Fitness in free-living populations in a changing world. We understand very little about the evolutionary and ecological response of populations to periods of rapid environmental change or volatility. New methods raise the possibility dissecting the various causes of change, and their demographic consequences. However, these methods depend on long-term studies of the genealogy, survival and reproductive success of individuals. Data on the iconic superb fairy-wren will be used to establish this ....Fitness in free-living populations in a changing world. We understand very little about the evolutionary and ecological response of populations to periods of rapid environmental change or volatility. New methods raise the possibility dissecting the various causes of change, and their demographic consequences. However, these methods depend on long-term studies of the genealogy, survival and reproductive success of individuals. Data on the iconic superb fairy-wren will be used to establish this species as a model for the study of climate change, and the extent to which living in social groups helps or hinders evolutionary response to such change.Read moreRead less
Linkages between productivity and consistent behavioural traits in fish: implications for harvesting, climate impacts, and selective breeding for aquaculture. The extent to which behavior, growth and reproduction are genetically linked in fish populations is unknown, but critical for predicting the impacts of fish harvesting and climate warming, and developing fish stains for aquaculture. If strongly linked, fish harvest will always remove aggressive, large and productive fish, requiring their p ....Linkages between productivity and consistent behavioural traits in fish: implications for harvesting, climate impacts, and selective breeding for aquaculture. The extent to which behavior, growth and reproduction are genetically linked in fish populations is unknown, but critical for predicting the impacts of fish harvesting and climate warming, and developing fish stains for aquaculture. If strongly linked, fish harvest will always remove aggressive, large and productive fish, requiring their protection; in aquaculture, selecting for productive fish will also increase aggression-related injuries. If not strongly linked, we may be able to select for high productivity and low aggression in fish, or high productivity and low metabolism, thus reducing feed costs in aquaculture associated with aggressive behaviour leading to injury and infection, and reduced growth at warmer temperatures.Read moreRead less
Development and calcification in benthic marine invertebrates (Mollusca and Echinodermata) in an acidified and warm ocean. As an island continent Australia generates considerable wealth from its oceans with marine invertebrate resources playing a key role. These resources are at risk due to the impact of climate change, ocean acidification and warming, on availability of carbonate minerals for shell production. Of major concern is potential recruitment failure if planktonic larvae cannot produc ....Development and calcification in benthic marine invertebrates (Mollusca and Echinodermata) in an acidified and warm ocean. As an island continent Australia generates considerable wealth from its oceans with marine invertebrate resources playing a key role. These resources are at risk due to the impact of climate change, ocean acidification and warming, on availability of carbonate minerals for shell production. Of major concern is potential recruitment failure if planktonic larvae cannot produce their skeleton and if benthic stages cannot grow due to impaired skeleton formation. This project addresses uncertainties in knowledge of the response of ecologically and commercially important marine biota to climate change, knowledge crucial to inform risk assessment of future changes to our marine resources.Read moreRead less
Evaluating the adaptive potential of organisms to respond to environmental change. The program utilizes technological advances to develop a gene inventory for climatic change adaptation, using, as model system, the vinegar fly from divergent climates along eastern Australia. The inventory will result in new methods for monitoring climatic change impact on populations, and for testing adaptive potential of organisms from threatened habitats. A key hypothesis is that these organisms have restricte ....Evaluating the adaptive potential of organisms to respond to environmental change. The program utilizes technological advances to develop a gene inventory for climatic change adaptation, using, as model system, the vinegar fly from divergent climates along eastern Australia. The inventory will result in new methods for monitoring climatic change impact on populations, and for testing adaptive potential of organisms from threatened habitats. A key hypothesis is that these organisms have restricted genetic options to counter environmental change, increasing extinction risk. The program investigates genetic adaptation to pollutants in midges, a key group for monitoring water health. By assessing evolutionary potential and DNA species markers, biological signatures of aquatic pollutants should result.Read moreRead less
Phyloinformatics and biodiversity: developing bioinformatic tools for understanding the dynamics of extinction and invasion within species assemblages. DNA sequence data provides an exciting new way to study biodiversity, because the genome of each organism records its evolutionary history. By analysing DNA sequences co-existing species, we can reconstruct the ecological and evolutionary history of a biological community. This allows us to track biodiversity changes over time, and examine how th ....Phyloinformatics and biodiversity: developing bioinformatic tools for understanding the dynamics of extinction and invasion within species assemblages. DNA sequence data provides an exciting new way to study biodiversity, because the genome of each organism records its evolutionary history. By analysing DNA sequences co-existing species, we can reconstruct the ecological and evolutionary history of a biological community. This allows us to track biodiversity changes over time, and examine how the state of a species assemblage determines which species are lost through extinction or gained through the invasion of exotic species. Understanding the factors that govern changes in biodiversity over time is essential for planning for future conservation in the face of a rapidly changing environment. Read moreRead less
