Buffering the ecosystem impact of invasive cane toads. This project aims to address the devastating ecological problems caused by invasive species, by developing a novel approach that does not rely upon eradicating the invader through training vulnerable native predators not to eat toxic cane toads. Expected outcomes of this project include building a broad coalition of conservation-focused groups, from private land-owners and local businesses through to Indigenous groups and government and non- ....Buffering the ecosystem impact of invasive cane toads. This project aims to address the devastating ecological problems caused by invasive species, by developing a novel approach that does not rely upon eradicating the invader through training vulnerable native predators not to eat toxic cane toads. Expected outcomes of this project include building a broad coalition of conservation-focused groups, from private land-owners and local businesses through to Indigenous groups and government and non-government agencies across the entire Kimberley region. It will also result in the evaluation of methods for deployment of taste-aversion at a landscape scale. This should provide significant benefits by conserving vulnerable fauna and building a powerful network within a region of high biodiversity in tropical Australia.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE150101393
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$360,000.00
Summary
Genetic and epigenetic drivers of the Australian cane toad invasion. Although invasive species are a massive threat to biodiversity, and costly to society, we still do not understand the evolutionary processes that shape invasions. Invasive populations often show rapid evolutionary change in novel environments but attempts to identify the underlying genetic mechanisms have been largely unsuccessful. This project aims to explore an innovative and untested alternative possibility: that invader evo ....Genetic and epigenetic drivers of the Australian cane toad invasion. Although invasive species are a massive threat to biodiversity, and costly to society, we still do not understand the evolutionary processes that shape invasions. Invasive populations often show rapid evolutionary change in novel environments but attempts to identify the underlying genetic mechanisms have been largely unsuccessful. This project aims to explore an innovative and untested alternative possibility: that invader evolution is primarily driven by epigenetic change. Using an iconic Australian invasive species, the cane toad, the project aims to quantify genetic and epigenetic change across the invasion and use manipulative experiments to determine the influence of epigenetic change on the evolution of phenotypic traits important to invasion.Read moreRead less
Understanding when biocontrol and enemy release affect plant populations. This project aims to determine when introduced species escape from their natural enemies, and when biocontrol efforts succeed. Enemy release and biocontrol are key to our understanding and management of invasions. However there has never been a broad quantitative assessment of the circumstances under which biocontrol and enemy release affect introduced populations. This project will use a combination of meta-analyses and i ....Understanding when biocontrol and enemy release affect plant populations. This project aims to determine when introduced species escape from their natural enemies, and when biocontrol efforts succeed. Enemy release and biocontrol are key to our understanding and management of invasions. However there has never been a broad quantitative assessment of the circumstances under which biocontrol and enemy release affect introduced populations. This project will use a combination of meta-analyses and international field studies to address this knowledge gap. Expected outcomes include a better understanding of the factors that facilitate biological invasions, and improved success of biocontrol agents.Read moreRead less
Using assisted evolution to win the war against invasive species. Invasive species disrupt ecosystem functioning, causing severe economic costs. This project investigates the use of native insects, alongside assisted evolution, as a novel approach to control invasive plants. Combining experimental and observational data we aim to accelerate adaptation already underway and entrained by selection from interactions between invasive plants and Australian insects. These data will not only address unr ....Using assisted evolution to win the war against invasive species. Invasive species disrupt ecosystem functioning, causing severe economic costs. This project investigates the use of native insects, alongside assisted evolution, as a novel approach to control invasive plants. Combining experimental and observational data we aim to accelerate adaptation already underway and entrained by selection from interactions between invasive plants and Australian insects. These data will not only address unresolved questions in evolutionary biology but will also provide knowledge on the role native insects can play in the biocontrol of invasive weeds. This will be crucial for conservation managers and agricultural practitioners dealing with plant movement and/or crop development under ongoing environmental change.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.
