Phylogenetics, population genetics and biodiversity

Molecular genetics forms the basis for much of what we do in this research area. Research at the Research School of Biology spans the continuum of population genetics and phylogenetics of bacteria, fungi, plants and animals. Our researchers are at the forefront of new methods in molecular ecology, population genetic analysis and molecular evolution. The results of our work are used to better understand biogeographic history, macroevolutionary patterns, evolution of traits and to inform conservation.

Project Groups
Acacia evolution: why do some species evolve faster than others? Lanfear Group - Mutation, molecular evolution and phylogenetics
New methods in phylogenetics Lanfear Group - Mutation, molecular evolution and phylogenetics
Reading the history of mutations in individual plants Lanfear Group - Mutation, molecular evolution and phylogenetics
Above and below-ground specialization in Australian orchids Peakall Group - Pollination, evolution and conservation
Ascochyta blight of chickpea Linde Group - Population genetics, evolution, phylogeography and molecular phylogenetics of fungi
Australian Mountain Research Facility (AMRF, ARC LIEF project)
  • Borevitz Group - Plant genomics for climate adaption
  • Nicotra Group - Plant physiological ecology, plant evolutionary biology, reproductive ecology
  • Australian native truffle diversity Linde Group - Population genetics, evolution, phylogeography and molecular phylogenetics of fungi
    Bioinformatic / Computational methods Huttley Group - Bioinformatics, molecular evolution of genomes
    C4 Rice Project
  • Furbank Group – Improving photosynthesis and crop yield
  • von Caemmerer Group - CO2 fixation and water loss of leaves
  • Characterising the Zymospetoria tritici - wheat interaction Solomon Group - Wheat biosecurity
    Climate change and ecosystem structure, function and composition Moritz Group - Evolutionary biogeography & conservation
    Coral regeneration Adamska Group - Genomic and evolutionary basis of animal development
    Distinguishing among patterns of extinction and speciation through geological and climatic change
    Domestic applicants for PhDs in Ecology & Evolution
    Ecological processes in evolutionary radiations Cardillo Group - Macroevolution, Macroecology and Biogeography
    Ecology, genetics and physiology of animal-plant interactions Foley Group - Animal-Plant interactions
    Entropy, information theory and biodiversity
    Evolution at extremes: Macroevolutionary responses to harsh environments
  • Bromham Group - Macroevolution, molecular evolution & Language evolution
  • Cardillo Group - Macroevolution, Macroecology and Biogeography
  • Evolution of salt tolerance in plants Bromham Group - Macroevolution, molecular evolution & Language evolution
    Evolution of the Australian Onychophora Rowell Group - Population genetics, karyology and phylogeography of terrestrial invertebrates
    Evolutionary biology of Australian reptiles and amphibians Keogh Group - Evolutionary biology & ecology of reptiles and amphibians
    Evolvability Bromham Group - Macroevolution, molecular evolution & Language evolution
    Factors affecting Perigord truffle production in Australia Linde Group - Population genetics, evolution, phylogeography and molecular phylogenetics of fungi
    Genetics and evolution of variation in chemical defence against herbivores Foley Group - Animal-Plant interactions
    Global patterns of biodiversity Cardillo Group - Macroevolution, Macroecology and Biogeography
    Honours projects are now available to study a wide range of topics in biosecurity and pathogenesis Solomon Group - Wheat biosecurity
    How do animals learn about poisonous plants? Foley Group - Animal-Plant interactions
    Integrative taxonomy of Australian monsoonal herpetofauna Moritz Group - Evolutionary biogeography & conservation
    Investigating adaptive genomic variation underlying drought tolerance in Eucalyptus Borevitz Group - Plant genomics for climate adaption
    Landscape genomics Borevitz Group - Plant genomics for climate adaption
    Limiting factors and impacts of climate change for endangered Australian orchids Peakall Group - Pollination, evolution and conservation
    Metagenomics and the analysis of microbial genomes Huttley Group - Bioinformatics, molecular evolution of genomes
    Molecular evolution and Phylogenetics Huttley Group - Bioinformatics, molecular evolution of genomes
    New approaches to discovering biodiversity and understanding its response to climate change Moritz Group - Evolutionary biogeography & conservation
    Patterns and correlates of extinction risk Cardillo Group - Macroevolution, Macroecology and Biogeography
    Peripheral isolates as hotbeds of adaptive diversity Moritz Group - Evolutionary biogeography & conservation
    Pest resistance and sustainable plantation management of eucalypts Foley Group - Animal-Plant interactions
    PhD projects are now available to study a wide range of topics in biosecurity and pathogenesis Solomon Group - Wheat biosecurity
    Phylogenomic assessment of conservation priorities in two biodiversity hotspots: The Pilbara and Kimberley Moritz Group - Evolutionary biogeography & conservation
    Phylogeny, biogeography and diversification of Australian plants
  • Bromham Group - Macroevolution, molecular evolution & Language evolution
  • Cardillo Group - Macroevolution, Macroecology and Biogeography
  • Postgraduate projects with research support: Drivers of climate change responses in the Australian Alps
  • Borevitz Group - Plant genomics for climate adaption
  • Nicotra Group - Plant physiological ecology, plant evolutionary biology, reproductive ecology
  • Processes of community assembly Bromham Group - Macroevolution, molecular evolution & Language evolution
    Rates of molecular evolution in parasites Bromham Group - Macroevolution, molecular evolution & Language evolution
    Re-assembly of biological communities during the Cenozoic Moritz Group - Evolutionary biogeography & conservation
    Role of poisonous plants in the foraging ecology of marsupials Foley Group - Animal-Plant interactions
    Speciation in co-evolved taxa: sexually-deceptive orchids and their mycorrhizal symbionts Linde Group - Population genetics, evolution, phylogeography and molecular phylogenetics of fungi
    Species discovery and refugia in the monsoonal tropics Moritz Group - Evolutionary biogeography & conservation
    Statistical methods of sequence divergence Huttley Group - Bioinformatics, molecular evolution of genomes
    Student opportunities in molecular analysis of CO2 acquisition by cyanobacteria Price Group - The cyanobacterial CO2 concentrating mechanism and the use of synthetic biology to transfer it to C3 crop plants
    The chemical, biochemical, genetic and ecological basis of pollinator-driven speciation in Australian orchids Peakall Group - Pollination, evolution and conservation
    The ecological and molecular basis of pollinator-driven speciation in Australian orchids Peakall Group - Pollination, evolution and conservation
    Why are biodiversity hotspots found where they are? Moritz Group - Evolutionary biogeography & conservation