Improved management of coastal plankton systems by ancient DNA technology. This project aims to assemble comprehensive long term Australian plankton records spanning 50 to 1000 years, by applying ancient DNA technology to dated sediment depth cores. Long-term data for Australian coastal and estuarine waters are sparse, so cannot be used for management of fisheries, tourism or urban development. Long-term records are essential to understand how disruptive algal and jellyfish blooms, introduced sp ....Improved management of coastal plankton systems by ancient DNA technology. This project aims to assemble comprehensive long term Australian plankton records spanning 50 to 1000 years, by applying ancient DNA technology to dated sediment depth cores. Long-term data for Australian coastal and estuarine waters are sparse, so cannot be used for management of fisheries, tourism or urban development. Long-term records are essential to understand how disruptive algal and jellyfish blooms, introduced species and increased human use of coastal resources affect dynamic plankton ecosystems. This project’s findings are expected to explore cyclical patterns, define range expansions and understand and manage how dynamic coastal ecosystems respond to multistressor anthropogenic change. Findings will improve understanding of how dynamic marine environments retain their biodiversity values and critical ecological functions.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE210100028
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$3,000,000.00
Summary
Australian Membership of the International Ocean Discovery Program. This proposal is for an 18-month membership of the International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP), the world’s largest collaborative research program in Earth and Ocean sciences. The Program studies the history and current activity of the Earth by conducting seagoing coring expeditions and monitoring of instrumented boreholes, using globally unique infrastructure that Australians would otherwise have no access to. Program outcomes ....Australian Membership of the International Ocean Discovery Program. This proposal is for an 18-month membership of the International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP), the world’s largest collaborative research program in Earth and Ocean sciences. The Program studies the history and current activity of the Earth by conducting seagoing coring expeditions and monitoring of instrumented boreholes, using globally unique infrastructure that Australians would otherwise have no access to. Program outcomes include understanding past global environmental change on multiple time scales, the deep biosphere, plate tectonics, formation and distribution of resources, and generation of hazards. These outcomes are paramount to Australia’s national science and research priorities, and societal and economic prosperity.Read moreRead less
Developing and testing a novel biological reduction cell to remediate heavy metal and acid-containing industrial and mine leachates. Echo Remediation Ltd. has a new reduction cell that uses sulfur and bacteria to remove heavy metals and acidity from mine leachates, but development is now required to make it viable. The project aims to optimise the process using molecular approaches to study the effects of operating conditions on the bacterial communities. As part of the investigation, active iro ....Developing and testing a novel biological reduction cell to remediate heavy metal and acid-containing industrial and mine leachates. Echo Remediation Ltd. has a new reduction cell that uses sulfur and bacteria to remove heavy metals and acidity from mine leachates, but development is now required to make it viable. The project aims to optimise the process using molecular approaches to study the effects of operating conditions on the bacterial communities. As part of the investigation, active iron reducers will be selected and introduced to the cell (in conjunction with chemical amendments) and their colonization monitored. The new technology once developed has the potential to be used at mine sites in Australia and overseas and its employment offers a sustainable, biological "green" approach to mine waste remediation.Read moreRead less
Genetic architecture of species divergence and hybridisation in eucalypts. Eucalypts are an icon of Australia and are of great economic and ecological significance to the nation. They are the most widely planted hardwood trees in the world, but Australia is the centre of origin of most species and the custodian of this important native bioresource. Understanding the evolutionary processes that shape diversity in this internationally significant genus is important for its long-term management a ....Genetic architecture of species divergence and hybridisation in eucalypts. Eucalypts are an icon of Australia and are of great economic and ecological significance to the nation. They are the most widely planted hardwood trees in the world, but Australia is the centre of origin of most species and the custodian of this important native bioresource. Understanding the evolutionary processes that shape diversity in this internationally significant genus is important for its long-term management and conservation. This project links to large international initiatives currently underway for high-density mapping and sequencing of the eucalypt genome, to enhance the flow of information gained back to Australia for scientific, economic and environmental benefit.Read moreRead less
Quantitative genetics of Eucalyptus globulus. Eucalypt plantations in Australia have expanded rapidly over the last decade. With increasing market competition from overseas plantations for both pulp and solid wood products, Australia must maintain a competitive edge through efficiencies in production and product quality. Breeding and deployment of genetically superior planting stock is part of the solution. With global climate chance and requirements for re-afforestation in drier zones, there ....Quantitative genetics of Eucalyptus globulus. Eucalypt plantations in Australia have expanded rapidly over the last decade. With increasing market competition from overseas plantations for both pulp and solid wood products, Australia must maintain a competitive edge through efficiencies in production and product quality. Breeding and deployment of genetically superior planting stock is part of the solution. With global climate chance and requirements for re-afforestation in drier zones, there is an increasing requirement to genetically improve drought tolerance. This project will provide genetic information and strategies to back Eucalyptus globulus breeding and deployment programs for traditional as well as drier environments. Read moreRead less
Integrating electrophysiology and molecular biology to understand the role of cell membranes in bacterial responses to chill and osmotic stress. Modern food manufacture is driven by competing demands: consumers prefer foods that are 'natural', i.e. having received minimal processing and containing less preservatives, and last, but are safe. Thus, a challenge is to find minimal sets of treatments and preservatives that limit microbial growth.
