Discovery Projects - Grant ID: DP150102038 [ 2015-01-01 - 2018-06-30 ]

Research Grant

Researchers: Claire Wade (Chief Investigator) ,  Prof Bill Ballard (Chief Investigator)

Brief description Defining unconscious and artificial selection. In 1868 Charles Darwin proposed that the process of domestication can be divided into two independent selective processes we now call unconscious and artificial selection. In this project, we include the Australian dingo as a functional intermediate between the wild wolf and domestic dogs and test Darwin's hypothesis using modern molecular and statistical techniques. It is now widely accepted that the dingo was not domesticated by indigenous Australians and is therefore the ideal extant population for the project. The project is significant because it will be a critical test of Darwin's hypothesis. The outcome could be an improved understanding of the genomic basis for selection that can inform the process of domestication.

Funding Amount $374,900

Funding Scheme Discovery Projects

View this grant in the ARC Data Portal