Climate change and adaptation

The climate change and adaptation research focuses on managing the risks of climate change through evidence-based policy development. It covers adaptation strategies, risk assessment, and sustainable management practices to support resilience in ecosystems, communities, and industries.

About

Reconstruction of historical patterns of species movement, colonisation, extinction and speciation and understanding the genomic basis of climate adaptation may help understand future dynamics and the potential of evolutionary processes to intensify or moderate the effects of global change.

Protecting landscapes that act as refugia from climate change, and protecting and rehabilitating habitat corridors to allow species to reach these areas will enable species to respond to rapid climate change.

For information on Australia's biodiversity policies see the Department of the Environment and Energy:

Projects

Palaeoecological indicators of biodiversity change through time

The Ignition Grant Round 2 aimed to unite palaeoecology researchers for a workshop at ANU’s Kioloa Coastal Campus in November 2013. The focus was on data collation and analysis for a draft paper, exploring palaeoecological impacts on vegetation and defaunation in Australia and the Asia-Pacific.

Penguin ectoparasites of the Southern Hemisphere

This project investigates the taxonomy and genetic diversity of seabird ticks affecting Little Blue Penguins and Shearwaters in Australia and New Zealand. It utilises next-generation sequencing to address taxonomic issues, assess parasite dispersal, and inform conservation efforts, particularly under climate change influences.

Phylogeny of the longhorn beetle genus Rhytiphora (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae)

Rhytiphora, Australia's largest genus of longhorn beetles, is highly diverse due to late arrival and adaptation to new plant communities. Researchers aim to trial Molecular Inversion Probes on old specimens to study Rhytiphora's phylogenetics, comparing this method with Whole Genome Shotgun sequencing for effectiveness.

Sequencing the genome of an Australian Alpine plant

The CBA-supported Honours project (2019/20) on genomic studies of the Australian alpine plant Wahlenbergia ceracea has been awarded. It aimed to explore genome structure and plasticity in response to climate change using sequencing techniques. The project was supported by ANU and CSIRO.

Student intake

Open for Honours students

People

Prof Adrienne Nicotra

Species discovery and refugia in the monsoonal tropics

Researchers from ANU and CSIRO aimed to identify evolutionary refugia in northern Australia using spatial analysis and genomics. Their study focused on vulnerable regions like the Mt Isa Inlier. The project led to discovering two new gecko species and initiated an honours project.

Will polyploidy provide a reproductive advantage in a changing climate? A test case with Themeda triandra (Kangaroo grass)

Amelia Stevens' research on Themeda triandra reveals that tetraploid plants exhibit greater dormancy and selective germination, thriving in stressful environments. This study highlights polyploidy's role in plant adaptation, offering insights for restoration and conservation strategies in changing climates, particularly in Australian native species.