Body size in the 21st century: integrating evolution, economics and culture. This project will study how evolution and biology interact with culture and economics to shape two important aspects of our world and our lives: the unfolding global obesity crisis and the complex, nuanced judgments people make about body shape. This research will inform the public health issues of obesity and body image problems.
Environmentally Induced Non-genetic Effects on Ageing and Fitness over Multi-generations and the Evolution of Life-history Trade-offs. This project will study trade-offs among growth, lifespan and fecundity, and test the following three predictions by employing a short-lived fish model and cutting-edge statistical and computational modelling. First, different dietary conditions not only affect the fitness of the organism, but also that of subsequent generations. Second, different nutritional eff ....Environmentally Induced Non-genetic Effects on Ageing and Fitness over Multi-generations and the Evolution of Life-history Trade-offs. This project will study trade-offs among growth, lifespan and fecundity, and test the following three predictions by employing a short-lived fish model and cutting-edge statistical and computational modelling. First, different dietary conditions not only affect the fitness of the organism, but also that of subsequent generations. Second, different nutritional effects and transgenerational effects on fitness-related traits are underpinned by epigenetic (or non-genetic) modifications. Third, such epigenetic modifications and their inheritance influence the evolution of life-history trade-offs. This project will link the emerging field of epigenetics with evolutionary theory, and reveal mechanisms of transgenerational epigenetic inheritance. Read moreRead less
Increased phenotypic variation via evolutionarily novel stressors. This project aims to understand how evolutionarily novel stressors such as obesogenic diets induce phenotypic variation in organismal traits. Such increased phenotypic variation is traditionally thought to be genetic. However, growing evidence points to non-genetic mechanisms that are capable of transgenerational inheritance. The project will use complementary approaches to study how novel stressors generate phenotypic variation ....Increased phenotypic variation via evolutionarily novel stressors. This project aims to understand how evolutionarily novel stressors such as obesogenic diets induce phenotypic variation in organismal traits. Such increased phenotypic variation is traditionally thought to be genetic. However, growing evidence points to non-genetic mechanisms that are capable of transgenerational inheritance. The project will use complementary approaches to study how novel stressors generate phenotypic variation. The project aims to deliver a more integrated evolutionary perspective not only on phenotypic evolution and the maintenance of variation, but also on the transgenerational cost of obesity.Read moreRead less
Fossils, rocks and early Cambrian clocks: calibrating body plan assembly and lineage splits in ancestral animals from Gondwana. The precise timing of when animal body plans evolved and rapidly diversified during the Cambrian Explosion remains mysterious. This project will investigate vast collections of exquisitely preserved early-middle Cambrian fossils from Australia to determine the precise order of evolutionary events at the root of the animal tree of life.
How males alter their mates' ageing rates and lifespans. The proposed project investigates how males affect the lifespan, ageing and subsequent reproduction of their mates. It seeks to draw on and adapt tools and approaches used in molecular genetics and physiology to test predictions from evolutionary theories of sexual conflict, life-histories and ageing in an organism of biomedical and ecological significance, the house mouse. It is expected that this approach will allow the study, in unsurpa ....How males alter their mates' ageing rates and lifespans. The proposed project investigates how males affect the lifespan, ageing and subsequent reproduction of their mates. It seeks to draw on and adapt tools and approaches used in molecular genetics and physiology to test predictions from evolutionary theories of sexual conflict, life-histories and ageing in an organism of biomedical and ecological significance, the house mouse. It is expected that this approach will allow the study, in unsurpassed detail, of the costs males impose on females via mating, insemination, territoriality and via conflict over how many offspring to have and how to invest in their care.Read moreRead less
Uncovering the transgenerational dimension of ageing. Despite over a century of research on the biology of ageing, one intriguing aspect of ageing – the widely observed tendency for older parents to produce offspring with reduced lifespan and fitness – remains poorly understood. Such effects could be a major source of variation in individual fitness, could play a role in the evolution of ageing, and could impact human health. Building on recent discoveries by CI Bonduriansky’s research group and ....Uncovering the transgenerational dimension of ageing. Despite over a century of research on the biology of ageing, one intriguing aspect of ageing – the widely observed tendency for older parents to produce offspring with reduced lifespan and fitness – remains poorly understood. Such effects could be a major source of variation in individual fitness, could play a role in the evolution of ageing, and could impact human health. Building on recent discoveries by CI Bonduriansky’s research group and others, this project’s aims will address significant questions about the mechanisms mediating these effects, the roles of mothers vs. fathers, and the role of the ambient environment. This project will also contribute new theory on the evolutionary implications of such effects. Read moreRead less
