Origins of invertebrate fauna in Australia since the Cretaceous: a molecular approach using bees as a model taxon. Australia's unique biota is vital for ecological, recreational, and economic reasons, and is a major resource that we need to understand and manage. This project is aimed at understanding the genesis of this biota, and will help us anticipate what lies ahead, in terms of the impact of exotic species and climate change. Benefits also include developing world class scientific profiles ....Origins of invertebrate fauna in Australia since the Cretaceous: a molecular approach using bees as a model taxon. Australia's unique biota is vital for ecological, recreational, and economic reasons, and is a major resource that we need to understand and manage. This project is aimed at understanding the genesis of this biota, and will help us anticipate what lies ahead, in terms of the impact of exotic species and climate change. Benefits also include developing world class scientific profiles with consequent flow-on effects, including international collaboration, and enhanced teaching and awareness of native biota. The project will maintain our already strong track record for training a large number of postgraduate and honours students in benchmark evolutionary research techniques. Read moreRead less
Climate change and cryptic biodiversity in the Australian arid-zone: Molecular phylogeny-based assessment of conservation priorities. Australia's arid zone comprises two thirds of the country yet from a climate change, biodiversity, and conservation point of view it has received little attention relative to eastern Australia. The project will address broad questions in evolutionary biology with unique Australian systems, make a world class contribution to the fields of phylogeography, molecular ....Climate change and cryptic biodiversity in the Australian arid-zone: Molecular phylogeny-based assessment of conservation priorities. Australia's arid zone comprises two thirds of the country yet from a climate change, biodiversity, and conservation point of view it has received little attention relative to eastern Australia. The project will address broad questions in evolutionary biology with unique Australian systems, make a world class contribution to the fields of phylogeography, molecular phylogenetics and conservation genetics and contribute substantially to the continued training of high quality research students and postdoctoral fellows. The project directly addresses two National Priority Research Areas and will supply of critical information to the eight biggest of the 57 Natural Resource Management Regions. Read moreRead less
Comparative phylogeography and conservation genetics of Australia's biodiversity hotspot. Southwestern Australia has been identified as one of the world's 25 biodiversity hotspots. The project will address broad questions in evolutionary biology with unique Australian systems, make a world class contribution to the fields of phylogeography, molecular phylogenetics and conservation genetics and contribute substantially to the continued training of high quality research students. I am a foundation ....Comparative phylogeography and conservation genetics of Australia's biodiversity hotspot. Southwestern Australia has been identified as one of the world's 25 biodiversity hotspots. The project will address broad questions in evolutionary biology with unique Australian systems, make a world class contribution to the fields of phylogeography, molecular phylogenetics and conservation genetics and contribute substantially to the continued training of high quality research students. I am a foundation member of the new ARC Environmental Futures Network: Discovering the Past and Present to Shape the Future. One of its primary listed objectives is "documenting Australia's biodiversity: recognising, understanding and managing key hotspots". My research plan fits in precisely with this research agenda. Read moreRead less
Australia's monsoon tropical flora: invader or relict? The monsoonal tropics is a large region with unique yet poorly understood biodiversity. It is undergoing rapid agricultural, urban and tourist development, all of which threaten the sustainability of that biodiversity. The region includes three World Heritage areas, all with flora in their listed values: Kakadu National Park, Purnulu NP (Bungle Bungles) and Riversleigh. Additionally, the Kimberley is considered one of the last great wilderne ....Australia's monsoon tropical flora: invader or relict? The monsoonal tropics is a large region with unique yet poorly understood biodiversity. It is undergoing rapid agricultural, urban and tourist development, all of which threaten the sustainability of that biodiversity. The region includes three World Heritage areas, all with flora in their listed values: Kakadu National Park, Purnulu NP (Bungle Bungles) and Riversleigh. Additionally, the Kimberley is considered one of the last great wilderness areas in the world. This project will help us understand the evolutionary and geographic origins of the biodiversity of the monsoonal tropics, including the World Heritage areas, and it will identify those components that are uniquely Australian and therefore have the greatest heritage values.Read moreRead less
