Molecular phylogeny and biodiversity of the plant family Rutaceae: evidence for Australian-New Caledonian biogeography. The results will contribute biological evidence for geological models of the evolution of New Caledonia and the Southwest Pacific region. Analyses will also contribute to improvement of methods and data interpretation in the field of historical biogeography. The molecular phylogeny will be the foundation for a new predictive classification of Australian Rutaceae at the level ....Molecular phylogeny and biodiversity of the plant family Rutaceae: evidence for Australian-New Caledonian biogeography. The results will contribute biological evidence for geological models of the evolution of New Caledonia and the Southwest Pacific region. Analyses will also contribute to improvement of methods and data interpretation in the field of historical biogeography. The molecular phylogeny will be the foundation for a new predictive classification of Australian Rutaceae at the level of tribes and genera. Improved phylogenetic classification underpins the delivery of biodiversity research, goods and services in Australia. Outcomes of improved taxonomy include species identification for ecological studies, identification of rare species, geographic areas of high conservation value and plants for horticulture.Read moreRead less
A predictive phylogenetic classification for Australian acacias and their tropical legume relatives worldwide. The results of this project will provide the foundation for a new predictive classification of Australian acacias and their relatives, among tropical legumes. Improved phylogenetic classification will underpin the delivery of biodiversity research, goods and services in Australia and neighbouring tropical countries. Outcomes of improved taxonomy include species identification and spec ....A predictive phylogenetic classification for Australian acacias and their tropical legume relatives worldwide. The results of this project will provide the foundation for a new predictive classification of Australian acacias and their relatives, among tropical legumes. Improved phylogenetic classification will underpin the delivery of biodiversity research, goods and services in Australia and neighbouring tropical countries. Outcomes of improved taxonomy include species identification and species selection in various industries and environmental programs. Acacias and legumes are used in agro-forestry, as shade trees for crops, fuel wood, stock feed, nitrogen fixation, planting for land reclamation in arid and salinity-affected areas, and as new plantation timber products. Read moreRead less
Resolving the classification and evolutionary history of the eucalypts. This collaborative project addresses the need to achieve a stable classification of the eucalypts, Australia's most ecologically and commercially important trees. The industry partners are lead agencies with responsibility for classification and identification of biodiversity, delivering taxonomic knowledge for end-users. Despite molecular studies in the last decade, the phylogenetic relationships of a number of the major ....Resolving the classification and evolutionary history of the eucalypts. This collaborative project addresses the need to achieve a stable classification of the eucalypts, Australia's most ecologically and commercially important trees. The industry partners are lead agencies with responsibility for classification and identification of biodiversity, delivering taxonomic knowledge for end-users. Despite molecular studies in the last decade, the phylogenetic relationships of a number of the major subgroups of the eucalypts are unknown. We will sequence new regions of DNA and combine this with morphological data to resolve the relationships of the eucalypt lineages, and hence their classification. Phylogenetic analysis also aids identification of high-value areas for conservation of relictual species.Read moreRead less
Resolving the molecular phylogeny and classification of Australian acacias, a major biodiversity resource. This collaboration with the Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne will resolve the phylogeny of Australia's largest group of flowering plants, the acacias, to form the basis of a new classification. With more than 960 species, Australian acacias are a major biodiversity resource yet their genetic diversity and evolutionary relationships are poorly known. We will determine the main taxonomic gro ....Resolving the molecular phylogeny and classification of Australian acacias, a major biodiversity resource. This collaboration with the Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne will resolve the phylogeny of Australia's largest group of flowering plants, the acacias, to form the basis of a new classification. With more than 960 species, Australian acacias are a major biodiversity resource yet their genetic diversity and evolutionary relationships are poorly known. We will determine the main taxonomic groups and their relationships by sequencing the DNA of more than 300 species. Acacias are of ecological importance and of use in land reclamation, horticulture, and rural craftwood industries.