The nutritional geometry of parental diet. This project aims to investigate the effects of ancestors’ diet on descendants’ development and performance. Recognition that an individual’s diet can affect its descendants’ features and health influences biology and medicine, but limitations of conventional research methodologies make understanding such effects incomplete. The Nutritional Geometry framework enables researchers to analyse effects of diet composition as complex response surfaces, and ha ....The nutritional geometry of parental diet. This project aims to investigate the effects of ancestors’ diet on descendants’ development and performance. Recognition that an individual’s diet can affect its descendants’ features and health influences biology and medicine, but limitations of conventional research methodologies make understanding such effects incomplete. The Nutritional Geometry framework enables researchers to analyse effects of diet composition as complex response surfaces, and has recently been used in research on parental diet effects. Building on this breakthrough, this project intends to analyse the effects of ancestors’ diet, and test hypotheses relevant to evolution, ecology and human health.Read moreRead less
What is killing the honeybees? The role of RNA viruses. This project aims to determine if the Varroa mite, the most important parasite of honeybees, selects for virulent strains of RNA viruses. Before Varroa’s inevitable arrival in Australia, this project will disentangle the effect of Varroa and the bees’ immune system on the evolution of virulence of bee viruses. Australia’s honeybees are Varroa-naïve and don’t carry virulent viruses. There is a known association between Varroa and colonies dy ....What is killing the honeybees? The role of RNA viruses. This project aims to determine if the Varroa mite, the most important parasite of honeybees, selects for virulent strains of RNA viruses. Before Varroa’s inevitable arrival in Australia, this project will disentangle the effect of Varroa and the bees’ immune system on the evolution of virulence of bee viruses. Australia’s honeybees are Varroa-naïve and don’t carry virulent viruses. There is a known association between Varroa and colonies dying from viruses; however, it is not known what is cause and effect. This project will clarify Varroa’s exact role in the evolution of virulence in RNA viruses. The intended outcome is increased knowledge allowing the design of an effective treatment to prevent the death of honeybee colonies.Read moreRead less
Can sexual conflict contribute to a resolution of the paradox of sex? Despite over a century of research, it remains unclear why most animals can reproduce only via sex. An exciting new hypothesis proposes that sexual conflict can promote sexual reproduction and inhibit asexual strategies, suggesting a potential solution to this long-standing paradox. Building on my research expertise, and using a native Australian insect species in which the role of sexual conflict can be studied in natural pop ....Can sexual conflict contribute to a resolution of the paradox of sex? Despite over a century of research, it remains unclear why most animals can reproduce only via sex. An exciting new hypothesis proposes that sexual conflict can promote sexual reproduction and inhibit asexual strategies, suggesting a potential solution to this long-standing paradox. Building on my research expertise, and using a native Australian insect species in which the role of sexual conflict can be studied in natural populations, this ambitious project aims to test this hypothesis for the first time. This research will expand knowledge in the biological sciences by helping to answer one of the most challenging questions in evolutionary biology. This work will also contribute to efforts to monitor Australia's unique insect fauna.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE180100526
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$342,551.00
Summary
Unifying cornerstones of social evolution: theory and application. This proposal aims to reconcile and unify alternative methods in social evolution theory, one of the foundations of our modern understanding of evolutionary and behavioural ecology. Social evolution has been controversial, but recent years have seen major developments. By combining mathematical models and empirical data, this project expects to end the controversies by removing boundaries between theoretical approaches. Specific ....Unifying cornerstones of social evolution: theory and application. This proposal aims to reconcile and unify alternative methods in social evolution theory, one of the foundations of our modern understanding of evolutionary and behavioural ecology. Social evolution has been controversial, but recent years have seen major developments. By combining mathematical models and empirical data, this project expects to end the controversies by removing boundaries between theoretical approaches. Specific applications of theory include social insect evolution, individuality and selection in plants. Unification of theory is expected to enhance research capacity in Australia and internationally.Read moreRead less