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Establishment of the Australian Cane Toad Genome Program. The Cane Toad is one of Australia's greatest environmental menaces, and is in the top 100 of the "World's Worst invader species". Over a billion toads infest Northern Australia, and they will soon invade WA and move further into NSW. Their poisons and voracious appetite could make many native mammals, birds and reptiles extinct. The only possibility to eradicate the Toad is by biological control, but there is no known control agent. We wi ....Establishment of the Australian Cane Toad Genome Program. The Cane Toad is one of Australia's greatest environmental menaces, and is in the top 100 of the "World's Worst invader species". Over a billion toads infest Northern Australia, and they will soon invade WA and move further into NSW. Their poisons and voracious appetite could make many native mammals, birds and reptiles extinct. The only possibility to eradicate the Toad is by biological control, but there is no known control agent. We will identify the 'Toad's Achilles' heel' against which control agents can be developed. We can do this by identifying every Toad gene. This project forms the first step to this goal by establishing the Australian Cane Toad Genome Program. Toad control will help preserve Australia's unique natural heritage.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0775666
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$200,000.00
Summary
Flora and Fauna Research Facility. Our ability to make informed decisions regarding conservation and management of unique Australian ecosytems depends greatly on our understanding of the organisms inhabiting them. Researchers at the University of Wollongong are addressing this need through a wide range of studies including the: effects of climate change on plants, biology of invasive species, possible causes for declining frog populations, role of the immune system in aging and natural selection ....Flora and Fauna Research Facility. Our ability to make informed decisions regarding conservation and management of unique Australian ecosytems depends greatly on our understanding of the organisms inhabiting them. Researchers at the University of Wollongong are addressing this need through a wide range of studies including the: effects of climate change on plants, biology of invasive species, possible causes for declining frog populations, role of the immune system in aging and natural selection, effects of maternal hormones on offspring, effects of pesticides on native vertebrates, and impacts of bushfires on ecosystems. The infrastructure requested will enable research in these and other important areas.Read moreRead less
Evolutionary genetics of the immune system in social insects. Insects possess efficient innate immunity against pathogens, but social insects are suggested to be vulnerable due to their packed colonies of related individuals. We predict that pathogen pressure varies with life history and microhabitat details, and that this variation will be reflected in the molecular evolutionary rates of immune system genes. Sequence information will be obtained to test these predictions. The results should ....Evolutionary genetics of the immune system in social insects. Insects possess efficient innate immunity against pathogens, but social insects are suggested to be vulnerable due to their packed colonies of related individuals. We predict that pathogen pressure varies with life history and microhabitat details, and that this variation will be reflected in the molecular evolutionary rates of immune system genes. Sequence information will be obtained to test these predictions. The results should be of widespread interest as reflecting the importance of pathogens and life pattern, and increase our knowledge of insect immune systems, potentially enabling circumvention of pest defenses and better protection of beneficial species.Read moreRead less
Evolutionary immunology of social insects. Social insects are particularly abundant in Australia. They live in a wide range of habitats with social systems differing greatly in size and structure. They are both ecologically and economically important because they form a large part of terrestrial ecosystems and control much of the energy flow. Their immune system resembles the immune system of humans. Finding how the social insect immune system evolves will have the potential to help us manag ....Evolutionary immunology of social insects. Social insects are particularly abundant in Australia. They live in a wide range of habitats with social systems differing greatly in size and structure. They are both ecologically and economically important because they form a large part of terrestrial ecosystems and control much of the energy flow. Their immune system resembles the immune system of humans. Finding how the social insect immune system evolves will have the potential to help us manage them better, and yield functional insights into the human innate immune system. Placing the observed patterns in context also involves study of the associated microbes, finds how social insects interact with this important part of the environment, and may assist in land management.Read moreRead less
Modelling species distributions for a changing world. Understanding the impacts of climate change and invasive species on the distribution and persistence of species is an issue of global and national significance and concern. This project will provide tools essential for the effective management of Australia's ecosystems by delivering clear guidelines and practical methods that will substantially improve the modelling of future species distributions.
