From genes to ecosystems: does genetic divergence in eucalyptus alter biodiversity and ecosystem function? The project will use a dominant tree species of south-eastern Australia to examine how genetic based variation in its traits influences community organisation, biodiversity and ecosystem processes. Outcomes from this research will be important for responding to an uncertain future environment and maintaining the services ecosystems provide.
The Maintenance of Genetic Variation by Antagonistic Sexual Selection. The principle outcomes of my proposed research are fundamental knowledge, training of young scientists and the improvement of Australia's research capacity and profile. My research will have a major impact on two major branches of evolutionary biology that are seldom integrated - sexual selection and quantitative genetics. My research will enable me to establish myself as an independent researcher. Moreover, my collaborations ....The Maintenance of Genetic Variation by Antagonistic Sexual Selection. The principle outcomes of my proposed research are fundamental knowledge, training of young scientists and the improvement of Australia's research capacity and profile. My research will have a major impact on two major branches of evolutionary biology that are seldom integrated - sexual selection and quantitative genetics. My research will enable me to establish myself as an independent researcher. Moreover, my collaborations with one of the leading research laboratories in the UK, will teach me several modern techniques that I can disseminate to Australian students participating on the proposed project.Read moreRead less
Putting sexual selection in a life-history context: What is meant by genetic quality? Theories of sexual signalling have been developed largely without reference to life-history theory and quantitative genetics. We will test recent theory that shows the costs of signals are best measured in units of future survival and reproduction. In a series of field and laboratory experiments on the cricket Teleogryllus commodus, we will test the idea that the "male genetic quality" referred to by good-genes ....Putting sexual selection in a life-history context: What is meant by genetic quality? Theories of sexual signalling have been developed largely without reference to life-history theory and quantitative genetics. We will test recent theory that shows the costs of signals are best measured in units of future survival and reproduction. In a series of field and laboratory experiments on the cricket Teleogryllus commodus, we will test the idea that the "male genetic quality" referred to by good-genes models of sexual selection is quality in the general ability to acquire resources, rather than in how resources are allocated among fitness components.Read moreRead less
The Geometry of Genetic Limits to Evolutionary Change. Genetic limits to evolutionary change are a fundamental issue for plant and animal improvement, as well as understanding how natural populations may respond to human-induced changes such as habitat degradation and climate change. Because we still know very little about how genetic variation is distributed among the multiple traits that are likely to respond to selection in such circumstances, we have no way of directly measuring the evoluti ....The Geometry of Genetic Limits to Evolutionary Change. Genetic limits to evolutionary change are a fundamental issue for plant and animal improvement, as well as understanding how natural populations may respond to human-induced changes such as habitat degradation and climate change. Because we still know very little about how genetic variation is distributed among the multiple traits that are likely to respond to selection in such circumstances, we have no way of directly measuring the evolutionary potential of any natural population. In this proposal, we develop the theory, statistical tools, and experimental designs to investigate the nature and prevalence of these multivariate genetic constraints.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0561251
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$150,887.00
Summary
Facility for Analyses of Evolutionary Immunology. Our understanding of how selection in natural populations shape (favour and disfavour) immunity, and how this process contribute to organismal (including human) fitness, is rudimentary. In order to study such processes our collective experience strongly suggests and increasing need for geographic amalgamation of necessary and complementary molecular and biomedical techniques. We therefore request funding to establish a collaborative research labo ....Facility for Analyses of Evolutionary Immunology. Our understanding of how selection in natural populations shape (favour and disfavour) immunity, and how this process contribute to organismal (including human) fitness, is rudimentary. In order to study such processes our collective experience strongly suggests and increasing need for geographic amalgamation of necessary and complementary molecular and biomedical techniques. We therefore request funding to establish a collaborative research laboratory in a novel research field - Evolutionary Immuno-Ecology- in which all vital aspects, from a mechanistic to an evolutionary level, can be studied at one research centre.Read moreRead less
