The evolution of parental care in leeches: costs and benefits in a clade of hermaphroditic, invertebrate ectotherms. Parental care is a basic element of reproduction in many species. Nearly everything we know about parental care comes from study of vertebrates, especially birds and mammals. Leech is synonymous with exploitation, but many of these annelid worms are devoted parents. Because they differ dramatically from most vertebrates, leeches present an excellent, but as yet unused, opportunity ....The evolution of parental care in leeches: costs and benefits in a clade of hermaphroditic, invertebrate ectotherms. Parental care is a basic element of reproduction in many species. Nearly everything we know about parental care comes from study of vertebrates, especially birds and mammals. Leech is synonymous with exploitation, but many of these annelid worms are devoted parents. Because they differ dramatically from most vertebrates, leeches present an excellent, but as yet unused, opportunity to test our theories and understanding of the evoluton of parental care. We will examine the evolution of degrees of care and sibling competition in leech families, and use molecular markers to better understand the genetic structure of populations of these invertebrates.Read moreRead less
Evolution and role of neo-sex chromosomes in mitonuclear co-evolution. This project aims to characterize the evolution of novel, extended sex chromosomes in an Australian bird, then elucidate their role in climate-associated adaptive evolution. The species falls into two lineages bearing distinct mitochondrial genomes and nuclear-encoded mitochondrial genes carried on sex chromosomes. The project aims to test whether this extraordinary genome arrangement is splitting the species into two forms: ....Evolution and role of neo-sex chromosomes in mitonuclear co-evolution. This project aims to characterize the evolution of novel, extended sex chromosomes in an Australian bird, then elucidate their role in climate-associated adaptive evolution. The species falls into two lineages bearing distinct mitochondrial genomes and nuclear-encoded mitochondrial genes carried on sex chromosomes. The project aims to test whether this extraordinary genome arrangement is splitting the species into two forms: one adapted to hotter, drier environments, one to milder ones. This would be tackled using an innovative combination of genomics, cytogenetics, and metabolic data. Understanding the mechanisms at play would represent a major advance in ecology and evolution, with potential implications for conservation management.Read moreRead less
The evolutionary genetics of adaptation in species with separate sexes. This project aims to provide new theory and analysis methods for studying the genetic basis of female and male fitness. The project expects to provide new insights into the evolutionary, genetic and demographic mechanisms that influence evolutionary genetic diversity within populations. The project will reveal how sex differences in selection affect adaptation, and provide a framework for predicting whether populations with ....The evolutionary genetics of adaptation in species with separate sexes. This project aims to provide new theory and analysis methods for studying the genetic basis of female and male fitness. The project expects to provide new insights into the evolutionary, genetic and demographic mechanisms that influence evolutionary genetic diversity within populations. The project will reveal how sex differences in selection affect adaptation, and provide a framework for predicting whether populations with separate sexes are able to persist under changing environmental conditions. By developing a rigorous theoretical foundation for sex-specific adaptation – including genome inference methods that follow logically from the theory – the proposal will define new approaches for studying evolutionary processes in natural populations.Read moreRead less
Sex-specific selection and adaptation in spatially variable environments. This project aims to outline a broadly applicable approach for estimating sex-specific selection, which is based on an extension of the theory of local adaptation with gene flow. Adaptive evolution can be constrained when patterns of selection differ between the sexes. Experiments using model organisms provide strong evidence for adaptive constraints due to sex differences in selection. Outside of these model systems, sex- ....Sex-specific selection and adaptation in spatially variable environments. This project aims to outline a broadly applicable approach for estimating sex-specific selection, which is based on an extension of the theory of local adaptation with gene flow. Adaptive evolution can be constrained when patterns of selection differ between the sexes. Experiments using model organisms provide strong evidence for adaptive constraints due to sex differences in selection. Outside of these model systems, sex-specific selection estimates are difficult to obtain because methods for estimating selection are not easily applied to natural populations. Experiments, using a clinally variable Drosophila population from Eastern Australia constitute the first tests of the new theory.Read moreRead less
Detecting sex differences in natural selection. This project aims to develop new genomic approaches for understanding how genetic mutations can differentially affect reproductive success in males and females. Applying novel tests, this project aims to uncover previously hidden genetic conflicts between the sexes. This will provide significant benefits, such as new tools that will be broadly applicable to the wider research community, and help to answer key questions in genetics and evolutionary ....Detecting sex differences in natural selection. This project aims to develop new genomic approaches for understanding how genetic mutations can differentially affect reproductive success in males and females. Applying novel tests, this project aims to uncover previously hidden genetic conflicts between the sexes. This will provide significant benefits, such as new tools that will be broadly applicable to the wider research community, and help to answer key questions in genetics and evolutionary biology in the current genomic era.Read moreRead less
