Research
Key collaborating research groups
Key collaborating research groups
- BirdLab - Flinders University, South Australia and Konrad Lorenz Institute, Austria (Prof Sonia Kleindorfer)
- Conservation Genetics Research Group, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia (Assoc. Prof. Adam Stow)
- Invasive Plant Ecology and Evolution Lab, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia (Assoc. Prof. Jaco Le Roux)
- Molecular Ecology and Evolution Group (MEEL), Lund University, Sweden (Prof. Bengt Hansson)
- Lancaster Lab - Evolution and Biogeography, University of Aberdeen, Scotland (Dr. Lesley Lancaster)
- Experimental Evolution, Ecology and Behaviour Group (EXEB), Lund University, Sweden (Prof. Erik Svensson)
- Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services in a Changing Climate (BECC group)- Lund University (Prof. Henrik Smith)
Untangling environmental effects on bee health in the face of Varroa
Australian Research Council Future Fellowship (FT23) (commencing March 2024-March 2028) awarded to Rachael Dudaniec.
This project aims to assess bee health, disease and evolution in European honeybees and bumblebees. Bee viruses transmitted by the destructive Varroa mite cause worldwide pollinator declines. Factors determining bee health will be identified across Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom, which differ in Varroa impact and
bee introduction histories. Harnessing Tasmania's (and most of Australia's) currently threatened Varroa-free status, the bumblebee invasion in Tasmania, and cutting-edge multi-omics techniques (for microbiomes, viruses and genomes), predictors of disease dynamics will be identified for two globally important bee pollinators. The project outcomes will boost Australia's capacity to manage threats to pollination services at landscape scales. This is particularly relevant given the recent incursion of Varroa in to NSW, which has now reached management status, with eradication efforts hitherto unsuccessful.
Using assisted evolution of native species to enhance control of invasive plants
Australian Research Council Discovery Project (DP22)
Lead Chief Investigator: Jaco Le Roux (Macquarie University)
Chief Investigator: Rachael Dudaniec (Macquarie University)
Partner Investigator: Scott P Carroll (UC Davis, USA)
One area of enormous potential in invasion biology and management is the evolutionary manipulation of native species to counter the negative impacts of invasive species. Native herbivores often accumulate on invasive plants and rapidly adapt to them. Invasive balloon vines (genus Cardiospermum) have a well-characterised eco-evolutionary association with native Australian soapberry bugs (Leptocoris tagalicus), which feed on seeds of the vines. This system offers a unique opportunity to ‘fast-track’ evolution in effective insect-host plant interactions to achieve top-down control of invasive weeds. This project involves both lab and experimental data collection with field collections in New South Wales, Queensland and the Northern Territory.
Australian Research Council Discovery Project (DP22)
Lead Chief Investigator: Jaco Le Roux (Macquarie University)
Chief Investigator: Rachael Dudaniec (Macquarie University)
Partner Investigator: Scott P Carroll (UC Davis, USA)
One area of enormous potential in invasion biology and management is the evolutionary manipulation of native species to counter the negative impacts of invasive species. Native herbivores often accumulate on invasive plants and rapidly adapt to them. Invasive balloon vines (genus Cardiospermum) have a well-characterised eco-evolutionary association with native Australian soapberry bugs (Leptocoris tagalicus), which feed on seeds of the vines. This system offers a unique opportunity to ‘fast-track’ evolution in effective insect-host plant interactions to achieve top-down control of invasive weeds. This project involves both lab and experimental data collection with field collections in New South Wales, Queensland and the Northern Territory.
Local adaptation of invasive vs wild bumblebees (Bombus terrestris) in Europe and Australia
PhD Student: Cecilia Kardum-Hjort Collaborators: Prof. Henrik Smith (Lund University) Cecilia is a cotutelle joint PhD student at Macquarie University and Lund University in Sweden (since 2019: co-supervisor Prof. Henrik Smith). This project examines whole genome data from bees in southern Sweden to look for genomic introgression between wild and commercial bumblebees. In Tasmania, Australia, where B. terrestris has been introducted, we are examining local adaptation processes in relation to environmental conditions, which will inform predictions about the likelihood and persistence of bumblebee spread to mainland Australia. |
Landscape and ecological genomics of the range-expanding damselfly, Ischnura elegans
Main collaborators: Dr Nicky Lustenhouwer (University of Aberdeen) Prof. Bengt Hansson, Prof. Erik Svensson (Lund University, Sweden), Dr. Lesley Lancaster (University of Aberdeen, Scotland), A/Prof Maren Wellenreuther (Lund University, Plant and Food Research New Zealand)
Ischnura elegans, like many insects in Europe, are expanding northwards under an increasingly warming climate. This widespread damselfly shows restricted dispersal, stochastic population dynamics, and occupies diverse habitats, such as freshwater, brackish water, forested lakes and agricultural ponds. This project is using high-throughput DNA sequencing (RADseq), low coverage whole genome data, epigenetic data for hundreds of individuals across latitudes. The work continues and student projects are available to expand this study.
