Photosynthetic traits as “key performance indicators” of coral health. The objective of this project is to advance knowledge on the healthy functioning of the coral–algal symbiosis, which defines the response of coral reef ecosystems to worldwide environmental change. Current approaches to address this problem have linked coral health to algal symbiont diversity but have been unable to resolve the fundamental symbiont functional traits that govern this link – the “key performance indicators (KPI ....Photosynthetic traits as “key performance indicators” of coral health. The objective of this project is to advance knowledge on the healthy functioning of the coral–algal symbiosis, which defines the response of coral reef ecosystems to worldwide environmental change. Current approaches to address this problem have linked coral health to algal symbiont diversity but have been unable to resolve the fundamental symbiont functional traits that govern this link – the “key performance indicators (KPIs)”. This project plans to couple advanced physiological and functional genomics techniques to transform our understanding of how algal symbiont metabolic KPIs regulate coral growth and stress susceptibility. This may provide new diagnostic capability for the assessment of coral health and may enable us to improve coral reef ecosystem management.Read moreRead less
Chemical signalling in the sea. This project aims to understand how eggs attract and select sperm, and how the environment influences these interactions. Differential sperm chemotaxis, a form of mate choice involving chemical signalling between eggs and sperm, has only been described in mussels, but may be a widespread form of gamete-level sexual selection. The project will study the biochemical and molecular basis of differential sperm chemotaxis in mussels, and the stability of gamete-level in ....Chemical signalling in the sea. This project aims to understand how eggs attract and select sperm, and how the environment influences these interactions. Differential sperm chemotaxis, a form of mate choice involving chemical signalling between eggs and sperm, has only been described in mussels, but may be a widespread form of gamete-level sexual selection. The project will study the biochemical and molecular basis of differential sperm chemotaxis in mussels, and the stability of gamete-level interactions under different environmental conditions. Improved fundamental knowledge of reproduction in a commercially important marine species may yield future commercial benefits for Australia’s marine food production sectorRead moreRead less
Seagrass adaptation and acclimation responses to extreme climatic events. This project aims to advance our understanding of how temperate marine plants in their northern limit will respond to the effects of synergistic stressors from extreme events combined with climate change. The project will study Shark Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage site, where a semi-permanent, salinity gradient maintained by shallow seagrass banks has resulted in unique ecosystems like stromatolites to persist. Expected outc ....Seagrass adaptation and acclimation responses to extreme climatic events. This project aims to advance our understanding of how temperate marine plants in their northern limit will respond to the effects of synergistic stressors from extreme events combined with climate change. The project will study Shark Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage site, where a semi-permanent, salinity gradient maintained by shallow seagrass banks has resulted in unique ecosystems like stromatolites to persist. Expected outcomes include practical solutions for building resilience to climate change mitigation in marine ecosystems. This will benefit the broader Australian community through changing how we manage significant resources and services these systems support, such as fisheries, coastal protection.Read moreRead less
Testing co-evolutionary processes driving venom diversity in tiger snakes. Testing co-evolutionary processes driving venom diversity in tiger snakes. This project aims to examine the geographic variation amongst tiger snakes in anatomy, ecology, and life history traits, and the relationship of these factors to venom toxins and production; and to evaluate the true pharmacological potential of tiger snake venom. This project will investigate the role of venom adaptation in long-term animal evoluti ....Testing co-evolutionary processes driving venom diversity in tiger snakes. Testing co-evolutionary processes driving venom diversity in tiger snakes. This project aims to examine the geographic variation amongst tiger snakes in anatomy, ecology, and life history traits, and the relationship of these factors to venom toxins and production; and to evaluate the true pharmacological potential of tiger snake venom. This project will investigate the role of venom adaptation in long-term animal evolution, by identifying rare venom transcripts involved in providing evolutionary potential for adaptation to environmental change. This is essential as continuing climatic and human-induced alteration of our environment affects southern Australia where many people live, work and interact with native wildlife. Anticipated outcomes are maximizing venom harvests and enhanced snakebite treatment capacity.Read moreRead less
Diagnosing coral health tipping points under accelerating coastal hypoxia. This project aims to unlock the role hypoxia plays in shaping the healthy functioning of corals over space and time. Climate change and land use development are rapidly deoxygenating shallow water coral reefs and amplifying hypoxia exposure, yet we have no knowledge of the oxygen thresholds that sustain ‘normal’ coral functioning, or the mechanisms corals’ employ to tolerate hypoxia. This project will couple advanced oxyg ....Diagnosing coral health tipping points under accelerating coastal hypoxia. This project aims to unlock the role hypoxia plays in shaping the healthy functioning of corals over space and time. Climate change and land use development are rapidly deoxygenating shallow water coral reefs and amplifying hypoxia exposure, yet we have no knowledge of the oxygen thresholds that sustain ‘normal’ coral functioning, or the mechanisms corals’ employ to tolerate hypoxia. This project will couple advanced oxygen sensing, metabolic physiology and functional genomics techniques to transform our understanding of how corals and their associated microbial communities respond to reduced oxygen conditions, which is essential to improve coral reef ecosystem management.Read moreRead less
Climate change, larval dispersal and patterns of connectivity in coral metapopulations. Patterns of connectivity among coral populations are virtually unknown and these patterns are likely to change with changing climate. This project will test how temperature and pH will change patterns of coral dispersal in order to assist the design of an effective marine reserve network throughout the Great Barrier Reef.
