Structural reorganization of the hymenopteran mitochondrial genome. This study will be the first detailed investigation of the evolution of mt genome reorganization, and as such it will identify the processes that shape the evolution of a molecule widely used to interpret phylogeny. A description of the processes that lead to mt genome reorganization will have a substantial impact on our understanding in two areas of mt biology; (1) the discovery of new molecular phenomena that impact on the or ....Structural reorganization of the hymenopteran mitochondrial genome. This study will be the first detailed investigation of the evolution of mt genome reorganization, and as such it will identify the processes that shape the evolution of a molecule widely used to interpret phylogeny. A description of the processes that lead to mt genome reorganization will have a substantial impact on our understanding in two areas of mt biology; (1) the discovery of new molecular phenomena that impact on the organization and evolution of this genome, and (2) the interpretation of its phylogenetic content. It will establish our research group as a leader in the field of evolutionary genetics. Training of high quality students, with exposure to international researchers, will be a significant component of this program.Read moreRead less
A framework linking tree species coexistence, zonation and patterns of species richness in forests. Our curiosity-driven proposal capitalizes on a superb opportunity afforded by the occurrence of forest vegetation across a wide range of climates and soils in eastern Australia, an ideal setting for testing ideas about how environment shapes plant evolution as well as forest structure and dynamics. This research will contribute to international interchange of ideas by promoting interaction with co ....A framework linking tree species coexistence, zonation and patterns of species richness in forests. Our curiosity-driven proposal capitalizes on a superb opportunity afforded by the occurrence of forest vegetation across a wide range of climates and soils in eastern Australia, an ideal setting for testing ideas about how environment shapes plant evolution as well as forest structure and dynamics. This research will contribute to international interchange of ideas by promoting interaction with collaborators in New Zealand, and will generate a series of publications in high-impact international journals. We will help Australians better understand the forces that shape patterns of woody vegetation across local landscapes, and our carbon-balance framework may shed light on the causes of rarity of some tree species with conservation problems.Read moreRead less
Testing links between genomic and morphological evolutionary rates. This project aims to identify, understand, and characterise patterns of evolutionary rates across different levels of biological variation. The project expects to generate knowledge about the tempo and mode of evolution by using a phylogenetic approach to test fundamental models of evolutionary rates, including the link between rates of genomic and morphological evolution. Expected outcomes of this project include detailed insig ....Testing links between genomic and morphological evolutionary rates. This project aims to identify, understand, and characterise patterns of evolutionary rates across different levels of biological variation. The project expects to generate knowledge about the tempo and mode of evolution by using a phylogenetic approach to test fundamental models of evolutionary rates, including the link between rates of genomic and morphological evolution. Expected outcomes of this project include detailed insights into the tempo and mode of macroevolution, better modelling of genomic and phenotypic evolution, and improved design of studies in evolutionary genomics. Benefits of the project include greater understanding of the evolutionary processes that have generated the diversity of the Australian biota.Read moreRead less
The influence of breeding synchrony on avian reproductive strategies. Australia has a strong international reputation for research on avian evolutionary biology, in part, because of our diverse and unique avifauna. This research will resolve one of the more contentious issues in this field concerning the influence of breeding synchrony on a range of reproductive behaviours. Our experimental approach incorporates a series of new and innovative techniques and will help maintain Australia's leading ....The influence of breeding synchrony on avian reproductive strategies. Australia has a strong international reputation for research on avian evolutionary biology, in part, because of our diverse and unique avifauna. This research will resolve one of the more contentious issues in this field concerning the influence of breeding synchrony on a range of reproductive behaviours. Our experimental approach incorporates a series of new and innovative techniques and will help maintain Australia's leading role in this area. The project will provide intensive training for students and also promote awareness about Australia's bird life to a wide audience, including rural communities who have a critical role in the long-term preservation of many species.Read moreRead less
Female roles during postcopulatory sexual selection. The project will evaluate the importance of postcopulatory sexual selection in the guppy, a polyandrous species of livebearing fish. The use of artificial insemination, which experimentally controls the relative contribution of sperm from competing males (as well as other confounding effects), will facilitate a powerful test of recent theoretical predictions in evolutionary biology. The project will enable me to distinguish between competing h ....Female roles during postcopulatory sexual selection. The project will evaluate the importance of postcopulatory sexual selection in the guppy, a polyandrous species of livebearing fish. The use of artificial insemination, which experimentally controls the relative contribution of sperm from competing males (as well as other confounding effects), will facilitate a powerful test of recent theoretical predictions in evolutionary biology. The project will enable me to distinguish between competing hypotheses for postcopulatory paternity bias following female multiple mating (sperm competition, cryptic female choice, genetic compatibility) and provide additional insights into the selective forces promoting the evolution of female promiscuity.Read moreRead less