Defining the evolution of pathogen virulence to enhance rabbit biocontrol. Rabbits impose a major economic and ecological burden on Australia. Biocontrols involving viruses are the best means to regulate rabbit populations, although they often have transient effectiveness. It is therefore essential to determine why some viruses retain the high virulence essential for effective biocontrol, while others are consistently benign. Through bioinformatic and experimental studies of two rabbit viruses w ....Defining the evolution of pathogen virulence to enhance rabbit biocontrol. Rabbits impose a major economic and ecological burden on Australia. Biocontrols involving viruses are the best means to regulate rabbit populations, although they often have transient effectiveness. It is therefore essential to determine why some viruses retain the high virulence essential for effective biocontrol, while others are consistently benign. Through bioinformatic and experimental studies of two rabbit viruses with markedly different virulence, Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease virus (high virulence) and Australian rabbit calicivirus (low virulence), this project will determine the molecular mechanisms that control virulence and the factors that shape virulence evolution. Ultimately, this research will help improve rabbit biocontrol in Australia.Read moreRead less
The evolution of phenotypic plasticity during a biological invasion. The project seeks to unravel the mechanisms by which a species responds to challenges such as pollution, invasive species and climate change. Organisms can deal with challenges by changing their phenotypes in response to environmental cues (plasticity) and/or by longer-term changes in gene frequencies within a population (adaptation). Plasticity itself can be adaptive; so how does it evolve? Invasive species offer a unique oppo ....The evolution of phenotypic plasticity during a biological invasion. The project seeks to unravel the mechanisms by which a species responds to challenges such as pollution, invasive species and climate change. Organisms can deal with challenges by changing their phenotypes in response to environmental cues (plasticity) and/or by longer-term changes in gene frequencies within a population (adaptation). Plasticity itself can be adaptive; so how does it evolve? Invasive species offer a unique opportunity to answer that question, because a founding population (with modest genetic variation) must deal with myriad challenges in its new home. Using Australia’s cane toad invasion as the model system, the project aims to tease apart the roles of epigenetic and genetic modifications, and the interplay between them, as drivers for the toads’ success and rapid evolution in Australia.Read moreRead less
Sexual conflict and the evolution of nuptial gifts. This project aims to understand how sexual conflict drives the evolution of “manipulative” nuptial gifts in male arthropods and how females respond to ingesting these gifts. Nuptial food gifts comprise materials (other than sperm) that are offered by males to females to consume at mating, and are an integral feature of the mating systems of a wide variety of arthropods. The project will study the decorated cricket, a species where males produce ....Sexual conflict and the evolution of nuptial gifts. This project aims to understand how sexual conflict drives the evolution of “manipulative” nuptial gifts in male arthropods and how females respond to ingesting these gifts. Nuptial food gifts comprise materials (other than sperm) that are offered by males to females to consume at mating, and are an integral feature of the mating systems of a wide variety of arthropods. The project will study the decorated cricket, a species where males produce a nuptial food gift that contains a cocktail of chemicals known to influence female reproduction when eaten. The project is expected to strengthen Australia’s international standing in evolutionary research and help train the next generation of evolutionary biologists.Read moreRead less
The nutritional geometry of parental diet. This project aims to investigate the effects of ancestors’ diet on descendants’ development and performance. Recognition that an individual’s diet can affect its descendants’ features and health influences biology and medicine, but limitations of conventional research methodologies make understanding such effects incomplete. The Nutritional Geometry framework enables researchers to analyse effects of diet composition as complex response surfaces, and ha ....The nutritional geometry of parental diet. This project aims to investigate the effects of ancestors’ diet on descendants’ development and performance. Recognition that an individual’s diet can affect its descendants’ features and health influences biology and medicine, but limitations of conventional research methodologies make understanding such effects incomplete. The Nutritional Geometry framework enables researchers to analyse effects of diet composition as complex response surfaces, and has recently been used in research on parental diet effects. Building on this breakthrough, this project intends to analyse the effects of ancestors’ diet, and test hypotheses relevant to evolution, ecology and human health.Read moreRead less
Can sexual conflict contribute to a resolution of the paradox of sex? Despite over a century of research, it remains unclear why most animals can reproduce only via sex. An exciting new hypothesis proposes that sexual conflict can promote sexual reproduction and inhibit asexual strategies, suggesting a potential solution to this long-standing paradox. Building on my research expertise, and using a native Australian insect species in which the role of sexual conflict can be studied in natural pop ....Can sexual conflict contribute to a resolution of the paradox of sex? Despite over a century of research, it remains unclear why most animals can reproduce only via sex. An exciting new hypothesis proposes that sexual conflict can promote sexual reproduction and inhibit asexual strategies, suggesting a potential solution to this long-standing paradox. Building on my research expertise, and using a native Australian insect species in which the role of sexual conflict can be studied in natural populations, this ambitious project aims to test this hypothesis for the first time. This research will expand knowledge in the biological sciences by helping to answer one of the most challenging questions in evolutionary biology. This work will also contribute to efforts to monitor Australia's unique insect fauna.Read moreRead less