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Projects within the Animal and Plant Physiology Program
Plant functional ecology and evolution
How do plant architecture, morphology, and physiology interact to determine the ecological attributes of plant species; and how do these characteristics vary both within and between species? Research in my lab examines relationships between leaf-level and whole-plant responses to variation in resource availability - whole-plant physiology, or ecophysiology. Current projects underway examine plant reproductive biology, evolution of leaf shape in Australian and South African groups, and the evolutionary significance of phenotypic plasticity
Dr Adrienne Nicotra
T: 6125 5573
E: adienne.nicotra@anu.edu.au
W: http://www.anu.edu.au/BoZo/staffandstudents/staffprofiles/nicotra.php
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Infrared image of temperature variation across the surface of a Pelargonium leaf |
Effect of feeding on production and release of digestive enzymes in insects
Several projects are available examining the mechanisms of control of digestive enzyme release during feeding in insects. As some insects are periodic feeders, digestive enzymes are only produced and released into the digestive tracts following meals. The projects would be to assess what chemicals and signals are used to regulate the release of digestive enzymes.
Dr Paul Cooper
E: paul.cooper@anu.edu.au
W: http://www.anu.edu.au/BoZo/staffandstudents/staffprofiles/cooper.php
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Temperature regulation in yellow-winged grasshoppers
Yellow-winged grasshoppers are abundant throughout the summer in south-eastern Australia. These animals are found in native grasslands, as well as pasturage. The animals are relatively large (more than 2 g) and spend time roosting on vegetation. The project would examine the ability of these animals to regulate their body temperature and the implication such regulation has on foraging and reproduction.
Dr Paul Cooper
E: paul.cooper@anu.edu.au
W: http://www.anu.edu.au/BoZo/staffandstudents/staffprofiles/cooper.php
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Effect of poisonous plants on populations of leaf eating marsupials.
Most plants contain toxins of different types and leaf eating animals such as possums and koalas face significant challenges in selecting a safe but nutritious diet. In the past students from the lab have discovered and characterized the effect of plant toxins on koalas and possum. The opportunity is now available to do manipulative experiments in the field in which the toxin content of trees within the range of possums is changed and the effects on the reproductive output of the animals would be tracked.
Prof. William Foley
E: William.Foley@anu.edu.au
W: http://www.anu.edu.au/BoZo/staffandstudents/staffprofiles/foley.php
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Animal homing and navigation
The ability of animals to know places in the world and to navigate repeatedly between them is of fundamental importance for their survival. We currently study the mechanisms of homing and navigation in a number of insects, including ants, and in fiddler crabs. We are particularly interested in the way in which navigational abilities (or the knowledge base of navigation) affect the recruitment strategies (in ants), the social system (in crabs), and the territorial behaviour and active range of animals. Several projects.
Dr Jochen Zeil
E: jochen.zeil@anu.edu.au
W: http://www.rsbs.anu.edu.au/ResearchGroups/VIS/profiles/Jochen_Zeil/index.php
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Animal signals and communication
Many animals communicate with colour and motion signals. We are currently studying movement-based signalling in lizards and fiddler crabs and the meaning of body and claw colours in a variety of fiddler crab species. One of our aims is to accurately describe how these signals are seen by receivers. For this we study the properties of eyes and use spectrographic and image motion analysis to quantify animal colours and the choreography of displays. There are several projects we can offer in this context.
Dr Jan Hemmi
E: jan.hemmi@anu.edu.au
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Out of the darkness: predicting rates of respiration of illuminated leaves
Estimates of leaf respiration (R) profoundly influence our understanding of ecosystem and Earth system functioning, and yet we lack basic information on key determinants of this process. For example, although we know that light inhibits leaf R by up to 80% and that failure to account for light inhibition of leaf R can lead to large over-estimates of daily ecosystem respiration, we lack sufficient experimental data to predict intra- and inter-specific variation in the degree of light inhibition of R. This project will establish whether the degree of light inhibition of leaf R differs systematically among plant species adapted to contrasting habitats, and the quantitative importance of light inhibition of R for leaf-level daily net carbon gain. The project will provide an opportunity for a student to investigate a question of high ecologically significance relevant to global carbon circulation models. It will enable the student to become familiar with methods such as CO2 exchange, as well as relating physiological variables with environmental parameters.
Assoc Prof. Owen Atkin
E: owen.atkin@anu.edu.au
W: http://cos.anu.edu.au/HDR/EES/Animal%20and20%25Plant%20Physiology.html
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Signals from mature to new leaves: a way to cold-acclimate without experiencing low temperatures?
Many species can adjust their metabolism to continue growth at low temperatures. This is achieved, in part, by cold acclimation of photosynthesis and respiration. Full acclimation requires that new leaves be developed in the cold. Cold-developed leaves exhibit higher transcript and activity levels of photosynthetic, sucrose synthesis and respiratory enzymes than their warm-grown and warm-grown/cold-acclimated counterparts. Cold-developed leaves are also thicker, denser and exhibit lower ratios of leaf area to leaf mass and higher nitrogen concentrations. What is not known, however, is whether the newly developed tissues need to directly experience cold in order to exhibit cold-acclimated characteristics. Several studies have reported that the structure and physiology of newly developed leaves can be altered in response to a systemic signal within the plant. For example, exposure of mature leaves of low-light adapted Arabidopsis plants to excess light results in newly-formed leaves that never experience bright light (i.e. they remained exposed to low-light) becoming acclimated to excess light energy. Systemic alterations in gene expression also occur in response to wounding, low irradiance and atmospheric. The impacts of systemic signalling are seen in changes in leaf structure and/or physiology. Systemic signalling results in newly developed leaves being acclimated to the environment experienced by the mature leaves, rather than the environment in which they developed. However, despite the growing evidence of systemic signalling in plants, no study has yet established whether cold acclimation of photosynthesis, respiration and/or leaf structure occurs in response to a systemic signal. The aim of this study will be to establish whether cold acclimation of leaf morphology, photosynthesis and respiration in new leaves occurs in response to a systemic signal from mature leaves, rather than via the production of new leaves that directly experience cold during their development. The student will gain training in advanced techniques of plant physiology, including fluorescence as well as CO2 and O2 gas-exchange.
Assoc Prof. Owen Atkin
E: owen.atkin@anu.edu.au
W: http://cos.anu.edu.au/HDR/EES/Animal%20and20%25Plant%20Physiology.html
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Ecophysiology of salinity and freezing tolerance
The goal of my research is to understand how physiological adaptations and responses to environmental stresses, particularly salinity and temperature, affect the structure and functioning of vegetation along environmental gradients.
Prof. Marilyn Ball
E: marilyn.ball@anu.edu.au
W: http://www.rsbs.anu.edu.au/Profiles/Marilyn_Ball/
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