Rapid evolution via genetic novelty in an invasive social insect. This project aims to determine how introduced Asian honey bee populations in Australia and the Pacific managed to overcome severe genetic bottlenecks to become invasive pests. The project will use advanced molecular techniques to understand rapid evolution at a focal gene that determines fitness in these populations, and to see evolution in action across the genome using a twelve-year timeline of samples. The outcome will be an en ....Rapid evolution via genetic novelty in an invasive social insect. This project aims to determine how introduced Asian honey bee populations in Australia and the Pacific managed to overcome severe genetic bottlenecks to become invasive pests. The project will use advanced molecular techniques to understand rapid evolution at a focal gene that determines fitness in these populations, and to see evolution in action across the genome using a twelve-year timeline of samples. The outcome will be an enhanced capacity to manage new outbreaks of invasive social insects of all kinds via a better understanding of how invasions establish and spread. This should provide significant benefits in the form of protecting Australian agriculture and pollination services from social insect pests.Read moreRead less
When is hybridisation helpful or harmful to invaders? This project aims to determine the role of hybridisation during biological invasions. Hybridisation has been thought to aid invasion by introducing genetic novelty, but traditional approaches have been ineffective at evaluating alternatives. The project will capitalise on replicate hybrid zones of the same species, apply new methods on an expansive genomic dataset, and develop novel simulations to resolve how hybridisation and colonisation in ....When is hybridisation helpful or harmful to invaders? This project aims to determine the role of hybridisation during biological invasions. Hybridisation has been thought to aid invasion by introducing genetic novelty, but traditional approaches have been ineffective at evaluating alternatives. The project will capitalise on replicate hybrid zones of the same species, apply new methods on an expansive genomic dataset, and develop novel simulations to resolve how hybridisation and colonisation interact. The methods and knowledge acquired through this research will be valuable for a range of applications, from biosecurity to conservation management.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE150101393
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$360,000.00
Summary
Genetic and epigenetic drivers of the Australian cane toad invasion. Although invasive species are a massive threat to biodiversity, and costly to society, we still do not understand the evolutionary processes that shape invasions. Invasive populations often show rapid evolutionary change in novel environments but attempts to identify the underlying genetic mechanisms have been largely unsuccessful. This project aims to explore an innovative and untested alternative possibility: that invader evo ....Genetic and epigenetic drivers of the Australian cane toad invasion. Although invasive species are a massive threat to biodiversity, and costly to society, we still do not understand the evolutionary processes that shape invasions. Invasive populations often show rapid evolutionary change in novel environments but attempts to identify the underlying genetic mechanisms have been largely unsuccessful. This project aims to explore an innovative and untested alternative possibility: that invader evolution is primarily driven by epigenetic change. Using an iconic Australian invasive species, the cane toad, the project aims to quantify genetic and epigenetic change across the invasion and use manipulative experiments to determine the influence of epigenetic change on the evolution of phenotypic traits important to invasion.Read moreRead less
Discovery of pathways to embryogenesis in pathogenic flatworm parasites using microdissection and transcriptomic technologies. The cost to Australia of flatworm parasites to animal production and human health is substantial (hundreds of millions of dollars per year). This research will give new insights into how flatworms reproduce and equip their progeny for survival, providing impetus for new vaccine or drug therapies to be developed. As these pathogens are more significant in Australia's ne ....Discovery of pathways to embryogenesis in pathogenic flatworm parasites using microdissection and transcriptomic technologies. The cost to Australia of flatworm parasites to animal production and human health is substantial (hundreds of millions of dollars per year). This research will give new insights into how flatworms reproduce and equip their progeny for survival, providing impetus for new vaccine or drug therapies to be developed. As these pathogens are more significant in Australia's near neighbours, this project will strengthen Australia's international leadership in this field. Our study will provide, for the first time for any helminth parasite, a freely available genetic database that profiles the gene expression repertoire of individual parasite tissues, a development likely to enhance the international effort in controlling these harmful diseases.Read moreRead less
Humane Chemical Methods for Population Management of Highly Valued Large Mammals. In many countries valued wild and feral animals are nonetheless too numerous. Their population numbers must be controlled through fertility. Examples are koalas in Australia, deer and seals in North America, cattle in India and dogs in Thailand. We aim to develop benign implants for castration based upon the gonadotrophin releasing hormone (GnRH). These implants are easily administered. The outcomes will be to ....Humane Chemical Methods for Population Management of Highly Valued Large Mammals. In many countries valued wild and feral animals are nonetheless too numerous. Their population numbers must be controlled through fertility. Examples are koalas in Australia, deer and seals in North America, cattle in India and dogs in Thailand. We aim to develop benign implants for castration based upon the gonadotrophin releasing hormone (GnRH). These implants are easily administered. The outcomes will be to protect Australia's ?green? image , worldwide market opportunities for the Australian companies involved in this application and valuable intellectual property for Macquarie. The methodology will in time allow us to apply it to the treatment of cancer.Read moreRead less
