Desertspinifexes(Triodiaspp.)arethedominantspeciesinaridhummockgrasslandsacrossalmostaquarterofAustralia, and are therefore keyspecies forrestoration. Matingsystems(eg. inbreedingoroutcrossingstrategies)areaprimarydriverofgeneticvariationwithinandbetweenpopulations,andacriticalfactorinplanningandmonitoringrestorationsuccessinminingrehabilitation.Matingsystemsareespecially importanttoconsiderinseedfarming,nowbeinginvestigated as a potentiallyreliable seed sourceforspinifextomitigateextremeseasonalfluctuationswhichlimitseedavailabilityforindustry.Forexample,ifplantsarestrictlyoutcrossing,smallscaleseedfarmorrehabplotsmaynotproduceenoughoutcrosspollentopermitviableseedproduction,orproducehighlyinbredseedwhichreducessurvivalrates.ThisprojectwillinvestigatematingsystemsinPilbaraspinifexusingnewlydevelopedmolecularmarkers, to answersomefundamentalquestions aboutarid Australia’s mostimportantplant.
Supervisors: Dr Matt Barrett (Matt.Barrett@bgpa.wa.gov.au); Dr Siegy Krauss (Siegy.Krauss@bgpa.wa.gov.au).
Genetics ofSeagrass
Seagrasses belongto a largegroup ofmarine floweringplants, adapted foran entirelysubmerged life. Theyproduce flowers and seeds, with pollen and seed dispersaloccurringwithin the watercolumn.Seagrassmeadows also exhibitextensivevegetative (orclonal)reproduction. The meadows are extremelyproductiveecosystems and playa vitalrole in providingfish nurseries and stabilisingseabeds and coastalshorelines.
Extensive decline in seagrassmeadows has been documented around Australia, and globally, withexperimentalrestoration efforts requiringdonorplantmaterial.Ecological,morphological, and moleculartools are beingused to addresses a range ofissues relatingto population structure, matingsystems, seeddispersal, and recruitmentto contribute to the long-termsuccess ofrestoration efforts. Microsatellite DNAmarkers are specificallybeingused to answerquestions relatingto clonaldiversity,gene flow amongmeadows and the role ocean currents playin pollen and seed dispersal. Severaloptions forprojects areavailable, and can be developed around studentskills and interests.
Geneticpatterns inPilbara riparianspecies usingnext-generation sequencing(NGS)approachesThe Pilbara in northwestern Australia is an ancientbiophysicalregion and an importantzone ofbiodiversityand endemism.Ourunderstandingofpatterns ofbiotic diversityin the region is limited and in this projectyou willuse next-generation sequencing(NGS)approaches to studygenetic patterns in widespread Pilbarariparian tree species.
Supervisors:DrPaulNevill(paul.nevill@bgpa.wa.gov.au);DrSiegyKrauss (siegy.krauss@bgpa.wa.gov.au) Allofthese projects are supported byexternalfunds. For informationon otherConservation Geneticsprojects please contact:
The importance ofwaterin seed dispersal(hydrochory)and emergencetimingare poorlyunderstood inriparian species. In this studycombiningseed ecologyand molecularapproaches you willexaminekeyquestions in the dispersalecologyofco-occurringPilbara riparian species.
Seedgermination is the mostriskyeventin a plant’s life as seeds need to germinate ata suitable place andtime forseedlingsurvival.Germination can be particularlyriskyin arid areas, as lowand variable rainfallcould resultin insufficientmoisture forseedlingsurvivaland establishment. Predictivegermination is aconceptwhich describes the cuingofseed germination usingenvironmentalfactors favourable to seedlingsurvival.Germinationspeed and germination with the required amountofsoilmoisture are two mechanismsused forpredictive germination.Fastgermination allows a competitiveadvantage,howeveritis associatedwith higherrisk, as moisturemaynotbe available forlongenough to allowforseedlingestablishment. Thisstudywilluse perennialand annualspecies ofarid Australia to assess the use ofpredictive germinationmodels fordeterminingrisk-takingand risk-averse species to provide insights into species co-existence invariableenvironments and communitycompositionin restoration.
The effects ofhabitatfragmentationonpollinationsystems on the Swan CoastalPlain
Western Australia is recognised as a biodiversityhotspotthrough the combination ofhigh floristic diversityand pervasiveanthropogenic threats. Criticalto conservation ofthis flora is an understandingofreproductive strategies, particularlypollination. Yetremarkablypollination systemshavebeen studied inveryfewinsectpollinated plants includingmanyofourmostwellknown wildflowers. This projectaims toresolve pollination systems in a range ofspecies naturallyoccurringin floristicallydiverse urban remnantsand the effects ofhabitatfragmentation and habitatmodification on pollinatorcommunities.
Western Australian pea plants (Fabaceae)are characterized byhigh species diversityand a range ofstrikingfloralcolourpatterns. The majorityofspecies are believed to be pollinated bynative bees and, morerecently, the feralhoneybee (Apis mellifera). However,mostaspects ofthis interaction remainlargely
unstudied includingthe foragingspecificityofnative bees, the relative importance ofApis mellifera forpollination, differences in foragingbehaviourbetween bee species and the consequences forpollenmovement. This projectwillinvestigate these issues byfocusingon winterfloweringpea plants in theDarlingRange(Hoveaand Davesia).