Retracing the Early Evolution of Metazoa using Novel Methods and Strategies. Metazoa is one of the best-characterised groups of species in terms of its morphology, fossil record, development, and genetic make-up, but the phylogeny remains obscure because the fossil record is incomplete and because molecular phylogenetic methods have not yet been developed with the complexity of genomic data in mind. We will develop methods and strategies for the analysis of whole genomes, and use them in studies ....Retracing the Early Evolution of Metazoa using Novel Methods and Strategies. Metazoa is one of the best-characterised groups of species in terms of its morphology, fossil record, development, and genetic make-up, but the phylogeny remains obscure because the fossil record is incomplete and because molecular phylogenetic methods have not yet been developed with the complexity of genomic data in mind. We will develop methods and strategies for the analysis of whole genomes, and use them in studies of the mitochondrial genome. We will infer the animal phylogeny, and use it to chart the evolution of animal morphology and development, and the evolution of mitochondrial genetic codes, gene order, and nucleotide content.Read moreRead less
The physiological ecology of forest succession: explaining shade tolerance variation in evergreen and deciduous trees. This work will strengthen both the theoretical framework and the local knowledge base for sustainable timber production from natural forests, and for habitat restoration programs (National Research Priority 1.5: Sustainable Use of Australia's Biodiversity). These same advances of global and local relevance will also enable better quality input into models predicting vegetation d ....The physiological ecology of forest succession: explaining shade tolerance variation in evergreen and deciduous trees. This work will strengthen both the theoretical framework and the local knowledge base for sustainable timber production from natural forests, and for habitat restoration programs (National Research Priority 1.5: Sustainable Use of Australia's Biodiversity). These same advances of global and local relevance will also enable better quality input into models predicting vegetation dynamics under climate change scenarios (Research Priority 1.7: Responding to climate change & variability). Furthermore, by clarifying relationships of shade tolerance with other stress-tolerance strategies, this work will help us understand the evolutionary potential of local floras to respond to global change.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE180100306
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$365,058.00
Summary
Does spurious maternal-fetal signalling support the evolution of a placenta. This project aims to test a model that explains how the placenta has evolved as a new organ more than 100 times in fishes, reptiles, and mammals including our own ancestors. The project will assess whether regulatory components of the placenta evolve as a result of spurious maternal-fetal signalling following egg retention and eggshell loss in viviparous reptiles. Expected outcomes of this project include a new understa ....Does spurious maternal-fetal signalling support the evolution of a placenta. This project aims to test a model that explains how the placenta has evolved as a new organ more than 100 times in fishes, reptiles, and mammals including our own ancestors. The project will assess whether regulatory components of the placenta evolve as a result of spurious maternal-fetal signalling following egg retention and eggshell loss in viviparous reptiles. Expected outcomes of this project include a new understanding of how complex organs originate and evolve in animals. This will benefit society through a broader depth of understanding of our own evolutionary history and provides a framework for future studies to investigate the origin and evolution of organs more broadly in animals.Read moreRead less
Signal manipulation in orb-web spiders. A number of diverse orb-web spiders adorn their webs with conspicuous silk bands called decorations or stabilimenta. Their function remains controversial, but they may act as a visual signal to either attract prey, deter predators or prevent web damage by large non-prey animals. We will test these hypotheses on several Australian orb-web species using field and laboratory experiments. Furthermore, we will investigate the effect of web decorations on specie ....Signal manipulation in orb-web spiders. A number of diverse orb-web spiders adorn their webs with conspicuous silk bands called decorations or stabilimenta. Their function remains controversial, but they may act as a visual signal to either attract prey, deter predators or prevent web damage by large non-prey animals. We will test these hypotheses on several Australian orb-web species using field and laboratory experiments. Furthermore, we will investigate the effect of web decorations on species radiation and hence diversity using molecular techniques to establish phylogenies. This will, at least in part, help resolve this century old debate surrounding web decorations.Read moreRead less
Evolution of maternal provisioning in echinoderms: characterisation of egg nutrients and their roles in development. In the complex life histories of marine invertebrates modification of maternal provisioning lies at the nexus between the evolution of development and speciation in the sea. This project investigates the relationship between egg nutritive profile and developmental mode in echinoderms. It uses the Patiriella sea stars, a powerful model to examine evolution of egg constituents in a ....Evolution of maternal provisioning in echinoderms: characterisation of egg nutrients and their roles in development. In the complex life histories of marine invertebrates modification of maternal provisioning lies at the nexus between the evolution of development and speciation in the sea. This project investigates the relationship between egg nutritive profile and developmental mode in echinoderms. It uses the Patiriella sea stars, a powerful model to examine evolution of egg constituents in ancestral-type developers with small eggs and derived developers exhibiting multiple parallel evolution of large eggs. This project provides insights into evolutionary fine-tuning of oogenesis and its influence on larval type and location of development, features that strongly influence the biogeography of marine invertebrate populations.Read moreRead less