Sex, parthenogenesis and adaptation: a novel laboratory 'natural selection' experiment testing the adaptive significance of sexual and asexual reproduction. One of the greatest challenges for evolutionary biology is explaining the widespread occurrence of sexual reproduction. Many theoretical models show some inherent benefits of sex, however these models make assumptions that little or no empirical data exists for. Using a novel phenomenon found in the parasitoid wasp genus Trichogramma, I will ....Sex, parthenogenesis and adaptation: a novel laboratory 'natural selection' experiment testing the adaptive significance of sexual and asexual reproduction. One of the greatest challenges for evolutionary biology is explaining the widespread occurrence of sexual reproduction. Many theoretical models show some inherent benefits of sex, however these models make assumptions that little or no empirical data exists for. Using a novel phenomenon found in the parasitoid wasp genus Trichogramma, I will investigate the adaptive significance of sexual and asexual reproduction in a laboratory natural selection experiment and therefore directly test the theory for the evolution and maintenance of sex. This will be the first such test in a higher organism.Read moreRead less
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
Are natural clones specialists or generalists? Using a model system to test alternative hypotheses for the advantages of parthenogenesis. Parthenogenetic organisms are all-female and reproduce clonally. Through discovering why these unusual organisms are sometimes successful we can better understand the significance of genetic diversity and sex. The Australian arid zone is a ?hot-spot? for parthenogenesis, with at least five independent examples including a native grasshopper and one of its host ....Are natural clones specialists or generalists? Using a model system to test alternative hypotheses for the advantages of parthenogenesis. Parthenogenetic organisms are all-female and reproduce clonally. Through discovering why these unusual organisms are sometimes successful we can better understand the significance of genetic diversity and sex. The Australian arid zone is a ?hot-spot? for parthenogenesis, with at least five independent examples including a native grasshopper and one of its host plants. I will apply modern molecular tools and ecophysiological techniques to test the hypothesis that parthenogenesis is favoured in this grasshopper because it allows the fixation of locally adapted clones. This research will provide a unique insight into the selective forces operating in the arid zone, Australia's largest ecosystem.Read moreRead less
Hybridization, polyploidy and the evolution of parthenogenesis in the Australian desert. This project considers the ecology and evolution of Australian animals that reproduce by parthenogenesis, i.e. without sex. These animals have long fascinated evolutionary biologists for the clues they provide about the role of sex in evolution. The Australian desert is a hot-spot for parthenogenesis, providing a unique opportunity to study the ecological and evolutionary forces favouring the loss of sex. Ou ....Hybridization, polyploidy and the evolution of parthenogenesis in the Australian desert. This project considers the ecology and evolution of Australian animals that reproduce by parthenogenesis, i.e. without sex. These animals have long fascinated evolutionary biologists for the clues they provide about the role of sex in evolution. The Australian desert is a hot-spot for parthenogenesis, providing a unique opportunity to study the ecological and evolutionary forces favouring the loss of sex. Our research will exploit Australian cases of parthenogenesis to understand how genetic changes associated with the transition to parthenogenesis affect ecological success. This will significantly extend our understanding of both the role of sex in evolution, and of the evolutionary history of the Australian arid zone.Read moreRead less
Maternal effects and sex allocation: an integrated approach. This project will produce research of a high international standard combining a number of key fields in evolution and ecology. The team we have assembled provides a link between Australian-based researchers and leading overseas theoreticians facilitating integration between evolutionary theory and empirical research on the unique Australian fauna. Furthermore, while climate change is identified as a priority area for research, Australi ....Maternal effects and sex allocation: an integrated approach. This project will produce research of a high international standard combining a number of key fields in evolution and ecology. The team we have assembled provides a link between Australian-based researchers and leading overseas theoreticians facilitating integration between evolutionary theory and empirical research on the unique Australian fauna. Furthermore, while climate change is identified as a priority area for research, Australia typically lacks the history of long-term phenological monitoring that is required to understand climate change impacts. This project takes an important step towards addressing this shortcoming.Read moreRead less
