Deceptive signals in spiders. Animal communication involves a diversity of signals including visual displays, sounds and odours. Understanding the function of signals is difficult because humans cannot detect some signals such as UV light. This project investigates the functions of visual signals in two spider systems: the decorations in orb-webs and the colouration of crab spiders. We analyse whether these signals are cryptic or conspicuous. Do they attract prey or hide the spiders from predato ....Deceptive signals in spiders. Animal communication involves a diversity of signals including visual displays, sounds and odours. Understanding the function of signals is difficult because humans cannot detect some signals such as UV light. This project investigates the functions of visual signals in two spider systems: the decorations in orb-webs and the colouration of crab spiders. We analyse whether these signals are cryptic or conspicuous. Do they attract prey or hide the spiders from predators? Our project will make a significant contribution to understanding the evolution of these signals, and will, at least in part, help resolve century old debates surrounding their function.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE180100026
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$365,058.00
Summary
Startle displays: a new route to resolving the aposematism paradox. This project aims to propose an empirical evaluation of startle displays as the ‘missing link’ in antipredator defences. The evolutionary origin of warning colouration is considered paradoxical in that conspicuous mutant prey should be attacked and killed as they evolve, denying predators any chance to learn to avoid them. Startle displays, however, are antipredator defences that exploit predator reflexes through a sudden transi ....Startle displays: a new route to resolving the aposematism paradox. This project aims to propose an empirical evaluation of startle displays as the ‘missing link’ in antipredator defences. The evolutionary origin of warning colouration is considered paradoxical in that conspicuous mutant prey should be attacked and killed as they evolve, denying predators any chance to learn to avoid them. Startle displays, however, are antipredator defences that exploit predator reflexes through a sudden transition from camouflage to warning colouration. This work merges theory on antipredator defences, deepens knowledge of their fitness costs and benefits, and provides a new resolution to a classic evolutionary paradox.Read moreRead less
More than mud: how will disruption of soft-sediments threaten coastal biodiversity? Habitat destruction and increased nutrient input are combining with climate change to threaten the biodiversity and fisheries productivity of soft sediment habitats that dominate Australia's sixteen million square kilometre exclusive economic zone. This project will develop the tools necessary for the sustainable management of our coastal biodiversity under multiple scenarios of change. Because many of the result ....More than mud: how will disruption of soft-sediments threaten coastal biodiversity? Habitat destruction and increased nutrient input are combining with climate change to threaten the biodiversity and fisheries productivity of soft sediment habitats that dominate Australia's sixteen million square kilometre exclusive economic zone. This project will develop the tools necessary for the sustainable management of our coastal biodiversity under multiple scenarios of change. Because many of the results will be broadly applicable to coastal systems worldwide, this project will generate high-impact publications that will increase the research profile of Australia. It will train postgraduate students in strategies to help ensure the sustainable use of our biodiversity and will generate collaborations with leading international scientists.Read moreRead less
Get tough, get toxic or get a bodyguard: how root herbivores shape grass defences. The weight of root-feeding beetles can exceed that of sheep on Australian pastures and can result in significant losses in productivity. Grasses fight back against aboveground herbivores using toughness (physical defence), toxicity (chemical defence) and bodyguards (recruitment of the herbivore’s enemies). Little is known about belowground defences however, but grasses depend on roots for re-growth so good root de ....Get tough, get toxic or get a bodyguard: how root herbivores shape grass defences. The weight of root-feeding beetles can exceed that of sheep on Australian pastures and can result in significant losses in productivity. Grasses fight back against aboveground herbivores using toughness (physical defence), toxicity (chemical defence) and bodyguards (recruitment of the herbivore’s enemies). Little is known about belowground defences however, but grasses depend on roots for re-growth so good root defences seem essential. This study will apply optimal defence theory to consider these three defences against belowground herbivory across a range of grasses. The project will ask whether domestication has disarmed grass species and if defensive traits differ between photosynthetic pathways, before field-testing these patterns with root herbivore populations. Read moreRead less
Why are warning colours in animals so rare? Toxic insects display warning colours as protection from predators who learn to associate them with an unpleasant taste. Theoretically, there is no limit to the number of species that could show warning colours but only about 5% are estimated to have them. This presents a fundamental and unresolved biological problem - what limits warning colours? This project aims to address this significant biological question by testing three hypotheses predicting w ....Why are warning colours in animals so rare? Toxic insects display warning colours as protection from predators who learn to associate them with an unpleasant taste. Theoretically, there is no limit to the number of species that could show warning colours but only about 5% are estimated to have them. This presents a fundamental and unresolved biological problem - what limits warning colours? This project aims to address this significant biological question by testing three hypotheses predicting warning signal limitations. Projected outcomes are an improved understanding of the ecological niche of these colourful insects, which may inform conservation and biodiversity management and raise awareness of these flamboyant creatures.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0775739
