Aphidvectorbiologyandtherolesofdifferentaphidspeciesasvectorsofcucurbitviruses.Weknowsurprisinglylittleaboutthebiologyofaphidvectorsandtherolesofdifferentaphidsasvectorsofcucurbitviruses thatcurrentlythreaten the wellbeingofcontinuation ofthe states cucurbitindustry.
Howdonativeplantsrespondtoinvasionbyintroducedvirusesspreadingfromintroducedcropsandhowdointroducedcropplantsrespondtoinvasionbyindigenousvirusesspreadingfromnativeplants.Weknowverylittleaboutthethreatsposedtonativeplantsfromintroducedvirusesandtocropplantsfromindigenousviruses.Virusesevolveandadapttonewhostsvery rapidly and,because agricultureis so recenthere, we are ideallyplaced in Western Australia to studythis process.
WINTHROPPROFESSORGARYAKENDRICK
Room1.24 BotanyBuildingLinkand UWA OceansInstitute;Ph 6488 3998;Emailgary.kendrick@uwa.edu.au ECOLOGYAND DEMOGRAPHYOFMARINE PLANTS GaryKendrick’sresearchinterestsareinthestudyoftheinterrelationshipbetweenabioticandbioticprocessesinthemarineenvironmentandtheirimpactonthepatternsofdistributionandabundanceofcommunitiesandpopulationsoforganisms.Thisgeneralresearchinteresthasrecently ledmetoconcentrateonscalingofmarineecologicalprocesses.Heispresentlystudyingthelinksbetweenvegetativegrowthandrecruitmentprocesseswithinseagrasspopulationsandpatterningofseagrassmeadowsacrosssubmarinelandscapes.Hisothermajorinterestisintheecologyofmarineseaweedsandbiological(fishandinvertebrategrazing,spacepre-emptionbysessilefilterfeedinginvertebrates)andphysical(influenceofwaves and currents)processes influencingthem. Projecttopics for2014-2015 include
Reproductive and recruitmentecologyofseagrasses
Ecologyof benthos across the tropical- temperatetransition zonefromRottnest to HoutmansAbrolhos
Restoration ecologyoftropicaland temperateseagrasses (with John Statton)
Population genetics ofthe kelpEcklonia radiata (with ThomasWernberg)
Population genetics and matingsystems ofseagrasses (with LizSinclair)Seehttp://www.uwa.edu.au/people/gary.kendrick
ProjectIdeas
Matchingbed stress and benthichabitatsfor specific regions (GeographeBay, Rottnestetc)Supervisors:ChariPattiaratchi, GaryKendrick,KimberlyVan Niel, EuanHarvey
Seagrass genetics (Posidonia)
Supervisors Elizabeth Sinclair, SiegyKrauss, GaryKendrick;Contact(elizabeth.sinclair@uwa.edu.au)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.Eight(ofthe nine)Posidonia species occurwithin waters ofthe south-westregion ofWestern Australia. Ecological,morphological, and moleculartoolsare beingused to addresses a range ofissues relatingto population structure, adaptation, and matingsystemsto contribute to the long-termsuccess ofrestoration efforts. Microsatellite DNA markers are specificallybeingused to answerquestions relatingto clonaldiversity,gene flow amongmeadows and the role oceancurrents playin pollen and seed dispersal, and hybridisation. Severaloptions forprojects are available, andcan be developed around studentskills and interests.
Connectivity,reproduction and recruitmentofseagrasses in Shark Bay –
SupervisorsGaryKendrickand John Statton
Connectivity, reproduction and recruitmentofseagrasses in SharkBay– SharkBayWorld HeritageRegionpresents a unique climatic interface between temperate and tropicalrealms. The high species diversityofseagrass in this region coupled with representative species fromeach climatic realmdelivers a rareopportunityto compare distinctreproductive and recruitmentstrategies employed byeach species and howthese strategies contribute to the persistence and resilience ofseagrass populations in this region andelsewhere. This research willfocus on understandinghow underlyingabiotic processes influence seagrassreproductiveecologyin the face ofchangingclimatic conditions
Fish grazingpressure ontropicalseagrasses in Shark Bay –
This is an opportunityto build yourresearch skills within a supportive and multi-disciplinaryresearch teamin a World HeritageArea. This projectcan answerquestions relevantto the internationalscientificcommunity. Formoreinformation,visithttp://www.science.uwa.edu.au/students/fourth-year-research-projectsand referto the Marine Honours projectbooklet.