Sex and mutations - testing the genic capture hypothesis. The proposed project will use a novel method to test a major outstanding theoretical problem in evolutionary biology and behavioural ecology. This will strengthen Australian research in this field and contribute to the growing international recognition it currently receives. The new methods developed will be useful to other researchers interested in mutation, sexual selection and the evolution and maintenance of sex. Part of the project w ....Sex and mutations - testing the genic capture hypothesis. The proposed project will use a novel method to test a major outstanding theoretical problem in evolutionary biology and behavioural ecology. This will strengthen Australian research in this field and contribute to the growing international recognition it currently receives. The new methods developed will be useful to other researchers interested in mutation, sexual selection and the evolution and maintenance of sex. Part of the project will be conducted in collaboration with a leading researcher in the UK. This will strengthen the links between institution in Australia and the UK.Read moreRead less
Quantifying condition-dependence in sexual selection. This research centres on testing evolutionary models of sexual selection. The project has relevance for understanding the role of mutations in reducing the fitness of populations and hence has implications for the conservation of endangered species and for human health. The research also investigates how investment in one trait, such as horns, will take resources away from another, like muscle. This has implications for animal production. The ....Quantifying condition-dependence in sexual selection. This research centres on testing evolutionary models of sexual selection. The project has relevance for understanding the role of mutations in reducing the fitness of populations and hence has implications for the conservation of endangered species and for human health. The research also investigates how investment in one trait, such as horns, will take resources away from another, like muscle. This has implications for animal production. The project utilises pest species as research models and will hence provide further understanding of pest life-history, knowledge critical to the success of control programmes. Australian science will further benefit through the research fellow's established collaborations with international scientists.Read moreRead less
Sources of genetic and phenotypic variation in sexual selection. This project will contribute towards Australia's reputation as a country where excellent and original research in evolutionary biology is conducted. The project will focus on the evolution of mate choice in the Western Australian rainbowfish, which has never been formally studied. Our research will therefore work towards a better understanding of Australian native fauna. Conceptually, the work encompasses new and innovative experim ....Sources of genetic and phenotypic variation in sexual selection. This project will contribute towards Australia's reputation as a country where excellent and original research in evolutionary biology is conducted. The project will focus on the evolution of mate choice in the Western Australian rainbowfish, which has never been formally studied. Our research will therefore work towards a better understanding of Australian native fauna. Conceptually, the work encompasses new and innovative experimental procedures that will address fundamental questions in sexual selection. The results will ultimately be geared towards publication in the highest ranking journals, thereby promoting Australian science on the international stage. Australian science will further benefit from the training of young scientists.Read moreRead less
Postcopulatory sexual selection and intraspecific variation in sperm competition traits. This project will contribute towards Australia's burgeoning reputation as a country where excellent and original research in behavioural ecology and evolution is conducted. By focusing on the evolution and function of sperm and genitalic traits, the project will address fundamental questions at the core of contemporary evolutionary research, thereby yielding results that will have a significant international ....Postcopulatory sexual selection and intraspecific variation in sperm competition traits. This project will contribute towards Australia's burgeoning reputation as a country where excellent and original research in behavioural ecology and evolution is conducted. By focusing on the evolution and function of sperm and genitalic traits, the project will address fundamental questions at the core of contemporary evolutionary research, thereby yielding results that will have a significant international impact. Australian science will further benefit from the research fellow's established collaborations with international scientists and through the training of young scientists.Read moreRead less
Host plant choice by marine herbivores: ecological, genetic and historical constraints. Understanding the factors that determine plant choice by herbivores is crucial to predicting the ecological effects of herbivores on plants and herbivore adaptation to plants. This proposal aims to establish how evolution of host choice by a marine herbivore is constrained by ecological, genetic and historical factors. It will determine how the spatial arrangement of plants modifies host use, and whether evol ....Host plant choice by marine herbivores: ecological, genetic and historical constraints. Understanding the factors that determine plant choice by herbivores is crucial to predicting the ecological effects of herbivores on plants and herbivore adaptation to plants. This proposal aims to establish how evolution of host choice by a marine herbivore is constrained by ecological, genetic and historical factors. It will determine how the spatial arrangement of plants modifies host use, and whether evolutionary change by herbivores is constrained by genetic relationships among herbivore traits. The generality of important evolutionary hypotheses that predict plant choice by herbivores will be tested by extending such theory to new organisms and environments.Read moreRead less
