Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE130100073
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$280,000.00
Summary
High-throughput sample preparation robotics to enable emerging large-scale plant genomics, metabolomics and proteomics research. Discovering and breeding plants that are best suited for new environmental conditions requires the analysis of many samples to discover the underlying genes, metabolites and proteins. The project will build two robotic instruments that will facilitate the rapid grinding and extraction of plant tissues to facilitate these discoveries across Australia.
The role of atmospheric carbon dioxide in fostering hyperdiversity in Australian conifer palaeofloras. Human intervention into atmospheric processes appears to have triggered an excursion in atmospheric CO2 to levels unknown for millennia. Our ability to predict the environmental implications of such a change will play a major role in ameliorating the social and financial impact upon Australia. This project examines the ecology and function of forests that grew under CO2 levels considerably high ....The role of atmospheric carbon dioxide in fostering hyperdiversity in Australian conifer palaeofloras. Human intervention into atmospheric processes appears to have triggered an excursion in atmospheric CO2 to levels unknown for millennia. Our ability to predict the environmental implications of such a change will play a major role in ameliorating the social and financial impact upon Australia. This project examines the ecology and function of forests that grew under CO2 levels considerably higher than present, and will provide an invaluable insight into how future biological systems will function. The evidence produced by this project has potential economic flow-ons, particularly for long-term planning of softwood versus hardwood plantation forestry.Read moreRead less
Roles of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in plant competition: revealing underlying physiological and molecular mechanisms. This project will increase understanding of physiological and molecular mechanisms that enable widespread beneficial symbiotic soil fungi to influence plant productivity and biodiversity of natural and managed plant ecosystems. It will also aid biotechnological and agronomic goals of maximizing use of scarce soil nutrients, especially phosphate. Results will be important ....Roles of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in plant competition: revealing underlying physiological and molecular mechanisms. This project will increase understanding of physiological and molecular mechanisms that enable widespread beneficial symbiotic soil fungi to influence plant productivity and biodiversity of natural and managed plant ecosystems. It will also aid biotechnological and agronomic goals of maximizing use of scarce soil nutrients, especially phosphate. Results will be important for agro-industry and Government groups focusing on 'healthy soil'. The project adds considerably to investment in research, infrastructure and international collaboration in this priority area. It will enhance Australia's reputation for research in soil biology and provide high standards in research education and training in an internationally recognised environment.Read moreRead less
Evolution of anisogamy and the sexes. This project aims to study the evolution of anisogamy, which defines males and females by the size of their gametes – females’ large eggs and males’ small sperm. Most multicellular organisms have different sized gametes, and this size difference has affected the evolution of life on the planet. Theoretical arguments about why two sexes are ubiquitous have not been tested empirically, mainly because of technical difficulties in experimentally generating diffe ....Evolution of anisogamy and the sexes. This project aims to study the evolution of anisogamy, which defines males and females by the size of their gametes – females’ large eggs and males’ small sperm. Most multicellular organisms have different sized gametes, and this size difference has affected the evolution of life on the planet. Theoretical arguments about why two sexes are ubiquitous have not been tested empirically, mainly because of technical difficulties in experimentally generating different sized gametes. This project will use algae and cell sorting technology to test this. The expected outcome is a greater understanding of how and why the sexes evolved, as well as developing biofuel production methods by paving the way for improvements in algal productivity.Read moreRead less
Invasive plant success and multi-trophic level chemical ecology using Paterson's curse as a model. The role of plant defence compounds discovered recently in Paterson's curse will be studied in the plant's native western Mediterranean and in southern Australia. Findings will support biological control efforts and provide fundamental insights into the ecological mechanisms that allow such plants to become aggressive invaders.
