Community efficiency: testing MacArthur’s minimisation principle for competitive communities. Robert MacArthur, one of the 20th century’s greatest ecologists, developed theory that had profound impacts on our understanding of island biogeography, species coexistence, and competition, yet one of his most powerful theoretical predictions, that competitive communities should become more efficient over time, has never been tested. A greater understanding of the dynamics of community efficiency will ....Community efficiency: testing MacArthur’s minimisation principle for competitive communities. Robert MacArthur, one of the 20th century’s greatest ecologists, developed theory that had profound impacts on our understanding of island biogeography, species coexistence, and competition, yet one of his most powerful theoretical predictions, that competitive communities should become more efficient over time, has never been tested. A greater understanding of the dynamics of community efficiency will provide profound insights into the role of that community in the broader ecosystem, as well as strong predictions about the invasibility and stability of that community. Read moreRead less
Science on the continental shelf: securing our deep-sea biodiversity for the future. This project signals the start of exciting new research using manned submersibles to explore and describe the rich biodiversity inhabiting Australia’s deep-sea continental shelf. The outcomes will provide a sound basis for managing these environmental treasures against the pressing need to use the oil and gas reserves that lie under the seabed.
Life history constraints on sexual selection: an investigation using territoriality in butterflies. Contemporary studies into the evolution of male contest behaviour largely ignore the influence of life history. However, contest behaviour should be influenced by life history because the costs of fighting (injury or death) are extracted in a life history currency. Here I aim to measure reproductive value in a territorial butterfly, and to isolate the effects of this parameter, physiological condi ....Life history constraints on sexual selection: an investigation using territoriality in butterflies. Contemporary studies into the evolution of male contest behaviour largely ignore the influence of life history. However, contest behaviour should be influenced by life history because the costs of fighting (injury or death) are extracted in a life history currency. Here I aim to measure reproductive value in a territorial butterfly, and to isolate the effects of this parameter, physiological condition and fighting experience upon male aggression. I propose an innovative experimental approach to unraveling the effects of these covarying life history influences which promises exciting and highly original insights into the evolution of contest behaviour.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE130101410
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$374,080.00
Summary
To die or not to die: understanding the energetics of death in nature. By better understanding how and why organisms die, we can improve treatment and prevention of age-related diseases such as cancer. This study will use the northern quoll as a model to examine the environmental, behavioural and physiological mechanisms associated with shortened or extended lifespan in nature.
The role of plant chemical defences in the population ecology of mammal herbivores. Plants defend themselves against herbivores by producing toxic compounds in their leaves. Many studies show that such compounds influence diet selection by mammal herbivores, but we understand much less about their effects on populations of such species. This project will investigate how concentrations of leaf toxins in eucalypts affect reproductive success, distribution and abundance of the marsupials that feed ....The role of plant chemical defences in the population ecology of mammal herbivores. Plants defend themselves against herbivores by producing toxic compounds in their leaves. Many studies show that such compounds influence diet selection by mammal herbivores, but we understand much less about their effects on populations of such species. This project will investigate how concentrations of leaf toxins in eucalypts affect reproductive success, distribution and abundance of the marsupials that feed on them. The knowledge gained by this study will be important in modelling populations of these marsupial species and predicting their responses to environmental change.Read moreRead less
Does mate choice play a role in the fertilization ecology of free-spawners? Botanists have long recognised the consequences of differential compatibility between mates for breeding programs and agriculture. In important aquaculture species such as abalone and sea-urchins, similar variation in mate compatibility has been observed but current theory struggles to explain this variation and its consequences. I have identified a new explanation for this variation and will test this explanation using ....Does mate choice play a role in the fertilization ecology of free-spawners? Botanists have long recognised the consequences of differential compatibility between mates for breeding programs and agriculture. In important aquaculture species such as abalone and sea-urchins, similar variation in mate compatibility has been observed but current theory struggles to explain this variation and its consequences. I have identified a new explanation for this variation and will test this explanation using a marine invertebrate that is a model system for study around the world. A positive result offers promise of explaining how females 'select' mates in free-spawning species and explaining the consequence of this mate selection.Read moreRead less
