Transitions between modes of sex-determination in a changing world. Sex-determination controls the largest variation within animals—the division into males and females. While the different systems of sex-determination—involving genetic or environmental control—are fairly well understood, transitions between these systems remain enigmatic in evolutionary biology. This project aims to address this gap by revealing the molecular change required to transition between systems, using one of only two k ....Transitions between modes of sex-determination in a changing world. Sex-determination controls the largest variation within animals—the division into males and females. While the different systems of sex-determination—involving genetic or environmental control—are fairly well understood, transitions between these systems remain enigmatic in evolutionary biology. This project aims to address this gap by revealing the molecular change required to transition between systems, using one of only two known lizard species exhibiting both genetic and temperature control of sex. This knowledge will have important implications for species conservation, facilitating predictions of highly biased sex ratios under climate change, plus potential commercial applications for species where production of one sex is favoured.Read moreRead less
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
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE240100184
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$425,000.00
Summary
Pioneering alpine epigenomics to discover adaptive genetic elements. The genetic code of native plants are yet to be explored for DNA elements that promote resilience to climate change. These elements are now ripe for discovery due to recent advances in epigenomics allowing for rapid identification. This proposal aims to discover heat-associated elements in waxy bluebells, which inhabit Australia’s vulnerable high country. Expected outcomes include new insights on gene regulatory mechanisms in n ....Pioneering alpine epigenomics to discover adaptive genetic elements. The genetic code of native plants are yet to be explored for DNA elements that promote resilience to climate change. These elements are now ripe for discovery due to recent advances in epigenomics allowing for rapid identification. This proposal aims to discover heat-associated elements in waxy bluebells, which inhabit Australia’s vulnerable high country. Expected outcomes include new insights on gene regulatory mechanisms in native plants; the generation of resources for genetic conservation, and catalysing further molecular research into Australian flora. This should provide significant benefits by revealing genome regulation in native plants, thereby improving the ability to predict the impacts of 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
Genomics and evolution of symbiont transmission in coral reefs. This project aims to understand more deeply the symbiosis between coral and the alga Symbiodinium that underpins the primary productivity, biodiversity and economic impacts of Australia's iconic Great Barrier Reef. Reef-building corals are sustained by symbiosis between the coral and the alga Symbiodinium, and breakdown of symbiosis under environmental stress leads to coral bleaching and death. This project aims to understand how ge ....Genomics and evolution of symbiont transmission in coral reefs. This project aims to understand more deeply the symbiosis between coral and the alga Symbiodinium that underpins the primary productivity, biodiversity and economic impacts of Australia's iconic Great Barrier Reef. Reef-building corals are sustained by symbiosis between the coral and the alga Symbiodinium, and breakdown of symbiosis under environmental stress leads to coral bleaching and death. This project aims to understand how genomes of differently acquired Symbiodinium have evolved to support symbiosis with corals, through sequencing of algal genomes of Symbiodinium. This knowledge will improve the precision in predicting change to inform decision-making strategies in the conservation and restoration of coral reefs.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE200101064
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$416,000.00
Summary
Exploring eco-evolutionary dynamics to predict the future of coral reefs. This project aims to predict the future of coral reefs in the rapidly changing climate of the Anthropocene by integrating state-of-the-art population genomics with evolutionary and ecological modelling. The project expects to describe pathways of genetic and non-genetic adaptation; and the strength and direction of connectivity of warm vs cold adapted coral populations - united in an eco-evolutionary framework. Expected ou ....Exploring eco-evolutionary dynamics to predict the future of coral reefs. This project aims to predict the future of coral reefs in the rapidly changing climate of the Anthropocene by integrating state-of-the-art population genomics with evolutionary and ecological modelling. The project expects to describe pathways of genetic and non-genetic adaptation; and the strength and direction of connectivity of warm vs cold adapted coral populations - united in an eco-evolutionary framework. Expected outcomes address critical gaps in data and methodology that currently hinder our ability to reliably model the evolutionary and ecological dynamics of one of the most biologically diverse, socially and economically valuable and climatically vulnerable ecosystems of our planet, contributing to their science-based management. Read moreRead less
Saving seagrass from climate change. This research aims to test whether seagrass ecosystems can be safeguarded from climate change impacts by enhancing genetic connectivity in range edge populations using novel genetic rescue approaches. We will use the range edge seagrass meadows of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Shark Bay as our model, which was significantly impacted by a marine heat wave in 2010/2011. The project will generate new knowledge on how seagrasses can adapt and survive in situ. ....Saving seagrass from climate change. This research aims to test whether seagrass ecosystems can be safeguarded from climate change impacts by enhancing genetic connectivity in range edge populations using novel genetic rescue approaches. We will use the range edge seagrass meadows of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Shark Bay as our model, which was significantly impacted by a marine heat wave in 2010/2011. The project will generate new knowledge on how seagrasses can adapt and survive in situ. Expected outcomes are improved conservation, management and restoration practices for seagrass meadows. This should provide significant benefits for long-term resilience of this economically and culturally significant ecosystem.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE210100549
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$417,328.00
Summary
Adaptive evolution and its demographic consequences today. This project aims to provide the first test of whether the rate of adaptative genetic evolution has changed in the recent decades, to quantify how much recent genetic evolution helps animal populations survive, and to increase the ability to study on-going genetic evolution in Australian wildlife. The project is of major significance as many species are currently threatened, or invading, due to rapid environmental changes, in particular ....Adaptive evolution and its demographic consequences today. This project aims to provide the first test of whether the rate of adaptative genetic evolution has changed in the recent decades, to quantify how much recent genetic evolution helps animal populations survive, and to increase the ability to study on-going genetic evolution in Australian wildlife. The project is of major significance as many species are currently threatened, or invading, due to rapid environmental changes, in particular climate change. The anticipated outcome of the project is to deliver new methods, establish a network of international and national collaborators and improve the ability to measure and to forecast how Australian animals adapt to rapidly changing environments.Read moreRead less