Can mitochondrial and nuclear co-evolution drive climate adaptation? This project aims to reveal whether co-evolution between the mitochondrial genome of a wild bird and partner nuclear genes is causing the species to split into two forms, one adapted to inland environments and one to coastal conditions. Mitochondrial-nuclear co-evolution has great potential to illuminate new modes of climate adaptation and lineage divergence. This understanding will provide significant benefits, with implicatio ....Can mitochondrial and nuclear co-evolution drive climate adaptation? This project aims to reveal whether co-evolution between the mitochondrial genome of a wild bird and partner nuclear genes is causing the species to split into two forms, one adapted to inland environments and one to coastal conditions. Mitochondrial-nuclear co-evolution has great potential to illuminate new modes of climate adaptation and lineage divergence. This understanding will provide significant benefits, with implications for conservation management.Read moreRead less
Conservation genomics of a critically endangered insect. This project aims to develop tools genotyping large animal genomes, focusing on the case of the Lord Howe Island stick insect, once thought to be extinct and now critically endangered. This project expects to generate molecular tools to monitor the genetic health the insect which has a large, complex and poorly understood genome. Expected outcomes include the development of a preservation and reintroduction strategy for the insect. This pr ....Conservation genomics of a critically endangered insect. This project aims to develop tools genotyping large animal genomes, focusing on the case of the Lord Howe Island stick insect, once thought to be extinct and now critically endangered. This project expects to generate molecular tools to monitor the genetic health the insect which has a large, complex and poorly understood genome. Expected outcomes include the development of a preservation and reintroduction strategy for the insect. This project will benefit ongoing conservation efforts, and is timely given the ongoing eradication of rats from Lord Howe Island where this species once lived. Read moreRead less
Unlocking the secrets of the mitochondrion. This project aims to determine the frequency and mechanisms by which male-harming mutations (those with negative effects limited to males) accrue within the mitochondrial DNA. Theory predicts maternal inheritance of mitochondrial DNA will lead to accumulation of these mutations, but the real-world implications of this theory are unknown. Leveraging an innovative approach, this project expects to generate new knowledge into the causes of sex differences ....Unlocking the secrets of the mitochondrion. This project aims to determine the frequency and mechanisms by which male-harming mutations (those with negative effects limited to males) accrue within the mitochondrial DNA. Theory predicts maternal inheritance of mitochondrial DNA will lead to accumulation of these mutations, but the real-world implications of this theory are unknown. Leveraging an innovative approach, this project expects to generate new knowledge into the causes of sex differences in physiology and health. Expected outcomes include insights that advance understanding of fundamental biological processes, and training of students. Expected benefits include strengthening of Australia’s research capacity, by setting the research agenda in this rapidly developing field.Read moreRead less
The genetic architecture of colour polymorphism and speciation. Speciation, the process by which populations diverge and become distinct, is the engine that drives biodiversity and Darwin's 'mystery of mysteries'. Speciation is accelerated in species with multiple, discrete, coexisting colour forms; yet the genetic mechanisms underpinning this pattern are not known. This project aims to identify the genes underlying different colour forms and how they are distributed across the genome. The proj ....The genetic architecture of colour polymorphism and speciation. Speciation, the process by which populations diverge and become distinct, is the engine that drives biodiversity and Darwin's 'mystery of mysteries'. Speciation is accelerated in species with multiple, discrete, coexisting colour forms; yet the genetic mechanisms underpinning this pattern are not known. This project aims to identify the genes underlying different colour forms and how they are distributed across the genome. The project plans to test the prediction that these same areas of the genome show marked divergence between lineages that are in the process of becoming distinct species. Doing so may contribute significantly to our understanding of speciation, underlying genetic mechanisms, and genes generating colour variation in vertebrates.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE170101193
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$372,000.00
Summary
Testing models for sex evolution and maintenance. This project aims to study the evolution of sex. The short-term costs of sexual reproduction seem to outweigh its benefits, making its widespread success an evolutionary conundrum. The project will test high-profile models which predict higher rates of sex in individuals poorly adapted to their environment than in well adapted individuals. This process allows sex genes to escape from unfavourable genetic backgrounds and hastens local adaptation o ....Testing models for sex evolution and maintenance. This project aims to study the evolution of sex. The short-term costs of sexual reproduction seem to outweigh its benefits, making its widespread success an evolutionary conundrum. The project will test high-profile models which predict higher rates of sex in individuals poorly adapted to their environment than in well adapted individuals. This process allows sex genes to escape from unfavourable genetic backgrounds and hastens local adaptation of populations to their environment. This work is expected to discover the link between reproductive mode and adaptation, strengthen research into consequences of environmental change, and solve a long-standing puzzle of evolutionary biology.Read moreRead less