Early life-history sex determination in reef fishes. In many fishes, gender is influenced by environmental conditions experienced after hatching. However, the timing, cues, and developmental pathways of sex determination are poorly understood. This research will establish how environmental conditions during the juvenile phase control patterns of sex determination in reef fishes and determine if sex differentiation is a response to local- or broad-scale environmental cues. An individual's gender ....Early life-history sex determination in reef fishes. In many fishes, gender is influenced by environmental conditions experienced after hatching. However, the timing, cues, and developmental pathways of sex determination are poorly understood. This research will establish how environmental conditions during the juvenile phase control patterns of sex determination in reef fishes and determine if sex differentiation is a response to local- or broad-scale environmental cues. An individual's gender has profound and significant consequences for all aspects of its biology and the mechanism of sex determination has important implications for population ecology. This project will test theory in evolutionary ecology and greatly benefit the management of reef fisheries.Read moreRead less
Australian alpine seed ecology: Plant conservation and adaptation to climate change. The Australian alpine region is critically vulnerable to climate change. Many alpine plant species are already threatened. Our project facilitates effective management of Australian alpine flora, enabling us to preserve alpine biodiversity and improve ecosystem resilience to climate change. Seed banking provides conservation of nationally vulnerable and threatened flora, providing insurance against extinction. O ....Australian alpine seed ecology: Plant conservation and adaptation to climate change. The Australian alpine region is critically vulnerable to climate change. Many alpine plant species are already threatened. Our project facilitates effective management of Australian alpine flora, enabling us to preserve alpine biodiversity and improve ecosystem resilience to climate change. Seed banking provides conservation of nationally vulnerable and threatened flora, providing insurance against extinction. Our exemplary contribution to global seed conservation provides a national resource of alpine seeds for revegetation and research and interpretive resources at the Australian National Botanic Gardens facilitate public awareness of the ecological significance and fragility of Australian alpine ecology in response to climate change.Read moreRead less
Chain formation in weaver ants: a new system for understanding the decision-making and problem-solving mechanisms of complex biological systems. Every day in Australia, groups of social insects solve problems with a skill beyond human capacity. Despite their tiny brains and simple behaviours, their daily activities mirror many of the same problems faced by human societies (regulating traffic flow, achieving 3-D construction tasks and modulating information transfer networks) and social insects s ....Chain formation in weaver ants: a new system for understanding the decision-making and problem-solving mechanisms of complex biological systems. Every day in Australia, groups of social insects solve problems with a skill beyond human capacity. Despite their tiny brains and simple behaviours, their daily activities mirror many of the same problems faced by human societies (regulating traffic flow, achieving 3-D construction tasks and modulating information transfer networks) and social insects studies have excellent track-records in providing innovative solutions. Studies of problem solving in weaver ants enhances knowledge of a significant Australian species, improves the national skill base through collaborations with overseas researchers leading this new field, and highlights Australia's role in solving internationally relevant questions, including problem-solving in complex systems.Read moreRead less
How does allocation to each sex evolve in hermaphrodites? New insight from the sea. Understanding the ability of hermaphroditic animals to adapt their sex allocation to suit environmental conditions will pave the way for integration between pure and applied research. Such understanding can provide stakeholders across a range of disciplines (natural resource management, aquaculture, conservation) with key information about genetic and environmental influences on the reproduction of many species o ....How does allocation to each sex evolve in hermaphrodites? New insight from the sea. Understanding the ability of hermaphroditic animals to adapt their sex allocation to suit environmental conditions will pave the way for integration between pure and applied research. Such understanding can provide stakeholders across a range of disciplines (natural resource management, aquaculture, conservation) with key information about genetic and environmental influences on the reproduction of many species of significant ecological, economic and social value with this mating system. This research will yield knowledge at the very forefront of evolutionary ecology, enhancing Australia's reputation for research excellence in this field, and further benefit Australian science through the training of young scientists.Read moreRead less