Identifying genes causing thermal evolution of ectotherm body size. Cold-blooded animals increase in body size as they are found in populations at greater distances from the equator. These patterns are due to populations adapting to temperature. The aim of this project is to identify the genes involved in this adaptation process. We will do this by taking advantage of a well-studied body size cline in the vinegar fly on the east coast of Australia, and by building on an international collaborati ....Identifying genes causing thermal evolution of ectotherm body size. Cold-blooded animals increase in body size as they are found in populations at greater distances from the equator. These patterns are due to populations adapting to temperature. The aim of this project is to identify the genes involved in this adaptation process. We will do this by taking advantage of a well-studied body size cline in the vinegar fly on the east coast of Australia, and by building on an international collaboration between a leading UK and two Australian research groups. In doing so we will provide an explanation at the molecular level for one of the great unresolved phenomena in biology: why do cold-blooded animals get bigger in the cold? The research also leads to the potential to manipulate body size in animals.Read moreRead less
A Genomic Dissection of Natural Adaptation in Mate Recognition. Adaptation is a fundamental area of evolutionary biology but we know surprisingly little about its underlying genetic basis. As a process, adaptation poses several challenges for Australian society including bacterial evolution of resistance to antibiotics, HIV resistance to antiviral medications and the evolution of pesticide resistance in agricultural pests. This study will use a model system and genomic tools to test theoretical ....A Genomic Dissection of Natural Adaptation in Mate Recognition. Adaptation is a fundamental area of evolutionary biology but we know surprisingly little about its underlying genetic basis. As a process, adaptation poses several challenges for Australian society including bacterial evolution of resistance to antibiotics, HIV resistance to antiviral medications and the evolution of pesticide resistance in agricultural pests. This study will use a model system and genomic tools to test theoretical models of the genetic basis of adaptation. This integrative approach will enhance Australia's research profile in genomics and evolutionary biology. The project will provide emerging scientists with skills in areas including genomics, molecular biology, evolutionary biology and agricultural genetics.Read moreRead less
Maximising knowledge from dense SNP (single nucleotide polymorphisms) data using multi-locus analysis. The genomics revolution has made it possible to measure thousands of DNA variants in individuals. This information can be used in many ways, including to find genes that cause variation between individuals in a population and to estimate the size of the population in the past. Our study will lead an analysis method that will extract more information out of such data. This will improve the effi ....Maximising knowledge from dense SNP (single nucleotide polymorphisms) data using multi-locus analysis. The genomics revolution has made it possible to measure thousands of DNA variants in individuals. This information can be used in many ways, including to find genes that cause variation between individuals in a population and to estimate the size of the population in the past. Our study will lead an analysis method that will extract more information out of such data. This will improve the efficiency of gene mapping methods, including applications in humans for traits related to productive ageing and a healthy start to life, will allow the estimation of genetic relatedness and genetic variation in natural populations, and will lead to more efficient selection programs in agricultural populations.Read moreRead less
To be cooperative or selfish: individual decisions in a model society. Understanding the basis of cooperative behaviour is a major challenge to biological and social science. Our ability to deal with problems such as global warming and the rapid loss of biodiversity, will depend upon an unprecedented level of cooperation between individuals and countries. Our work will use an animal model that shares a number of key characteristics with the societies of our early human ancestors to explore, thro ....To be cooperative or selfish: individual decisions in a model society. Understanding the basis of cooperative behaviour is a major challenge to biological and social science. Our ability to deal with problems such as global warming and the rapid loss of biodiversity, will depend upon an unprecedented level of cooperation between individuals and countries. Our work will use an animal model that shares a number of key characteristics with the societies of our early human ancestors to explore, through experiments and detailed molecular analysis, the basis of cooperative interactions between individuals. This work will uncover the key principles that drive the evolution of cooperation in society and will help us to understand the basis of one the most important components of human nature.Read moreRead less
Life history responses to habitat heterogeneity and implications for conservation. This exciting new research project will provide a novel understanding of how animals respond and adapt to environmental variation. This will fill a critical gap between ecological theory and real-world populations and initiate a major shift in how we view the relationship between environments and the species that inhabit them. Natural resource use practices like forestry are rarely considered compatible with biodi ....Life history responses to habitat heterogeneity and implications for conservation. This exciting new research project will provide a novel understanding of how animals respond and adapt to environmental variation. This will fill a critical gap between ecological theory and real-world populations and initiate a major shift in how we view the relationship between environments and the species that inhabit them. Natural resource use practices like forestry are rarely considered compatible with biodiversity conservation. This research will provide on-the-ground management recommendations to integrate such land uses with conservation, thereby providing both economic and conservation benefits to the Australian community.Read moreRead less