Density regulation as a major determinant of population persistence: advancing empirical and theoretical approaches to conserve biodiversity. Without efficient application of limited conservation resources, more species will go extinct and invasive species will continue to proliferate. With a better understanding of extinction processes, a higher benefit:cost ratio will ensure better outcomes for biodiversity. We will directly address (1) the sustainable use of Australia's biodiversity by provid ....Density regulation as a major determinant of population persistence: advancing empirical and theoretical approaches to conserve biodiversity. Without efficient application of limited conservation resources, more species will go extinct and invasive species will continue to proliferate. With a better understanding of extinction processes, a higher benefit:cost ratio will ensure better outcomes for biodiversity. We will directly address (1) the sustainable use of Australia's biodiversity by providing evidence-based support for minimum viable population size targets to avoid extinction; (2) responding to climate change by determining the species- and environmentally specific contexts leading to elevated risks of extinction; and (3) protecting Australia from invasive diseases and pests by determining density targets that maximise eradication success.Read moreRead less
Systematics and coevolution of insect herbivores on casuarinas: testing phylogenetic congruence for selection of plant biocontrol agents. The casuarinas (sheoaks) are a significant component of the Australian floral landscape. Associated with them are many co-evolved insects, some of which may prove useful as biocontrol agents against Casuarina weeds. Using morphological taxonomy combined with a novel molecular approach, we will compare the co-evolution of psyllids, scale and gall insects, and w ....Systematics and coevolution of insect herbivores on casuarinas: testing phylogenetic congruence for selection of plant biocontrol agents. The casuarinas (sheoaks) are a significant component of the Australian floral landscape. Associated with them are many co-evolved insects, some of which may prove useful as biocontrol agents against Casuarina weeds. Using morphological taxonomy combined with a novel molecular approach, we will compare the co-evolution of psyllids, scale and gall insects, and weevils with that of the casuarinas. This project will have significant implications for conservation and regeneration of casuarinas in the Australian context and the selection of specific biocontrol agents against casuarinas as environmental weeds.Read moreRead less
The evolution of diverse interactions between Wolbachia bacteria and their invertebrate hosts: insights from a novel lineage infecting termite societies. Wolbachia intracellular bacteria are widespread in invertebrates, having evolved a remarkable range of host-interactions, from parasitic to mutualistic. I have discovered phylogenetically novel Wolbachia that infect the structural pests termites, and will investigate their host-effects and transmission dynamics. This will determine the generali ....The evolution of diverse interactions between Wolbachia bacteria and their invertebrate hosts: insights from a novel lineage infecting termite societies. Wolbachia intracellular bacteria are widespread in invertebrates, having evolved a remarkable range of host-interactions, from parasitic to mutualistic. I have discovered phylogenetically novel Wolbachia that infect the structural pests termites, and will investigate their host-effects and transmission dynamics. This will determine the generality of phenomena known from other Wolbachia, such as cytoplasmic incompatibility and horizontal transfer. The complexity of termite societies make them interesting candidates for studying how Wolbachia spread, and the results will be potentially valuable for future termite control strategies. The first comparative phylogenetic examination of diverse Wolbachia will be performed, providing new perspectives on their evolutionary history.Read moreRead less
Understanding and managing resistance to the amphibian chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in Australian tropical rainforest frogs. The fungal disease chytridiomycosis can infect at least 48 Australian native frog species and is listed as a threatening process under the federal Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act. It caused catastrophic declines in 12 frog species in Queensland between 1979 and 1994, and is probably responsible for continuing declines in many more ....Understanding and managing resistance to the amphibian chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in Australian tropical rainforest frogs. The fungal disease chytridiomycosis can infect at least 48 Australian native frog species and is listed as a threatening process under the federal Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act. It caused catastrophic declines in 12 frog species in Queensland between 1979 and 1994, and is probably responsible for continuing declines in many more species in most states. A few species and populations have recovered following declines, indicating that they have increased their resistance to the disease. Understanding these increases in resistance should allow us to develop ways to control the disease in other species, helping to protect Australia against this invasive and highly destructive disease.Read moreRead less
Toad vs Toad: Innovative approaches to understand and control an invasive species. Understanding the ecology of an invasive pest species can be a powerful tool for developing control methods. Cane toads pose a major threat to Australian native species, and are spreading increasingly rapidly through the Australian tropics. Unfortunately, we still know very little about the biology of invasion-front populations of toads. This project will provide that understanding, and will explore new ideas a ....Toad vs Toad: Innovative approaches to understand and control an invasive species. Understanding the ecology of an invasive pest species can be a powerful tool for developing control methods. Cane toads pose a major threat to Australian native species, and are spreading increasingly rapidly through the Australian tropics. Unfortunately, we still know very little about the biology of invasion-front populations of toads. This project will provide that understanding, and will explore new ideas about ways to control toad populations. For example, if we can reduce the survival of feral animals by increasing the intensity of competition within their own popualtions rather than relying on effects of other species, we may be able to use the toads to control their own populations.Read moreRead less