With genomic markers, spatial and ecological data, this project is characterizing the ability of species to disperse and adapt within changing land uses and climatic regimes. This involves identifying specific genotype x environment interactions and loci using genome scans. With the available reference genome and transcriptome for I.elegans, we have identified functional genetic variants under selection during range expansion and uncovering mechanisms that govern local adaptation and evolution.
Funding 2012-2014: Marie Curie International Incoming Postdoctoral Fellowship (European Commission FP7) and the Oscar & Lilli Lamm Foundation (Sweden).
Funding 2021-2025 - UK NERC grant to L. Lancaster (University of Aberdeen) AND Marie Curie Sklodowska Fellowship to Dr Nicky Lustenhouwer.
Funding 2012-2014: Marie Curie International Incoming Postdoctoral Fellowship (European Commission FP7) and the Oscar & Lilli Lamm Foundation (Sweden).
Funding 2021-2025 - UK NERC grant to L. Lancaster (University of Aberdeen) AND Marie Curie Sklodowska Fellowship to Dr Nicky Lustenhouwer.
Molecular ecology and impact of Philornis parasites on Darwin's finches in the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
Main collaborators: Sonia Kleindorfer and Dr Lauren Common (Konrad Lorenz Institute, University of Vienna)
Main collaborators: Sonia Kleindorfer and Dr Lauren Common (Konrad Lorenz Institute, University of Vienna)
The invasive parasitic fly, Philornis downsi is considered the biggest threat to the survival of Galapagos land birds and was first discovered parasitising nestling finches in 1997. The non-parasitic adult fly lays its eggs in finch nests, and the eggs hatch into larvae that consume nestling blood and tissue, and in some instances the incubating female. In Darwin’s finch nestlings, the larvae cause up to 50% blood loss, and between 17 and 100% mean annual mortality in nestlings (e.g., Dudaniec et al. 2007). With collaborators at Flinders University, South Australia, my PhD characterised the fitness impacts of P. downsi across species and islands of the Galapagos, and developed microsatellite markers that revealed gene flow (Dudaniec et al. 2008) and reproductive behaviour (Dudaniec et al 2010) of the fly. Currently, we are examining host-parasite co-evoutionary patterns in both host and parasite and implications for hybridisation frequency among hosts.
This novel and tightly coupled host-parasite system within the living laboratory of the Galapagos Islands is providing unique insights into host-parasite coevolutionary dynamics. Yet most importantly, P. downsi remains an urgent conservation issue and extinction risk for Darwin's finches and other Galapagos land birds, and efforts to control the fly are on-going.
This novel and tightly coupled host-parasite system within the living laboratory of the Galapagos Islands is providing unique insights into host-parasite coevolutionary dynamics. Yet most importantly, P. downsi remains an urgent conservation issue and extinction risk for Darwin's finches and other Galapagos land birds, and efforts to control the fly are on-going.
Current Funding: FWF Austrian Science Foundation Grant to Sonia Kleindorfer (CI) and Rachael Dudaniec (PI).
Previous project:
Drivers of landscape genetic patterns and environmental adaptation in grasshoppers
PhD Graduate: Dr Sonu Yadav
Dr Sonu Yadav graduated with her PhD on the landscape genomics of grasshoppers in April 2020. Sonu studied an agricultural pest of Australian crops and pasture that also occurs in Australia's alpine region, the wingless grasshopper (Phaulacridium vittatum), as well as more restricted montane grasshoppers of the genus Kosciuscola. She applied landscape genomic analyses using ddRADseq data to examine for signatures of local adaptation along maco and microgeographical gradients. This project has relevance for understanding the consequences of climate change-induced range shifts for pest spread and persistence and for range shift potential of climate change vulnerable species in Australia's alpine region. The study has produced four publications (see publications tab). This project has both applied and theoretical outcomes, and provides information relevant for pest management, biosecurity and conservation biology, while developing novel methodologies in landscape genomics.