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE190100142
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$396,000.00
Summary
Elemental diagnostic of coral resilience to future reef climates. This project aims to integrate elemental stoichiometry, bio-elemental imaging and metabolomics to develop a common ‘elemental currency’ as an entirely new diagnostic of coral fitness. Coral reefs generate invaluable ecosystem services, but are on the verge of global collapse. Efforts to resolve coral traits that promote ecological resilience have been unable to integrate biological and environmental complexities of reef systems in ....Elemental diagnostic of coral resilience to future reef climates. This project aims to integrate elemental stoichiometry, bio-elemental imaging and metabolomics to develop a common ‘elemental currency’ as an entirely new diagnostic of coral fitness. Coral reefs generate invaluable ecosystem services, but are on the verge of global collapse. Efforts to resolve coral traits that promote ecological resilience have been unable to integrate biological and environmental complexities of reef systems into a unifying diagnostic of reef health. Natural extremes will provide the platform to identify key metabolic traits vital for future survival, to establish adaptive elemental signatures that can scale from organism to ecosystem. The project is expected to enhance capacity of marine managers and reef stakeholders to effectively manage and safeguard Australia’s reefs and the cultural and ecosystems.Read moreRead less
Evolution of palaeoenvironments on the volcanic landscapes of West New Britain, P.N.G. This research will define and explain the responses of environmental processes to catastrophic vulcanism in West New Britain (P.N.G.) during the last 10,000 years. It will provide a crucial perspective to our understanding of past human-landscape relationships, thus filling an important gap in models, of social response to environmental conditions, which are merging from current archaeological and palaeoenviro ....Evolution of palaeoenvironments on the volcanic landscapes of West New Britain, P.N.G. This research will define and explain the responses of environmental processes to catastrophic vulcanism in West New Britain (P.N.G.) during the last 10,000 years. It will provide a crucial perspective to our understanding of past human-landscape relationships, thus filling an important gap in models, of social response to environmental conditions, which are merging from current archaeological and palaeoenvironmental research. The project will develop predictive models for environmental recovery under various conditions. The close relationship between this research and the ground breaking regional archaeological study allows this unique case study to contribute to a global discussion of past human-landscape relationships.Read moreRead less
Functional-trait approach to restoration of species-rich shrublands. The project aims to deliver management tools that will help mining companies to meet restoration targets and to improve the field of trait-based predictive restoration ecology. Species-rich kwongan shrublands of south-west Australia are a biodiversity treasure. Despite their global and national conservation value, little is known about which plant traits are most important for community assembly and diversity maintenance. This ....Functional-trait approach to restoration of species-rich shrublands. The project aims to deliver management tools that will help mining companies to meet restoration targets and to improve the field of trait-based predictive restoration ecology. Species-rich kwongan shrublands of south-west Australia are a biodiversity treasure. Despite their global and national conservation value, little is known about which plant traits are most important for community assembly and diversity maintenance. This project plans to use plant functional traits related to nutrient and water acquisition to predict plant community assembly under different soil resource availabilities and thus assist in successful rehabilitation of this native vegetation after closure of sand-mining operations.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE120101263
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$375,000.00
Summary
Assessing the impact of global environmental change on the nutritional ecology of marsupial and insect folivores of Eucalyptus. Higher atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations are predicted to alter plant nutrient and toxin content, while higher ambient temperatures may compromise the abilities of animals to metabolise plant toxins. This project will assess how climate change scenarios are likely to impact native marsupials and insects that rely on eucalypt leaves for food.