Assessing Effects of Petroleum Oil Pollution on Estuarine Rock Platform Invertebrate Communities. The effects of oil spills on our native intertidal organisms are virtually unknown. For some years before and since a major oil spill in Sydney, 1999, we have conducted impact and recovery studies on rock platform species assemblages of Port Jackson. Results show impacts at both community and individual species levels. This project aims to answer important questions arising from this work and wou ....Assessing Effects of Petroleum Oil Pollution on Estuarine Rock Platform Invertebrate Communities. The effects of oil spills on our native intertidal organisms are virtually unknown. For some years before and since a major oil spill in Sydney, 1999, we have conducted impact and recovery studies on rock platform species assemblages of Port Jackson. Results show impacts at both community and individual species levels. This project aims to answer important questions arising from this work and would allow: (1) to establish a cause and effect relationship between oil exposure and Australian invertebrate species responses(2) generate quantitative chronic and acute oil impact data on invertebrate species at a range of oil exposures and best practice amelioration, (3) generation of the first toxicological data of the impact of oil pollutants on Australian estuarine invertebrates, (4)investigation of possible early-warning biomarkers of oil exposure, and (5) rapid assessment monitoring procedures for future environmental management of our estuarine systems.Read moreRead less
Mechanisms of colour production and the evolution of animal signals. This project aims to reveal how diverse colours are produced in reptiles and the information these colours convey about individual health, condition and performance. The project evaluates how stress affects both pigment deposition and the nano-structure of cells and tissues, which together produce colour. By comparing similar colours generated by two entirely different classes of pigment (carotenoids and pteridines), this proje ....Mechanisms of colour production and the evolution of animal signals. This project aims to reveal how diverse colours are produced in reptiles and the information these colours convey about individual health, condition and performance. The project evaluates how stress affects both pigment deposition and the nano-structure of cells and tissues, which together produce colour. By comparing similar colours generated by two entirely different classes of pigment (carotenoids and pteridines), this project will provide new insights into the evolution of animal coloration, and will significantly enhance our understanding of pteridines, one of the most prevalent but least understood classes of pigment in vertebrates.Read moreRead less
Testing our knowledge on the dawn of animal life: evidence from the fossil record against modern ecological and morphological analogues. The Cambrian 'Explosion', half a billion years ago, is regarded as one of the most important events in the history of the Earth, when most major animal groups first appear in the rock record, and for which South Australia has recently become a significant source of spectacular fossils. However, important questions remain regarding their Ediacaran roots, the spe ....Testing our knowledge on the dawn of animal life: evidence from the fossil record against modern ecological and morphological analogues. The Cambrian 'Explosion', half a billion years ago, is regarded as one of the most important events in the history of the Earth, when most major animal groups first appear in the rock record, and for which South Australia has recently become a significant source of spectacular fossils. However, important questions remain regarding their Ediacaran roots, the speed of evolution at the time, and the environments in which the radiation took place. Studying the fossil evidence in the light of present-day ecological frameworks, and in comparison with modern behavioural and morphological analogues, as well as living relatives, can help us better assess our understanding of this first radiation of animals.Read moreRead less
Unlocking the paradox of imperfect mimicry. This project aims to resolve why some mimics resemble their models closely, whereas others are only superficially similar. The existence of imperfect mimics makes understanding the biology of mimicry difficult. This project addresses the difficulty by evaluating competing hypotheses. It will combine morphometrics, colourmetrics and phylogenomics with predator behaviour across several independent lineages of mimetic arthropods. Predicted outcomes includ ....Unlocking the paradox of imperfect mimicry. This project aims to resolve why some mimics resemble their models closely, whereas others are only superficially similar. The existence of imperfect mimics makes understanding the biology of mimicry difficult. This project addresses the difficulty by evaluating competing hypotheses. It will combine morphometrics, colourmetrics and phylogenomics with predator behaviour across several independent lineages of mimetic arthropods. Predicted outcomes include advancing the understanding of mimicry by distinguishing between competing hypotheses. The project will generate open access genomic, morphological and behavioural databases for the scientific and public communities.Read moreRead less
Predicting invertebrate life cycles under variable climates. This project seeks to characterise and predict the responses of invertebrates to climate variability and climate change. Alterations to the developmental trajectory are a major way that organisms adapt their life cycles to climatic variability. Many invertebrates avoid extremes of heat, cold and dry by entering a quiescent or diapause state, often at the egg stage. This project plans to apply novel high-throughput methods for character ....Predicting invertebrate life cycles under variable climates. This project seeks to characterise and predict the responses of invertebrates to climate variability and climate change. Alterations to the developmental trajectory are a major way that organisms adapt their life cycles to climatic variability. Many invertebrates avoid extremes of heat, cold and dry by entering a quiescent or diapause state, often at the egg stage. This project plans to apply novel high-throughput methods for characterising developmental patterns in the eggs of invertebrates in conjunction with microclimate models and modern phylogenetic methods to understand and predict responses to climatic variability. The methods are expected to be transferable to other invertebrates and may lead to breakthroughs in pest management and conservation.Read moreRead less