Insect host/vector genetic responses to rhabdovirus infection. Rhabdoviruses cause important diseases in humans, animals and plants. These viruses are transmitted by insect vectors in which they persist and propagate, an intimate and specific association. Insect-rhabdovirus interactions will be studied at the molecular level using a planthopper-maize rhabdovirus model. Insect genes specifically induced by rhabdovirus infection as well as the viral genes themselves will be identified and characte ....Insect host/vector genetic responses to rhabdovirus infection. Rhabdoviruses cause important diseases in humans, animals and plants. These viruses are transmitted by insect vectors in which they persist and propagate, an intimate and specific association. Insect-rhabdovirus interactions will be studied at the molecular level using a planthopper-maize rhabdovirus model. Insect genes specifically induced by rhabdovirus infection as well as the viral genes themselves will be identified and characterized using genomics and bioinformatics tools. We will extend the same approaches to a comparative analysis of these planthopper genes with other insect-rhabdovirus systems under investigation in our institutes. Identification of viral genes expressed in insects, the insect genes that respond to virus infection, and interpretation of the roles of these genes in insects, may indicate new opportunities to control serious plant and animal diseases through control of virus transmission.Read moreRead less
Genomic Basis of Resistance to Poisoning by Sodium Fluoroacetate (Compound 1080) in Australian Wildlife. In Australia agricultural conservation activities worth billions of dollars are protected by using sodium fluoroacetate (1080) against pest animals. Target species are Australian rabbits and foxes and New Zealand brushtail possums. Prolonged use of biocontrol agents causes genetic resistance. This occurs naturally in Western Australia in native animals living in areas with high levels of 1080 ....Genomic Basis of Resistance to Poisoning by Sodium Fluoroacetate (Compound 1080) in Australian Wildlife. In Australia agricultural conservation activities worth billions of dollars are protected by using sodium fluoroacetate (1080) against pest animals. Target species are Australian rabbits and foxes and New Zealand brushtail possums. Prolonged use of biocontrol agents causes genetic resistance. This occurs naturally in Western Australia in native animals living in areas with high levels of 1080 in native plants. As part of the Kangaroo Genome project our aim is to discover the genomic basis of this resistance. The outcomes will be improved ability to manage pest animal populations and understanding of the evolution of plant-animal interactions.Read moreRead less
Population growth, genetic variation and adaptation in two Caulerpa species in southeastern Australia. This project will examine factors that influence the population growth, reproduction, genetic variation and adaptation in two seaweeds; the invasive Caulerpa taxifolia and the possibly invasive C. filiformis. A combination of surveys, modelling, molecular genetics and field experiments will be undertaken to achieve this. The current ambiguity surrounding the status of C. filiformis as an inva ....Population growth, genetic variation and adaptation in two Caulerpa species in southeastern Australia. This project will examine factors that influence the population growth, reproduction, genetic variation and adaptation in two seaweeds; the invasive Caulerpa taxifolia and the possibly invasive C. filiformis. A combination of surveys, modelling, molecular genetics and field experiments will be undertaken to achieve this. The current ambiguity surrounding the status of C. filiformis as an invasive species in Australia will be addressed by comparing DNA sequences of Australian and African plants. This project will provide critical data for managing invasive species, but more broadly, increase the current understanding of their biology and the factors important in their population growth and adaptation.Read moreRead less
Beyond the gene: Linking herbivore behaviour to plant defense gene expression. This collaborative project investigates insect herbivore avoidance of plant defence mechanisms. Our project is novel because it integrates changes in the plant at a number of different levels and links them to insect foraging behaviour. Researchers assume that insects respond to plant defences by changing their foraging behaviour. This has not been tested directly. We use the genetically well characterised plant Arabi ....Beyond the gene: Linking herbivore behaviour to plant defense gene expression. This collaborative project investigates insect herbivore avoidance of plant defence mechanisms. Our project is novel because it integrates changes in the plant at a number of different levels and links them to insect foraging behaviour. Researchers assume that insects respond to plant defences by changing their foraging behaviour. This has not been tested directly. We use the genetically well characterised plant Arabidopsis and the world-wide pest Helicoverpa (heliothis) as a model system. Damage caused to crops by insect herbivores is a direct function of behaviour. Understanding this behaviour will lead to improved pest management and reduced economic losses.Read moreRead less
The evolution of phenotypic plasticity during a biological invasion. The project seeks to unravel the mechanisms by which a species responds to challenges such as pollution, invasive species and climate change. Organisms can deal with challenges by changing their phenotypes in response to environmental cues (plasticity) and/or by longer-term changes in gene frequencies within a population (adaptation). Plasticity itself can be adaptive; so how does it evolve? Invasive species offer a unique oppo ....The evolution of phenotypic plasticity during a biological invasion. The project seeks to unravel the mechanisms by which a species responds to challenges such as pollution, invasive species and climate change. Organisms can deal with challenges by changing their phenotypes in response to environmental cues (plasticity) and/or by longer-term changes in gene frequencies within a population (adaptation). Plasticity itself can be adaptive; so how does it evolve? Invasive species offer a unique opportunity to answer that question, because a founding population (with modest genetic variation) must deal with myriad challenges in its new home. Using Australia’s cane toad invasion as the model system, the project aims to tease apart the roles of epigenetic and genetic modifications, and the interplay between them, as drivers for the toads’ success and rapid evolution in Australia.Read moreRead less