Can species interactions cause rapid adaptation? (Old ID 24883)

Supervisor

Under environmental change, the persistence of a species centers on its ability to disperse from or adapt to changing conditions. Dispersal is limited in the Australian Wet Tropics due to restricted environmental space and mountain-top edges, so adaptation is necessary. This includes adaption to the changing conditions (e.g., temperature) and changing species interactions. This project will use experimental evolution in two Australian rainforest Drosophila species to test if novel competition can drive adaptation to warming temperatures and enable coexistence. Results will then be used with field data to create a comprehensive niche model aimed at predicting effects of climate change to a Wet Tropics species.

01 Apr 2018 - 31 Mar 2019

N/A