The functional genomics of locust migratory behaviour. Unravelling the molecular genetic basis of locust migratory behaviour will place Australia at the forefront of international biological research and simultaneously contribute to the development of new and safer ways to manage these notorious agricultural pests. We will use genomics and gene expression analyses to identify the suite of genes involved in the behavioural changes that catalyse locust swarm formation and migration. This collabor ....The functional genomics of locust migratory behaviour. Unravelling the molecular genetic basis of locust migratory behaviour will place Australia at the forefront of international biological research and simultaneously contribute to the development of new and safer ways to manage these notorious agricultural pests. We will use genomics and gene expression analyses to identify the suite of genes involved in the behavioural changes that catalyse locust swarm formation and migration. This collaborative study will enhance international relations with China, foster the development of gene-focused locust control strategies, and provide an exemplar study of an important and complex problem faced by Australia and international community.Read moreRead less
Evolutionary biomedicine: genetic pathologies as selection agents in three model systems. Our environment is changing at a rate never seen before, rendering organisms 'maladapted' if they cannot evolve quickly enough - that is, there will be a mismatch between their genes and the environment in which they evolved. Humans are the most extreme example; maladaptation in modern society elevates risk of cancer, heart disease and psychological disorders (e.g., anxiety probably evolved to help escape p ....Evolutionary biomedicine: genetic pathologies as selection agents in three model systems. Our environment is changing at a rate never seen before, rendering organisms 'maladapted' if they cannot evolve quickly enough - that is, there will be a mismatch between their genes and the environment in which they evolved. Humans are the most extreme example; maladaptation in modern society elevates risk of cancer, heart disease and psychological disorders (e.g., anxiety probably evolved to help escape predators). I bring together two research areas that aim to explain what causes maladaptation - reproductive medicine and evolutionary biology. Results from this research will help us better understand genetic disease, future health hazards, and predict risk factors of extinction.Read moreRead less
The genetic basis of differentiation: Towards a predictive understanding of evolution in the wild. Given that Australia cannot escape the effects of, among others, climate change and habitat deterioration, the question of how this is going to impact Australia's unique flora and fauna is an important one. Since extinction is the final consequence of the inability to adapt with sufficient speed to changing environmental conditions, this raises the issue of how well we understand the processes unde ....The genetic basis of differentiation: Towards a predictive understanding of evolution in the wild. Given that Australia cannot escape the effects of, among others, climate change and habitat deterioration, the question of how this is going to impact Australia's unique flora and fauna is an important one. Since extinction is the final consequence of the inability to adapt with sufficient speed to changing environmental conditions, this raises the issue of how well we understand the processes underlying evolutionary adaptation. This project will provide insight into the process of population divergence and the role of genetics therein, and will enhance our understanding of the effects of environmental change, habitat fragmentation and population bottlenecks on population viability and Australia's biodiversity in general. Read moreRead less
Sexual selection and the accumulation of deleterious mutations. Mutation is the ultimate source of all genetic variation. Understanding the nature of mutation, its frequency, the distribution of effects, and the forces of selection that remove mutational load from populations is therefore a central concern of genetics. The accumulation of mutational load in endangered species and in human populations, where the forces of selection tend not to operate, has the potential to create serious proble ....Sexual selection and the accumulation of deleterious mutations. Mutation is the ultimate source of all genetic variation. Understanding the nature of mutation, its frequency, the distribution of effects, and the forces of selection that remove mutational load from populations is therefore a central concern of genetics. The accumulation of mutational load in endangered species and in human populations, where the forces of selection tend not to operate, has the potential to create serious problems. We will determine the efficacy of sexual selection in preventing deleterious mutations from accumulating in populations. This project will provide research training opportunities in quantitative genetics, an enabling discipline in Biology.Read moreRead less
To be cooperative or selfish: individual decisions in a model society. Understanding the basis of cooperative behaviour is a major challenge to biological and social science. Our ability to deal with problems such as global warming and the rapid loss of biodiversity, will depend upon an unprecedented level of cooperation between individuals and countries. Our work will use an animal model that shares a number of key characteristics with the societies of our early human ancestors to explore, thro ....To be cooperative or selfish: individual decisions in a model society. Understanding the basis of cooperative behaviour is a major challenge to biological and social science. Our ability to deal with problems such as global warming and the rapid loss of biodiversity, will depend upon an unprecedented level of cooperation between individuals and countries. Our work will use an animal model that shares a number of key characteristics with the societies of our early human ancestors to explore, through experiments and detailed molecular analysis, the basis of cooperative interactions between individuals. This work will uncover the key principles that drive the evolution of cooperation in society and will help us to understand the basis of one the most important components of human nature.Read moreRead less