Fitting non-Gaussian diffusion models to evolutionary data: towards a generalized framework for phylogenetic comparative analyses. This project aims to develop cutting-edge statistical methods for evolutionary biology in order to answer big questions using data derived from multiple species. Such methods are needed because of the variety of multi-species data that are becoming available, which cannot be dealt with correctly using current methods. The research is significant because it will provi ....Fitting non-Gaussian diffusion models to evolutionary data: towards a generalized framework for phylogenetic comparative analyses. This project aims to develop cutting-edge statistical methods for evolutionary biology in order to answer big questions using data derived from multiple species. Such methods are needed because of the variety of multi-species data that are becoming available, which cannot be dealt with correctly using current methods. The research is significant because it will provide a new way of fitting a wide class of statistical models to evolutionary data, in a very general setting. Further, this project will unite current methodology in a broader framework so that the proposed new methods are a generalisation of currently accepted theory. The outcomes will include a freely-available software package that implements the methods in a user-friendly form.Read moreRead less
Unravelling the molecular diversity and evolution of centipede venoms. The project intends to improve understanding of venom evolution in centipedes. Venoms have emerged as a rich source of pharmacological tools with potential for development into therapeutics and bioinsecticides. However, venoms-based discovery has been limited by the narrow taxonomical range of animals studied, with many groups of venomous animals overlooked. One such group is centipedes, whose venoms contain diverse toxins th ....Unravelling the molecular diversity and evolution of centipede venoms. The project intends to improve understanding of venom evolution in centipedes. Venoms have emerged as a rich source of pharmacological tools with potential for development into therapeutics and bioinsecticides. However, venoms-based discovery has been limited by the narrow taxonomical range of animals studied, with many groups of venomous animals overlooked. One such group is centipedes, whose venoms contain diverse toxins that differ between taxa. This project aims to provide an insight into centipede venom evolution, and how it might be constrained by venom-gland morphology. This study seeks to contribute to our understanding of protein evolution and direct biodiscovery efforts around centipede venom.Read moreRead less
A modelling analysis of the implications of biogenic feedbacks on environment for the adaptation of ecosystems. The sustainable management of Australia's living resources depends critically on a deep understanding of the fundamental properties of ecosystems. These properties will determine the response of an ecosystem to perturbation. Anthropogenic perturbation of ecosystems, whether instantiated by living resource harvesting, habitat destruction, species invasions, pollution or climate change, ....A modelling analysis of the implications of biogenic feedbacks on environment for the adaptation of ecosystems. The sustainable management of Australia's living resources depends critically on a deep understanding of the fundamental properties of ecosystems. These properties will determine the response of an ecosystem to perturbation. Anthropogenic perturbation of ecosystems, whether instantiated by living resource harvesting, habitat destruction, species invasions, pollution or climate change, is the greatest current threat to Australia's biodiversity and hence the continued functioning of the systems that we rely on for maintaining our environment in a habitable state and for providing economic benefit. This research will attempt to discover some of these properties, and assess their implications for the sustainably management of our environment.Read moreRead less
Resolving insect evolution. Our poor understanding of the evolution of insects, life’s most successful group, is a huge gap in our knowledge of nature. By analysing genomic data the project will resolve the insect evolutionary tree and discover what drove insect evolution. This will expand our knowledge of how evolution works - a vital part of conserving our biological diversity.
Evolution of Australia's globally unique hotspot of floral diversity. Australia has a globally recognised biodiversity hotspot, the southwest of Western Australia, but this unique eucalypt-dominated flora is threatened. This project will gain new insights into the evolutionary processes that generate and maintain such diversity, their vulnerability; and how the iconic eucalypts came to dominate the Australian landscape.
