentially damaging objects and substances. We use insect plasma to dissect recognition and inactivation of damaging objects and substances with the aim to understand tolerance and its inhibition to design novel strategies in delaying tolerance to pesticides in insect pests.Read moreRead less
The puzzle of Metazoan life history evolution: are feeding larvae always primitive? Most marine animals have a complex life-cycles with alternating pelagic larvae and benthic adults. An theory about animal life-history evolution states that feeding larvae are always primitive and larval feeding is lost but not gained. This hypothesis is based in part on studies on the 'classical' trochophore of marine worms such as Serpulidae, a group with both feeding and non-feeding larvae. We intend to establ ....The puzzle of Metazoan life history evolution: are feeding larvae always primitive? Most marine animals have a complex life-cycles with alternating pelagic larvae and benthic adults. An theory about animal life-history evolution states that feeding larvae are always primitive and larval feeding is lost but not gained. This hypothesis is based in part on studies on the 'classical' trochophore of marine worms such as Serpulidae, a group with both feeding and non-feeding larvae. We intend to establish a detailed phylogeny for Serpulidae and assess the evolution of larvae in the group. If feeding larvae are shown to be secondary this will raise doubts about established theories of animal evolution.Read moreRead less
Insect-inspired flapping wing robots: autonomous flight control systems. This project aims to design a novel control scheme for insect-inspired, flapping-wing, micro aerial vehicles. This type of micro aerial vehicle has complex, periodic, time-varying and inherently unstable dynamics, which are practically challenging to model and implement in hardware. This project will design energy-based automatic stabilization and task-dependent control, and develop the insect-inspired platform for testing ....Insect-inspired flapping wing robots: autonomous flight control systems. This project aims to design a novel control scheme for insect-inspired, flapping-wing, micro aerial vehicles. This type of micro aerial vehicle has complex, periodic, time-varying and inherently unstable dynamics, which are practically challenging to model and implement in hardware. This project will design energy-based automatic stabilization and task-dependent control, and develop the insect-inspired platform for testing nonlinear control strategies. The expected outcomes will include new system and control theories, concepts, principles and technologies in controller design that can provide reliable flight control for bio-inspired, flapping-wing systems.Read moreRead less
Co-design and dynamic mission optimisation of hypersonic flight vehicles. This project aims to deliver fundamental knowledge by integrating the modelling and control with the design of next generation hypersonic platforms. In an era where Australia's national security reliance on geographic isolation and support from allied forces are being challenged, the research outcomes of this project will play an important role in understanding the capabilities of hypersonic systems. The project will also ....Co-design and dynamic mission optimisation of hypersonic flight vehicles. This project aims to deliver fundamental knowledge by integrating the modelling and control with the design of next generation hypersonic platforms. In an era where Australia's national security reliance on geographic isolation and support from allied forces are being challenged, the research outcomes of this project will play an important role in understanding the capabilities of hypersonic systems. The project will also have significant spillover benefits into other complex system domains, where computational tools can be used to aid in design leading to high embedded-IP products for Australian industry. Furthermore, the proposal encompasses a strong research training aspect, with graduates exposed to leading edge industry and academia.Read moreRead less
Evolution of host relationships among the parasitic wasps inferred from morphology, DNA sequences and mitochondrial genome organisation. The parasitic Hymenoptera (wasps) are extensively used as biological control agents of agricultural and horticultural pests worldwide, but detailed information on their evolutionary relationships, how they have coevolved with major host groups, and the patterns of host relationships across various wasp families are lacking. This project will employ DNA sequence ....Evolution of host relationships among the parasitic wasps inferred from morphology, DNA sequences and mitochondrial genome organisation. The parasitic Hymenoptera (wasps) are extensively used as biological control agents of agricultural and horticultural pests worldwide, but detailed information on their evolutionary relationships, how they have coevolved with major host groups, and the patterns of host relationships across various wasp families are lacking. This project will employ DNA sequence data from 'new' genes, information on mitochondrial genome organisation, as well as morphology, to generate robust phylogenies for braconid and scelionid wasps that can be used to determine patterns of host utilisation and predict hosts for wasp groups where this information is currently unknown.Read moreRead less
From individuals to mass organisation: aggregation, synchronisation and collective movement in locusts. By combining field biology, robotics and mathematics, this project will determine how animals flock or swarm and, in particular, how locust nymphs control their collective movement over their lifetime. The mathematical models derived during the project will be directly applied to controlling outbreaks of locusts in Australia, South and North Africa.