Re-evaluating the role of tannins in Australian forest ecosystems. As atmospheric CO2 concentrations rise, eucalypts will respond by decreasing the amount of protein in the leaves and increasing the concentrations of toxins called tannins. Together this will have the effect of making the leaves harder for herbivores to eat and slower to break down on the forest floor. We have developed a new way of measuring these effects and will use it to show which eucalypt communities climate change will mo ....Re-evaluating the role of tannins in Australian forest ecosystems. As atmospheric CO2 concentrations rise, eucalypts will respond by decreasing the amount of protein in the leaves and increasing the concentrations of toxins called tannins. Together this will have the effect of making the leaves harder for herbivores to eat and slower to break down on the forest floor. We have developed a new way of measuring these effects and will use it to show which eucalypt communities climate change will most affect and so which forests will become less able to support fauna. Apart from contributing to the better management of Australian forests, this project also enhances the National Carbon Accounting System by measuring how tannins influence litter decomposition and explaining the link with leaf chemistry.Read moreRead less
Stress, virulence and bacterial disease in temperate seaweeds: the rise of the microbes. Climate change is predicted to increase the spread and virulence of pathogens, and decrease the resistance to disease via temperature stress on the hosts. Combined with other human impacts (higher nutrients, pollution), we may be facing a major rise in the effect of disease on natural communities. However, these effects are largely unstudied. We will investigate the impact of marine pathogens on kelps and ....Stress, virulence and bacterial disease in temperate seaweeds: the rise of the microbes. Climate change is predicted to increase the spread and virulence of pathogens, and decrease the resistance to disease via temperature stress on the hosts. Combined with other human impacts (higher nutrients, pollution), we may be facing a major rise in the effect of disease on natural communities. However, these effects are largely unstudied. We will investigate the impact of marine pathogens on kelps and other seaweeds when they are stressed by temperature, elevated nutrients or other anthropogenic stressors. Kelp are the 'trees of the oceans', the organisms responsible for creating much of the habitat that fishes and other organisms live in. The loss of kelp forests due to disease would radically change these environments.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0775739
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$135,000.00
Summary
Environmental Research Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometer (ERIRMS). The projects supported by this facility are esential to: sustainable management of Sydney's surface and groundwater; understanding food webs and trophic interactions in Sydney Harbour and elsewhere on the eastern seaboard; developing predictive models for the impacts of climate change on Australia's forests, especially carbon sequestration and water yield; understanding the trade-offs involved in managing fire risks through prescr ....Environmental Research Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometer (ERIRMS). The projects supported by this facility are esential to: sustainable management of Sydney's surface and groundwater; understanding food webs and trophic interactions in Sydney Harbour and elsewhere on the eastern seaboard; developing predictive models for the impacts of climate change on Australia's forests, especially carbon sequestration and water yield; understanding the trade-offs involved in managing fire risks through prescribed burning, especially trade-offs involving carbon and water; and understanding and predicting air quality and the effects of emissions from cars, industry, fires and natural sources.
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Comparative studies of invasive plants: a leaf carbon strategy approach. Invasion of communities by exotic plants is a significant threat to biodiversity globally. This proposal is to strengthen collaborative links between the Plant Invasion Research Laboratories of Leishman in Australia and Richardson in South Africa. Their current research seeks to understand strategies of invasive plants in novel environments using the framework of leaf carbon strategies. Australian plants invasive in South A ....Comparative studies of invasive plants: a leaf carbon strategy approach. Invasion of communities by exotic plants is a significant threat to biodiversity globally. This proposal is to strengthen collaborative links between the Plant Invasion Research Laboratories of Leishman in Australia and Richardson in South Africa. Their current research seeks to understand strategies of invasive plants in novel environments using the framework of leaf carbon strategies. Australian plants invasive in South Africa and South African plants invasive in Australia provide an ideal model system. This collaborative research will enable better prediction of potential invaders, as well as providing important input for models of plant, ecosystem and biosphere responses to global change incorporating invasion dynamics.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