Diversity of Salinispora actinobacteria producing pharmaceutically relevant natural products from Australian marine sponges. By investigating the distribution of marine microbial resources relevant to drug discovery, we will directly contribute to ARC's Research Priority I - An Environmentally Sustainable Australia Priority Goal and the Priority Goal 'Sustainable use of Australia's biodiversity'. We will determine sources of marine bacteria and their genes useful for discovery of new natural pro ....Diversity of Salinispora actinobacteria producing pharmaceutically relevant natural products from Australian marine sponges. By investigating the distribution of marine microbial resources relevant to drug discovery, we will directly contribute to ARC's Research Priority I - An Environmentally Sustainable Australia Priority Goal and the Priority Goal 'Sustainable use of Australia's biodiversity'. We will determine sources of marine bacteria and their genes useful for discovery of new natural products for treatment of human diseases. We will do this by understanding where new strains of Salinispora bacteria may be isolated and how they are distributed in association with Australian marine sponge fauna, and by determining the distribution and chemical and genetic diversity of novel marine Salinispora bacteria.Read moreRead less
The evolution of dispersal on range edges. The rate at which an invasive species spreads, and the ability of a native species to adapt to environmental change, are both contingent on the dispersal ability of the species. Dispersal ability, however, evolves rapidly on the edge of a species' range. The rapid evolution of dispersal, therefore, determines the eventual range-limits of invasive species, as well as of native species responding to changing conditions. This research will provide tools ....The evolution of dispersal on range edges. The rate at which an invasive species spreads, and the ability of a native species to adapt to environmental change, are both contingent on the dispersal ability of the species. Dispersal ability, however, evolves rapidly on the edge of a species' range. The rapid evolution of dispersal, therefore, determines the eventual range-limits of invasive species, as well as of native species responding to changing conditions. This research will provide tools with which to predict the direction and rate of dispersal evolution on range-edges. The results of this work will, thus, massively facilitate management of invasive species and climate change.Read moreRead less
The evolution of generalism: why so many polyphagous fruit flies? This project aims to understand why flies that cause maggoty fruit have so frequently evolved the generalist feeding habitat. Insect herbivores make up 50 per cent of eukaryotic species on earth. Nearly all are host specialists, feeding on only one or very few plant species. In stark contrast, 40 per cent of tropical fruit flies are generalists, feeding across many plant families. This project aims to test specific hypotheses to e ....The evolution of generalism: why so many polyphagous fruit flies? This project aims to understand why flies that cause maggoty fruit have so frequently evolved the generalist feeding habitat. Insect herbivores make up 50 per cent of eukaryotic species on earth. Nearly all are host specialists, feeding on only one or very few plant species. In stark contrast, 40 per cent of tropical fruit flies are generalists, feeding across many plant families. This project aims to test specific hypotheses to explain the high frequency of generalism in Bactrocera. Outcomes will significantly advance understanding of the evolution of generalism, and so greatly advance herbivory theory. As Bactrocera are also globally significant horticultural pests, the project will provide under-pinning science for pest management.Read moreRead less
Ancestral state reconstruction and the evolution of Australian marsupials. This project aims to investigate the diversification and evolvability of Australian marsupials, by enabling genomes, ecology and 3D skeletal shape to synergistically inform evolutionary inference. This project expects to generate new knowledge of the processes that have promoted and maintained marsupial biodiversity, by tracing their evolution across a fossil gap that spans half of their history. Expected outcomes of this ....Ancestral state reconstruction and the evolution of Australian marsupials. This project aims to investigate the diversification and evolvability of Australian marsupials, by enabling genomes, ecology and 3D skeletal shape to synergistically inform evolutionary inference. This project expects to generate new knowledge of the processes that have promoted and maintained marsupial biodiversity, by tracing their evolution across a fossil gap that spans half of their history. Expected outcomes of this project include improved methods for merging fossils into the tree of life and for reconstructing the ecology and morphology of ancestors on phylogenetic trees. This should provide significant benefits, such as a coherent evolutionary context for informing research on marsupial biology, ecology and conservation.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE120102034
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$375,000.00
Summary
How did mammals evolve large brains? A multidisciplinary view from the pouch. This project applies novel data collection techniques to explain how the large brain sizes of today's mammals (including humans) are possible. The focus will be on brain structure, development, and evolution in the mostly Australian marsupials, whose ancestral mode of brain development makes them an ideal group for studies of brain size evolution.