Macroecology and phylogeny: the effects of evolutionary history on rarity and extinction risk in Australian vertebrates. We will combine ecological and phylogenetic analysis of Australian vertebrates to show how abundance and geographic range in living species has been shaped by the historical processes of speciation, transformations of range and abundance in relation to species age, and selective extinction. Our analysis will throw new light on the processes that have generated species diversit ....Macroecology and phylogeny: the effects of evolutionary history on rarity and extinction risk in Australian vertebrates. We will combine ecological and phylogenetic analysis of Australian vertebrates to show how abundance and geographic range in living species has been shaped by the historical processes of speciation, transformations of range and abundance in relation to species age, and selective extinction. Our analysis will throw new light on the processes that have generated species diversity in Australian vertebrates. We will also gain new understanding of the causes of rarity and vulnerability to extinction among living species, which will result in better identification and management of species at risk of extinction.Read moreRead less
Why aren't all species everywhere? The evolution of species' borders in tropical reef fishes. Virtually nothing is known about how geographic range limits evolve in the wild in the absence of barriers to dispersal and habitat discontinuities. This project will investigate the evolution of range limits of fishes on the Great Barrier Reef using combinations of mathematical modelling and field- and laboratory-based analyses of evolutionary patterns and processes. By advancing understanding of the ....Why aren't all species everywhere? The evolution of species' borders in tropical reef fishes. Virtually nothing is known about how geographic range limits evolve in the wild in the absence of barriers to dispersal and habitat discontinuities. This project will investigate the evolution of range limits of fishes on the Great Barrier Reef using combinations of mathematical modelling and field- and laboratory-based analyses of evolutionary patterns and processes. By advancing understanding of the fundamental causes of species' range limits, this research will provide new options for the management and conservation of this very valuable resource, and other complex biological systems, under increasing pressures of exploitation, habitat degradation and climate change.Read moreRead less
Inbreeding: what are the reproductive costs and how are they avoided? Inbreeding in animal populations will undoubtedly become more prevalent in the face of increased habitat fragmentation brought on by human activities and climate change. By increasing our understanding of how inbreeding influences reproductive traits, my research will be directly applicable to conservation programs, specifically by providing insights into how Australia's rich biodiversity will respond to climate change and var ....Inbreeding: what are the reproductive costs and how are they avoided? Inbreeding in animal populations will undoubtedly become more prevalent in the face of increased habitat fragmentation brought on by human activities and climate change. By increasing our understanding of how inbreeding influences reproductive traits, my research will be directly applicable to conservation programs, specifically by providing insights into how Australia's rich biodiversity will respond to climate change and variability. This project also addresses critical issues in evolutionary biology, thereby contributing towards Australia's reputation as a world leader in this field. Australian science will further benefit through international collaborations and from the training of young scientists.Read moreRead less
Effects of ants and ant-mediated dispersal on speciation rates, biogeography and diversity of angiosperms. This work seeks to improve our general understanding of longstanding questions in ecology in evolution, namely what are the processes that have allowed some groups to become diverse and others not, why does dispersal mode vary with geography, and how do speciation and extinction vary across space, time and taxon? In answering these questions, we will address some of the most fundamental que ....Effects of ants and ant-mediated dispersal on speciation rates, biogeography and diversity of angiosperms. This work seeks to improve our general understanding of longstanding questions in ecology in evolution, namely what are the processes that have allowed some groups to become diverse and others not, why does dispersal mode vary with geography, and how do speciation and extinction vary across space, time and taxon? In answering these questions, we will address some of the most fundamental questions in conservation, including what are the factors that make species geographically rare, which species are most at risk for climate change, and what are the factors that have led habitats like the Kwongan Heath and Fynbos to be so exceptionally biodiverse.Read moreRead less
How are visual gene pathways lost and restored during reptile evolution? This project aims to investigate how complex traits are lost during evolution, and once lost if they can be regained. The project will use the diverse visual systems of snakes and lizards to shed light on the process of gene loss in degenerative lineages, and discover the mechanisms that compensate for gene losses in taxa with secondarily evolved visual capabilities- providing a case of evolutionary re-innovation in complex ....How are visual gene pathways lost and restored during reptile evolution? This project aims to investigate how complex traits are lost during evolution, and once lost if they can be regained. The project will use the diverse visual systems of snakes and lizards to shed light on the process of gene loss in degenerative lineages, and discover the mechanisms that compensate for gene losses in taxa with secondarily evolved visual capabilities- providing a case of evolutionary re-innovation in complex traits.Read moreRead less