Current methods to for determining limits to microbi ....Integrating electrophysiology and molecular biology to understand the role of cell membranes in bacterial responses to chill and osmotic stress. Modern food manufacture is driven by competing demands: consumers prefer foods that are 'natural', i.e. having received minimal processing and containing less preservatives, and last, but are safe. Thus, a challenge is to find minimal sets of treatments and preservatives that limit microbial growth.
Current methods to for determining limits to microbial growth are time and consuming and empirical. We will assess the potential of a new method (MIFE) to rapidly measure limits of bacterial growth under combinations of treatments. At the same time we will study how cells, and in particular how the cell membrane, responds to these stresses to provide insights for the development of new, minimal - yet safe - food preservation technologies.
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Redefining the molecular mechanism underlying crustacean metamorphosis. This project uses the astonishing lifecycle of lobster larvae to better define the pathways and discover the key genes that regulate crustacean metamorphosis. Where, when, why and how metamorphosis occurs in crustaceans are important factors affecting fisheries recruitment and aquaculture production. The project suggests that the current accepted paradigm for the molecular control of metamorphosis does not apply to lobsters ....Redefining the molecular mechanism underlying crustacean metamorphosis. This project uses the astonishing lifecycle of lobster larvae to better define the pathways and discover the key genes that regulate crustacean metamorphosis. Where, when, why and how metamorphosis occurs in crustaceans are important factors affecting fisheries recruitment and aquaculture production. The project suggests that the current accepted paradigm for the molecular control of metamorphosis does not apply to lobsters and possibly other crustaceans where larval metamorphosis and the juvenile transformation are uncoupled. Using a unique supply of cultured lobsters and advanced molecular techniques, the project aims to develop tools to trigger and synchronise metamorphosis for use in aquaculture and invasive species management.Read moreRead less
Evolutionary history and impact of adeno-associated viruses in Australia. Recently accrued evidence identifies Australia as an ideal closed-model system in which to elucidate the evolutionary history of a group of non-pathogenic viruses, known as adeno-associated viruses (AAVs). This project aims to trace back the evolutionary history of AAVs for tens of millions of years via molecular fossil imprints left behind by ancient viral invasions of Australian marsupial genomes. Concurrently, the poten ....Evolutionary history and impact of adeno-associated viruses in Australia. Recently accrued evidence identifies Australia as an ideal closed-model system in which to elucidate the evolutionary history of a group of non-pathogenic viruses, known as adeno-associated viruses (AAVs). This project aims to trace back the evolutionary history of AAVs for tens of millions of years via molecular fossil imprints left behind by ancient viral invasions of Australian marsupial genomes. Concurrently, the potential impact that these viral invasions had on the evolutionary development of their ancestral hosts will be investigated. This could facilitate previously unattainable insights into both AAV and marsupial evolution, with broader implications relevant to the advancement of the fields of virology and mammalian evolution.Read moreRead less
Geochemical, physical and microbiological controls on zinc mobility and implications for bioremediation strategies in Western Tasmanian acid mine drainage. We propose to study heavy metal pollution (e.g., zinc, arsenic, iron, tin) and biogeochemical processes operating in acid mine drainage at the abandoned Mt Bischoff tin mine in Western Tasmania. The drainage waters at this site have pH values as low as 2, but contain an extensive and thriving natural biological community. We will evaluate w ....Geochemical, physical and microbiological controls on zinc mobility and implications for bioremediation strategies in Western Tasmanian acid mine drainage. We propose to study heavy metal pollution (e.g., zinc, arsenic, iron, tin) and biogeochemical processes operating in acid mine drainage at the abandoned Mt Bischoff tin mine in Western Tasmania. The drainage waters at this site have pH values as low as 2, but contain an extensive and thriving natural biological community. We will evaluate whether the natural biogeochemical processes operating at Mt Bischoff have the potential to remediate mine waters under the full gamut of climatic conditions, so as to evaluate whether the biota could be exported to other mine sites to help in ameliorating acid drainage problems.Read moreRead less