Project Details
Description
In Australian deserts, several animals and plants reproduce without sex even though this mode of reproduction is extremely rare. This study seeks to understand why, using two unique systems, a lizard and a grasshopper which both exhibit asexual (all-female) reproduction that developed millenia ago when pairs of sexual species hybridised. Sex provides a way for species to generate the genetic variation needed to adapt to changing environments, yet the Australian desert species lacking sex are highly successful. So how do they do it? The project applies new tools from genomics with experimental crosses to assess their genetic diversity and understand how they evolve. Results will challenge long held theory about benefits of sex, bolstering Australias global reputation in evolutionary biology. The project includes a symposium on sex and biodiversity for the public, and the results will inform use of hybridisation as a tool in conservation and for control of pest spe
Status | Active |
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Effective start/end date | 3/07/23 → 2/07/26 |
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