Discovery Projects - Grant ID: DP170101681 [ 2017-09-30 - 2020-09-29 ]

Research Grant

Researchers: Nicotra, Adrienne (Chief Investigator) ,  Prof Loeske Kruuk (Chief Investigator) ,  ARC Linkage Grant LP1701000985 (Funded by) ,  Christina Richards (Partner Investigator) ,  The Australian National University (Managed by)

Brief description Multi-trait plasticity in response to a changing climate. This project aims to understand the effect of climate change on natural populations. Phenotypic plasticity (the ability to change phenotype with environment) determines natural populations’ immediate response to environmental change. However, studies of plasticity frequently rely on simplifying assumptions, and understanding the genomic and epigenomic mechanisms underlying plasticity is only just emerging. This project will combine a fine-scale temperature-manipulation experiment with genomic and multivariate statistical analyses of a native Australian alpine plant. The intended outcome is a comprehensive analysis of whether multi-trait phenotypic plasticity is adaptive; whether it can evolve; and the epigenomic mechanisms that drive it. The project will predict the likely effect of temperature change on alpine plants, and so generate information internationally relevant to the management of populations adapting to climate change and locally relevant to the conservation of Australian montane flora.

Funding Amount $459,500

Funding Scheme Discovery Projects

View this grant in the ARC Data Portal