Toxic cyanobacterial blooms in a carbon dioxide (CO2)-rich world: assessing the impacts of global climate change. Cyanobacterial blooms in Australia cost the country over $150 million every year because of their impacts on water quality and animal and human health. The frequency, distribution and intensity of these blooms are all expected to increase worldwide as global climate change impacts increase over the next century. This project will provide much needed information of the severity of imp ....Toxic cyanobacterial blooms in a carbon dioxide (CO2)-rich world: assessing the impacts of global climate change. Cyanobacterial blooms in Australia cost the country over $150 million every year because of their impacts on water quality and animal and human health. The frequency, distribution and intensity of these blooms are all expected to increase worldwide as global climate change impacts increase over the next century. This project will provide much needed information of the severity of impacts on cyanobacteria commonly causing blooms in Australian aquatic ecosystems. This information will be important to authorities responsible for managing our precious water resources.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE140100946
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$394,561.00
Summary
410 million years of stomatal evolution: key innovations in the transition from passive valves to active pores. Central to the supremacy of seed plants was the evolution of active, metabolic control of the stomata; the pores that regulate both plant productivity and water loss. However, little is known about the transition from passive control of stomata in seedless plants to active stomatal control in seed plants. This project will identify the key physiological and genetic innovations that und ....410 million years of stomatal evolution: key innovations in the transition from passive valves to active pores. Central to the supremacy of seed plants was the evolution of active, metabolic control of the stomata; the pores that regulate both plant productivity and water loss. However, little is known about the transition from passive control of stomata in seedless plants to active stomatal control in seed plants. This project will identify the key physiological and genetic innovations that underpinned the evolution of stomatal control over the past 410 million years. Understanding these evolutionary innovations will offer important insights into stomatal function in seed plants, as well as informing models of global productivity and water use through time, with benefits for Australian agriculture and natural resource management.Read moreRead less
Does plant phosphorus economy determine ecological status in biodiverse Australian communities? The phosphorus (P)-impoverished nature of the soils of south-western Australia has allowed the evolution of many plant species that are amazingly efficient at acquiring and utilising P. Among the most P efficient are species of the Proteaceae, which produce cluster roots. We will explore why less efficient species can co-occur with the very efficient Proteaceae. A deep and thorough understanding of th ....Does plant phosphorus economy determine ecological status in biodiverse Australian communities? The phosphorus (P)-impoverished nature of the soils of south-western Australia has allowed the evolution of many plant species that are amazingly efficient at acquiring and utilising P. Among the most P efficient are species of the Proteaceae, which produce cluster roots. We will explore why less efficient species can co-occur with the very efficient Proteaceae. A deep and thorough understanding of the mechanism determining P efficiency of these species will contribute significantly to our basic understanding of P nutrition in plants and to our understanding of the P-impoverished ecosystems of the southwest. It will also assist in developing crops that are more efficient at acquiring and/or utilising P.Read moreRead less
Finding damage thresholds in pyrethrum to optimise crop profitability. This project aims to use a new vascular approach to develop a quantitative stress tolerance framework for the crop species pyrethrum, defining the risks to plant production of water, heat and frost stress. Using novel optical and x-ray technology, this project seeks to pinpoint damaging stress thresholds and combine this knowledge with crop monitoring technology in a way that will allow crop managers to avoid damaging stress ....Finding damage thresholds in pyrethrum to optimise crop profitability. This project aims to use a new vascular approach to develop a quantitative stress tolerance framework for the crop species pyrethrum, defining the risks to plant production of water, heat and frost stress. Using novel optical and x-ray technology, this project seeks to pinpoint damaging stress thresholds and combine this knowledge with crop monitoring technology in a way that will allow crop managers to avoid damaging stress events. The intended outcome is to enable the pyrethrum industry, and ultimately a diversity of crop managers, to better utilise new advances in monitoring technology to maximise the benefits of irrigation such that yields are high relative to water use and damage by stress is avoided. Immediate beneficiaries will be the pyrethrum industry, but the research will provide a model, applicable to the multitude of irrigated crops in Australia. Read moreRead less
How do plants cope with temporal variability in water and nutrients? Australia's climate and weather are temporally variable, yet we know little of how Australia's flora is affected by temporally variable vs constant supplies of water and nutrients. In addition, climate change will affect our flora by, among other things, increasing temporal variability in water and nutrient availability. This program of research will provide basic data on growth responses to variable vs. constant water and nu ....How do plants cope with temporal variability in water and nutrients? Australia's climate and weather are temporally variable, yet we know little of how Australia's flora is affected by temporally variable vs constant supplies of water and nutrients. In addition, climate change will affect our flora by, among other things, increasing temporal variability in water and nutrient availability. This program of research will provide basic data on growth responses to variable vs. constant water and nutrient availability. Hence, results will be directly applicable to predicting the effects of climate change on growth, species' distribution and community composition. This research will also improve our basic understanding of limitations to photosynthesis, transpiration and nutrient uptake/assimilation.Read moreRead less