Previous projects:
Landscape genetic connectivity of Australian mammals in human-modified landscapes
Main collaborators: Jonathan Rhodes, University of Queensland, Australia
Jessica Worthington-Wilmer, Queensland Museum, Australia
Landscape genetic connectivity of Australian mammals in human-modified landscapes
Main collaborators: Jonathan Rhodes, University of Queensland, Australia
Jessica Worthington-Wilmer, Queensland Museum, Australia
Native Australian small mammals are in decline due to forest clearing, urbanisation, introduced species, disease and inadequate reserve networks. This project focuses on four species in south-east Queensland, the koala (Phascolarctos cinereus), the sugar glider (Petaurus breviceps), the squirrel glider (Petaurus norfolcensis) and the Yellow-footed Antechinus (Antechinus flavipes). The project characterises drivers of landscape genetic structure using microsatellite markers, while taking spatial and temporal rates of landscape change into account (Dudaniec et al. 2013), as well as uncertainty in our ability to detect landscape relationships with gene flow. This project involves linkages with local governments surrounding the city of Brisbane, and our landscape genetic models are informing priorities for conserving species connectivity in this heavily developed region of Australia. See more about the project here.
Funding: Australian Research Council, Queensland local governments (PI: J Rhodes)
Media links
Data for landscape genetic model available online:
https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:323185
Dudaniec RY and JR Rhodes (2013) Of gene flow, fragmentation and scale-dependent management. Decision Point 75:10-11.
http://www.decision-point.com.au/images/DPoint_files/DPoint_75/dp75%20p10%20dudaniec%20koala%20gene%20flow.pdf
‘Genetics could help save koalas’ 10th March, 2014, Science Alert www.sciencealert.com.au/news/20141003-25296.html
‘Better urban planning can save koalas’ 18th March, 2014, University of Queensland,
UQ News: www.uq.edu.au/news/node/113368
Funding: Australian Research Council, Queensland local governments (PI: J Rhodes)
Media links
Data for landscape genetic model available online:
https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:323185
Dudaniec RY and JR Rhodes (2013) Of gene flow, fragmentation and scale-dependent management. Decision Point 75:10-11.
http://www.decision-point.com.au/images/DPoint_files/DPoint_75/dp75%20p10%20dudaniec%20koala%20gene%20flow.pdf
‘Genetics could help save koalas’ 10th March, 2014, Science Alert www.sciencealert.com.au/news/20141003-25296.html
‘Better urban planning can save koalas’ 18th March, 2014, University of Queensland,
UQ News: www.uq.edu.au/news/node/113368
Previous projects:
Landscape genetics of coastal giant salamanders in managed forests
Main collaborators: John S Richardson, University of British Columbia, Canada
Andrew Storfer, Stephen Spear, Washington State University, United States
Landscape genetics of coastal giant salamanders in managed forests
Main collaborators: John S Richardson, University of British Columbia, Canada
Andrew Storfer, Stephen Spear, Washington State University, United States
The coastal giant salamander (Dicamptodon tenebrosus) occurs mainly in mountain streams of the Pacific Northwest of the United States, but its northern range limit stretches just over the border into British Columbia, Canada. This project characterised landscape genetic connectivity within core (South Cascades, Washington), and northern range limit populations (Chilliwack, BC) (Dudaniec et al. 2012), as well as fine-scale habitat associations at the range limit (Dudaniec and Richardson 2012). Range limit populations showed genetic structure that was consistent with post-glacial range expansion processes. Effects of elevation and climate on genetic structure were identified, but not forest harvest. However, genetic diversity and effective population size were much lower at the range limit.
This study emphasises the need to tease apart anthropogenic impacts (e.g. logging) from landscape, climatic, and historical determinants of species genetic structure. However, such distinctions between abiotic factors and human impacts have become less clear with the increasing impacts of anthropogenic climate change, particulary for range limit populations, like in D. tenebrosus. This project continues to inform species recovery plans for threatened amphibians in British Columbia.
Funding: Forest Science Program BC, Canadian Wildlife Federation
This study emphasises the need to tease apart anthropogenic impacts (e.g. logging) from landscape, climatic, and historical determinants of species genetic structure. However, such distinctions between abiotic factors and human impacts have become less clear with the increasing impacts of anthropogenic climate change, particulary for range limit populations, like in D. tenebrosus. This project continues to inform species recovery plans for threatened amphibians in British Columbia.
Funding: Forest Science Program BC, Canadian Wildlife Federation