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Why our biota is unique: ecophysiological response, adaptive radiation and changing environments in Cainozoic Australia. We seek to resolve Cainozoic diversification and extinction patterns leading to the modern Australian biota. We propose a broad-scale, multi-disciplinary approach involving systematic palaeontology, palaeobiology, biostratigraphy, molecular and morphological systematics and physiology of modern organisms. For the first time, we will synthesise data on past climatic and environ ....Why our biota is unique: ecophysiological response, adaptive radiation and changing environments in Cainozoic Australia. We seek to resolve Cainozoic diversification and extinction patterns leading to the modern Australian biota. We propose a broad-scale, multi-disciplinary approach involving systematic palaeontology, palaeobiology, biostratigraphy, molecular and morphological systematics and physiology of modern organisms. For the first time, we will synthesise data on past climatic and environmental influences on the evolution of Australian plants, animals and community structure through time. This will provide a solid historical basis to develop management strategies for the Australian biota under different, future, climatic scenarios, and will also provide a biostratigraphic framework essential for high-resolution mineral and hydrocarbon exploration.Read moreRead less
Developing biogeographic know-how: Improving species divergence and dispersal estimations to examine geological and climatic evolutionary drivers. Anthropogenic activity over the last 150 years is now dramatically changing our global climate and ecosystems. The impact on biodiversity is already evident, and large-scale floral and faunal extinctions are predicted. This study unites a cohort of international experts in an interdisciplinary team to develop new molecular and mathematical methods to ....Developing biogeographic know-how: Improving species divergence and dispersal estimations to examine geological and climatic evolutionary drivers. Anthropogenic activity over the last 150 years is now dramatically changing our global climate and ecosystems. The impact on biodiversity is already evident, and large-scale floral and faunal extinctions are predicted. This study unites a cohort of international experts in an interdisciplinary team to develop new molecular and mathematical methods to expand our fundamental knowledge on how geological and global climate change have affected our world's species components and ecosystems in the past. This research is of environmental significance and global importance as it will improve our ability to predict how species behave under future predicted climate scenarios.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0344009
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$300,000.00
Summary
South Australian Regional Facility for Molecular Evolution and Ecology. Adelaide and Flinders Universities and their partners, the South Australian Museum and the South Australian Research and Development Institute, seek to enhance the throughput and efficiency of molecular genotyping for the large amount of research undertaken in Adelaide in the general areas of molecular evolution and ecology, and to enhance long-term storage and accessibility of the valuable biological materials used for geno ....South Australian Regional Facility for Molecular Evolution and Ecology. Adelaide and Flinders Universities and their partners, the South Australian Museum and the South Australian Research and Development Institute, seek to enhance the throughput and efficiency of molecular genotyping for the large amount of research undertaken in Adelaide in the general areas of molecular evolution and ecology, and to enhance long-term storage and accessibility of the valuable biological materials used for genotyping. This will be achieved by developing a new fully integrated, jointly managed regional facility, that serves all relevant research groups in South Australia.Read moreRead less
Australia's monsoon tropical flora: invader or relict? The monsoonal tropics is a large region with unique yet poorly understood biodiversity. It is undergoing rapid agricultural, urban and tourist development, all of which threaten the sustainability of that biodiversity. The region includes three World Heritage areas, all with flora in their listed values: Kakadu National Park, Purnulu NP (Bungle Bungles) and Riversleigh. Additionally, the Kimberley is considered one of the last great wilderne ....Australia's monsoon tropical flora: invader or relict? The monsoonal tropics is a large region with unique yet poorly understood biodiversity. It is undergoing rapid agricultural, urban and tourist development, all of which threaten the sustainability of that biodiversity. The region includes three World Heritage areas, all with flora in their listed values: Kakadu National Park, Purnulu NP (Bungle Bungles) and Riversleigh. Additionally, the Kimberley is considered one of the last great wilderness areas in the world. This project will help us understand the evolutionary and geographic origins of the biodiversity of the monsoonal tropics, including the World Heritage areas, and it will identify those components that are uniquely Australian and therefore have the greatest heritage values.Read moreRead less
A biological basis for the efficient breeding of native plants for export markets: a case study with the Australian Goodeniaceae. The native plant family Goodeniaceae exhibits enormous potential for the world potted-plant trade. To provide vital biological information for the efficient breeding of these plants, we will (i) determine the molecular evolutionary relationships of species, (ii) assess chromosomal variation within and among species, (iii) characterise mating patterns in natural popul ....A biological basis for the efficient breeding of native plants for export markets: a case study with the Australian Goodeniaceae. The native plant family Goodeniaceae exhibits enormous potential for the world potted-plant trade. To provide vital biological information for the efficient breeding of these plants, we will (i) determine the molecular evolutionary relationships of species, (ii) assess chromosomal variation within and among species, (iii) characterise mating patterns in natural populations using DNA fingerprinting for paternity analysis, (iv) develop techniques to overcome barriers to wide crossing, and (v) use DNA fingerprinting for the rapid identification of artificial hybrids. Expected outcomes are an understanding of evolution and mating in the Goodeniaceae and the efficient development of horticulturally significant materialRead moreRead less
Australia, the centre of diversity and the centre of origin of rice? Wild relatives of rice are found across northern Australia. The project aims to apply emerging technologies for efficient whole genome sequencing to determination of the genetic diversity of these populations in relation to cultivated rice and wild rice from other parts of the world. The role of the Australian populations in the evolution of rice and the potential of these populations to contribute valuable diversity to rice cr ....Australia, the centre of diversity and the centre of origin of rice? Wild relatives of rice are found across northern Australia. The project aims to apply emerging technologies for efficient whole genome sequencing to determination of the genetic diversity of these populations in relation to cultivated rice and wild rice from other parts of the world. The role of the Australian populations in the evolution of rice and the potential of these populations to contribute valuable diversity to rice crops worldwide are intended to be analysed. The impact of domestication on rice in Asia is expected to be established by the characterisation of the related Australian populations that were isolated from the impacts of agriculture for around 7000 years. Whole genome associations with environment may provide clues to adapting agriculture to climate.Read moreRead less