Fine-scale resolution of genomes in natural microbial communities. This project aims to develop advanced molecular and statistical techniques to precisely resolve the genomes of microbes in the environment. Microbes inhabit every niche on the planet and are fundamental to human and animal health, agriculture, and the environment. The proposed technology will advance our understanding of environmental microbes, leading to advances in areas like climate science and biosecurity where microbes play ....Fine-scale resolution of genomes in natural microbial communities. This project aims to develop advanced molecular and statistical techniques to precisely resolve the genomes of microbes in the environment. Microbes inhabit every niche on the planet and are fundamental to human and animal health, agriculture, and the environment. The proposed technology will advance our understanding of environmental microbes, leading to advances in areas like climate science and biosecurity where microbes play a key role. It will also support the development of billion dollar industries focused on the use of beneficial microbes in agriculture, plant, animal, and human health.Read moreRead less
Do hotter and drier regions harbour adaptive variation for climate change? This project aims to improve our understanding of the capacity of trees to respond to climate change. This is essential for the maintenance of biodiversity, forest health and productivity. In south-west Australia, climate variation has increased the frequency and intensity of droughts, which has resulted in tree death and negatively affected essential ecosystem services. Adaptive land management is urgently needed to miti ....Do hotter and drier regions harbour adaptive variation for climate change? This project aims to improve our understanding of the capacity of trees to respond to climate change. This is essential for the maintenance of biodiversity, forest health and productivity. In south-west Australia, climate variation has increased the frequency and intensity of droughts, which has resulted in tree death and negatively affected essential ecosystem services. Adaptive land management is urgently needed to mitigate the risk of large-scale drought mortality in a rapidly changing climate. This project seeks to deliver a scientific basis for the adoption of assisted gene migration in south-west forests, through a detailed understanding of genetic adaptation and physiological tolerance, to improve drought-resilience under future hotter and drier climates.Read moreRead less
Microbial genomics of the southern ocean: monitoring environmental health. This program will derive an integrated understanding of microbial ecology which is essential for determining ways of preserving the health of the World's ecosystems. Through the development of a unique microbial genomics program, Australia will remain a world leader in Antarctic biology, strengthening Australia's reputation in technologically innovative scientific programs of global significance, training local scientists ....Microbial genomics of the southern ocean: monitoring environmental health. This program will derive an integrated understanding of microbial ecology which is essential for determining ways of preserving the health of the World's ecosystems. Through the development of a unique microbial genomics program, Australia will remain a world leader in Antarctic biology, strengthening Australia's reputation in technologically innovative scientific programs of global significance, training local scientists in cutting edge genomic biology and fostering the interests of the international community in sciences ranging from microbial ecology to climate change.Read moreRead less
Genomic signatures of adaptive diversification in woodland Eucalyptus. This project aims to map the sources of adaptive alleles underlying diversification is to reveal insights into the mechanisms of speciation. The source of the raw material for evolution can have significant impacts on the speed with which populations can adapt. An emerging pattern in speciation research is the importance of ancient alleles and introgressed genes, which differ in the genomic signatures left by selection. Eucal ....Genomic signatures of adaptive diversification in woodland Eucalyptus. This project aims to map the sources of adaptive alleles underlying diversification is to reveal insights into the mechanisms of speciation. The source of the raw material for evolution can have significant impacts on the speed with which populations can adapt. An emerging pattern in speciation research is the importance of ancient alleles and introgressed genes, which differ in the genomic signatures left by selection. Eucalyptus offers a unique opportunity to explore these modes of evolution using the latest genomic tools. Improving our understanding of adaptation and genetic variation in woodland eucalypts is expected to make a significant contribution to their conservation, management and restoration.Read moreRead less
Sex determination in dragons: Genetics, epigenetics and environment. This project aims to discover the master sex-determining gene in a reptile, how that gene is differentially regulated in males and females and by temperature, and to identify evolutionary drivers of transitions between genetic and environmental sex determination. In many reptiles, like mammals, chromosomes determine sex. In others, the temperature at which their eggs are incubated determines sex. This project will study how tem ....Sex determination in dragons: Genetics, epigenetics and environment. This project aims to discover the master sex-determining gene in a reptile, how that gene is differentially regulated in males and females and by temperature, and to identify evolutionary drivers of transitions between genetic and environmental sex determination. In many reptiles, like mammals, chromosomes determine sex. In others, the temperature at which their eggs are incubated determines sex. This project will study how temperature reverses chromosomal sex determination in dragon lizards. This could show how climatic extremes affect the biology of climate sensitive reptiles, and understand their vulnerability to climate change.Read moreRead less
Fisheries genomics of snapper in Australia and New Zealand Waters. This industry-driven project aims to assemble a strategic research alliance to generate and apply knowledge to a highly significant fisheries resource. It involves collaboration between the five major state government fisheries agencies in Australia, the New Zealand’s Crown Research Institute for seafood and two Australian labs with leadership in fish genetics and genomics. It expects to generate and integrate genomic, environmen ....Fisheries genomics of snapper in Australia and New Zealand Waters. This industry-driven project aims to assemble a strategic research alliance to generate and apply knowledge to a highly significant fisheries resource. It involves collaboration between the five major state government fisheries agencies in Australia, the New Zealand’s Crown Research Institute for seafood and two Australian labs with leadership in fish genetics and genomics. It expects to generate and integrate genomic, environmental and phenotypic datasets for snapper populations from across vast coastal regions of the two countries. The outcomes should substantially enhance intra- and inter-jurisdictional fisheries management and aquaculture initiatives, providing commercial, social and environmental benefits for many stakeholders.Read moreRead less
Population growth, genetic variation and adaptation in two Caulerpa species in southeastern Australia. This project will examine factors that influence the population growth, reproduction, genetic variation and adaptation in two seaweeds; the invasive Caulerpa taxifolia and the possibly invasive C. filiformis. A combination of surveys, modelling, molecular genetics and field experiments will be undertaken to achieve this. The current ambiguity surrounding the status of C. filiformis as an inva ....Population growth, genetic variation and adaptation in two Caulerpa species in southeastern Australia. This project will examine factors that influence the population growth, reproduction, genetic variation and adaptation in two seaweeds; the invasive Caulerpa taxifolia and the possibly invasive C. filiformis. A combination of surveys, modelling, molecular genetics and field experiments will be undertaken to achieve this. The current ambiguity surrounding the status of C. filiformis as an invasive species in Australia will be addressed by comparing DNA sequences of Australian and African plants. This project will provide critical data for managing invasive species, but more broadly, increase the current understanding of their biology and the factors important in their population growth and adaptation.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
Can lateral gene transfer lead to ecological innovation in eukaryotes? The role of saxitoxin in the diversification of Alexandrium. This project will determine the processes that led to the acquisition and diversification of the genetic basis for a potent neurotoxin, saxitoxin. This project will determine its impact on the evolution of the marine producing organisms and investigate novel genetic methods of toxin detection.