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$135,000.00
Summary
Environmental Research Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometer (ERIRMS). The projects supported by this facility are esential to: sustainable management of Sydney's surface and groundwater; understanding food webs and trophic interactions in Sydney Harbour and elsewhere on the eastern seaboard; developing predictive models for the impacts of climate change on Australia's forests, especially carbon sequestration and water yield; understanding the trade-offs involved in managing fire risks through prescr ....Environmental Research Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometer (ERIRMS). The projects supported by this facility are esential to: sustainable management of Sydney's surface and groundwater; understanding food webs and trophic interactions in Sydney Harbour and elsewhere on the eastern seaboard; developing predictive models for the impacts of climate change on Australia's forests, especially carbon sequestration and water yield; understanding the trade-offs involved in managing fire risks through prescribed burning, especially trade-offs involving carbon and water; and understanding and predicting air quality and the effects of emissions from cars, industry, fires and natural sources.
Read moreRead less
Comparative studies of invasive plants: a leaf carbon strategy approach. Invasion of communities by exotic plants is a significant threat to biodiversity globally. This proposal is to strengthen collaborative links between the Plant Invasion Research Laboratories of Leishman in Australia and Richardson in South Africa. Their current research seeks to understand strategies of invasive plants in novel environments using the framework of leaf carbon strategies. Australian plants invasive in South A ....Comparative studies of invasive plants: a leaf carbon strategy approach. Invasion of communities by exotic plants is a significant threat to biodiversity globally. This proposal is to strengthen collaborative links between the Plant Invasion Research Laboratories of Leishman in Australia and Richardson in South Africa. Their current research seeks to understand strategies of invasive plants in novel environments using the framework of leaf carbon strategies. Australian plants invasive in South Africa and South African plants invasive in Australia provide an ideal model system. This collaborative research will enable better prediction of potential invaders, as well as providing important input for models of plant, ecosystem and biosphere responses to global change incorporating invasion dynamics.Read moreRead less
How do plants cope with temporal variability in water and nutrients? Australia's climate and weather are temporally variable, yet we know little of how Australia's flora is affected by temporally variable vs constant supplies of water and nutrients. In addition, climate change will affect our flora by, among other things, increasing temporal variability in water and nutrient availability. This program of research will provide basic data on growth responses to variable vs. constant water and nu ....How do plants cope with temporal variability in water and nutrients? Australia's climate and weather are temporally variable, yet we know little of how Australia's flora is affected by temporally variable vs constant supplies of water and nutrients. In addition, climate change will affect our flora by, among other things, increasing temporal variability in water and nutrient availability. This program of research will provide basic data on growth responses to variable vs. constant water and nutrient availability. Hence, results will be directly applicable to predicting the effects of climate change on growth, species' distribution and community composition. This research will also improve our basic understanding of limitations to photosynthesis, transpiration and nutrient uptake/assimilation.Read moreRead less
Quantifying tree and soil respiration and their responses to global change. The Australian Greenhouse Office, as well as independent analysis, recognizes that belowground processes must be better quantified if Australia's contributions to atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases (GG) are to be firmly based. A major issue is the lack of dedicated research focused on soil and plant root emissions of GG and, in particular, a lack of testing of methodologies suited to Australian soils and con ....Quantifying tree and soil respiration and their responses to global change. The Australian Greenhouse Office, as well as independent analysis, recognizes that belowground processes must be better quantified if Australia's contributions to atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases (GG) are to be firmly based. A major issue is the lack of dedicated research focused on soil and plant root emissions of GG and, in particular, a lack of testing of methodologies suited to Australian soils and conditions. This project will address these concerns. We will also be addressing the clear need for further training of PhD qualified researchers in the field of climate change. Read moreRead less
Cane toads as a model system for demographic analysis and invasive-species control. How do impacts on juvenile stages within a population affect later ages? This project will exploit recently developed methods to control early life-history stages of cane toads to provide a better understanding of population ecology and develop more effective ways to control invasive cane toads.