Behavioural, evolutionary and physiological ecology

Ecologists often begin by asking how interactions between individual and the environment result in differential survival & reproductive output of organisms depending on their size, age, sex & which traits they possess. These can result in predictable changes in population size and composition that, at broader scales, generates variation in gene flow among populations and differences in species ranges. Natural selection operates whenever there is variation in reproductive output because organisms differ in their ‘fit’ with the environment. Evolutionary change feeds back to affect future ecological interactions. Research at the Research School of Biology covers all aspects of the ecology-evolution cycle. Our key research strengths include: ecophysiology of plants and mammals; behavioural ecology of crabs, birds, insects, reptiles & fish; sensory ecology of crabs & insects; functional ecology of fish & plants; evolutionary genetics of microbes, fungi and reptiles; and the epigenetics of bees. We also have a strong international reputation for developing theory in evolution & ecology that transcends specific study taxa. 

Project Groups
Acoustic communication in birds Magrath Group - Behavioural ecology; acoustic communication; ornithology
ATLS - the Australian Thermal Load Sensitivity Project. What determines plant sensitivity to heat?
  • Nicotra Group - Plant physiological ecology, plant evolutionary biology, reproductive ecology
  • Whitney Group - Synthetic Photosynthesis - bioengineering enzymes to adjust carbon fixation
  • Way Group - Plant Ecophysiology and Global Change Biology
  • Australian Mountain Research Facility (AMRF, ARC LIEF project)
  • Head Group – Ecology and evolution of sex
  • Nicotra Group - Plant physiological ecology, plant evolutionary biology, reproductive ecology
  • Linde Group - Population genetics, evolution, phylogeography and molecular phylogenetics of fungi
  • Borevitz Group - Plant genomics for climate adaption
  • Biological adaptation under natural and anthropogenic conditions
    Can cooperative species better handle environmental variability?
    CLIMATE CHANGE
    Climate change and leaf-eating mammals Marsh Group - Animal-plant interactions and nutritional ecology
    Climate Change Impacts on Plants in Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park
  • Nicotra Group - Plant physiological ecology, plant evolutionary biology, reproductive ecology
  • Way Group - Plant Ecophysiology and Global Change Biology
  • Coral regeneration Adamska Group - Genomic and evolutionary basis of animal development
    Domesticating Australian native bees for use as alternative pollinators Mikheyev Group - Evolutionary genomics
    Drivers of phenotypic evolution in a vulnerable alpine ecosystem
  • Head Group – Ecology and evolution of sex
  • Nicotra Group - Plant physiological ecology, plant evolutionary biology, reproductive ecology
  • Linde Group - Population genetics, evolution, phylogeography and molecular phylogenetics of fungi
  • Ecology and ecophysiology in Australian plant species in a climate change context Nicotra Group - Plant physiological ecology, plant evolutionary biology, reproductive ecology
    Enhancing climate-resilience of ecological restoration Nicotra Group - Plant physiological ecology, plant evolutionary biology, reproductive ecology
    Epigenetic integration of genomic and environmental information in honey bees Maleszka Group - From molecules to behaviour
    Evolutionary biology of Australian reptiles and amphibians Keogh Group - Evolutionary biology & ecology of reptiles and amphibians
    Evolutionary significance of early developmental environments: Interaction between maternal effects and offspring thermal environment on phenotypic development and fitness Noble Group - Animal ecophysiology and evolutionary ecology
    Explore the Secrets of Australian Plants: Unravelling Ecological, Chemical, Molecular, and Genomic Mysteries of Specialised Plant-Pollinator Interactions. Peakall Group - Pollination, evolution and conservation
    Fiddler crabs: sex, territoriality and beyond
    How do climate-related changes in tidal patterns affect the foraging time and breeding behaviour of shorebirds?
    Identification of molecular mechanisms of action and direct target genes of developmental signalling pathways in sponges Adamska Group - Genomic and evolutionary basis of animal development
    Identification of target genes of developmental transcription factors Brachyury, Gata and Caudal in sponges Adamska Group - Genomic and evolutionary basis of animal development
    Impact of early thermal environments on thermal behaviour and physiology in lizards Noble Group - Animal ecophysiology and evolutionary ecology
    Investigating adaptive genomic variation underlying drought tolerance in Eucalyptus Borevitz Group - Plant genomics for climate adaption
    LUCK
    Maternal effects and phenotypic development in lizards Noble Group - Animal ecophysiology and evolutionary ecology
    Quantifying the impact of phenotypic plasticity on population persistence Noble Group - Animal ecophysiology and evolutionary ecology
    Role of poisonous plants in the foraging ecology of marsupials Marsh Group - Animal-plant interactions and nutritional ecology
    Save Our Snow gum: Understanding Snow Gum Dieback for Effective and Integrated Management Nicotra Group - Plant physiological ecology, plant evolutionary biology, reproductive ecology
    Sexual selection and the evolution of sex roles Jennions Group - Behavioural and reproductive ecology
    Sexual selection in changing in environments Head Group – Ecology and evolution of sex
    Skeleton formation in soft corals and calcareous sponges Adamska Group - Genomic and evolutionary basis of animal development
    Sponge and coral microbiomes Adamska Group - Genomic and evolutionary basis of animal development
    Spread of innovation in urban sulphur-crested cockatoos Aplin Group - Cognitive Ecology
    Student projects - additional topics for the future Atkin Group - Plant respiration in a changing world
    Students opportunities in Sequeira Group Sequeira Group - Statistical Modelling & Marine Megafauna Movement
    SYNCHRONY
    The causes and consequences of insect dispersal Head Group – Ecology and evolution of sex
    The ecology and evolution of aposematism Head Group – Ecology and evolution of sex
    The evolution of thermal tolerance across lifestages Head Group – Ecology and evolution of sex
    Thermal acclimation, metabolism and thermal physiology in lizards Noble Group - Animal ecophysiology and evolutionary ecology
    Vocal mimicry and display Magrath Group - Behavioural ecology; acoustic communication; ornithology

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