Our People

Our people consist of a group of tenured academic staff, independently funded research fellows, postdoctoral researchers, research officers and students. In addition to their independent research programs, most people have collaborative research programs with others in the centre, and routinely joint supervise honours, masters, and PhD students.
	LEIGH W SIMMONS \| PROFESSOR, ARC FEDERATION FELLOW My research interests lie in the evolutionary biology of reproduction, and in particular on sexual selection and sperm competition. Current programs examine the evolution of ejaculates and genital traits, and interactions between sexual selection acting on secondary sexual traits prior to copulation, and sexual selection acting on sperm production and semen quality following multiple copulations. I seek to understand how these pre- and postcopulatory selection pressures can influence the evolution of female mating behaviour and mate preferences. My work is also examining the costs of sperm production for males within a life history context, and the interplay between sex and immunity.
	J DALE ROBERTS \| PROFESSOR I am interested in the evolution of the Australian fauna with particular focuses on the integration of historical biogeography, speciation models, population structure and mating system evolution. I have specialist skills in animal acoustics: signal structure, function and evolution. My work on sexual selection and sperm competition in frogs derives from my interests in natural history and mating system evolution. I also work in conservation biology because it relates closely to my interest in population structure and historical biogeography. My research is focused on frogs but extends into any animal group that can answer appropriate questions.
	JASON KENNINGTON \| LECTURER I use both molecular and quantitative genetic approaches to investigate factors that determine the fitness and evolutionary potential of populations. I am especially interested in the genetic bases of traits involved with variation in fitness, the importance of genetic variation in populations and the effect of gene flow on local adaptation. I also have an ongoing interest in the genetic threats of extinction posed to small populations. My current research examines the evolution of post-zygotic incompatibilities between populations and testing the contributions of novel versus pre-existing variation to local adaptation.
	JONATHAN EVANS \| ARC QEII RESEARCH FELLOW I am interested in sexual selection, particularly in the context of sperm competition, cryptic female choice and the evolution of polyandry. Much of this work is conducted using freshwater fishes, including guppies, swordtails and native Australian rainbowfish. Current projects focus on the genetic basis of mate choice, sexual conflict and population genetics. An additional component of my work uses broadcast spawning marine invertebrates such as sea urchins to understand how genetic compatibility and gamete interactions influence offspring fitness.
	JOSEPH L TOMKINS \| ARC AUSTRALIAN RESEARCH FELLOW I am interested in the evolution of threshold traits and male dimorphisms that arise under the conditional evolutionarily stable strategy. This includes a desire to understand phenotypic plasticity, and the integration of plastic traits both phenotypically and genetically. Some of my early career research was on fluctuating asymmetry, an area that still interests me, particularly the ontogeny of FA. I am particularly interested in the allometry of both primary and secondary sexual traits, and the manner in which allometries evolve. My current research is focussed on the genetics of condition and condition-dependence in sexual selection. I am using a quantitative genetics approach to answer many of the questions raised in these areas of interest.
	BORIS BAER \| ARC QEII RESEARCH FELLOW I am working on aspects of sexual selection in social insects, currently using honeybees, where females (queens) are highly polyandrous. I use several approaches such as artificial insemination techniques and proteomics to examine whether aspects of sexual selection such as sperm competition or cryptic female choice are present, and their evolutionary consequences in the social context.
	FRANCISCO GARCIA-GONZALEZ \| ARC AUSTRALIAN RESEARCH FELLOW My research centres around examining the material and genetic benefits that females may acrue by mating with more than one male in a single reproductive cycle (polyandry), investigating male adaptations to sperm competition, studying the mechanisms that allow females to bias paternity towards specific males, and analysing conflicts of interests bewteen males and females over mating rates and paternity. I predominantly use insect model systems for empirical studies, but I am also interested in the theoretical approaches to sperm competition, sexual conflict, and the evolution of polyandry.
	NICOLA MITCHELL \| LECTURER My research melds ecophysiology with ecology; currently I am seeking to understand how frog vocalisations are constrained by their physical environment, and how this plays out in the arena of sexual selection. My other major research interest is the demographic consequences of temperature-dependent sex determination - integrating field and laboratory studies of tuatara (archaic reptiles) to model hatchling sex ratios and population viability under various scenarios of global warming.
	NATASHA LEBAS \| ARC AUSTRALIAN POSTDOCTORAL FELLOW I am an evolutionary biologist interested in sexual selection. My current research interests are the evolution and maintenance of female ornamentation and the consequences of inbreeding for small populations. I primarily utilize an agamid lizard study system, in which the many, highly isolated populations provide the ideal structure in which to address these questions. Other recent research interests include the evolution of genetic and environmental polymorphisms in lizards and mites; selection on developmental integration; nuptial gift giving and colour trait signaling. I also utilize molecular techniques, such as microsatellites, to investigate lizard mating systems in the natural environment.
	JENNIFER L KELLEY \| UWA POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCH FELLOW I am particularly interested in predator-prey ecology, specifically, the effects of predation risk on grouping behaviour and the role of learning in the development of antipredator strategies. Most of my work has been conducted with freshwater fishes including guppies, Mexican goodeids and Australian rainbowfishes. Recently I have become interested in defensive colouration (e.g. camouflage), and my latest project investigates the relationship between visual perception, grouping behaviour and crypsis in the West Australian rainbowfish.
	RODOLFO JAFFE \| UWA POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCH FELLOW I am interested in sexual selection, the evolution of insect mating systems and the conservation of bees. My research focuses in integrating pre- with postcopulatory sexual selection, determining how the mating success of honey bee males is related to the fertilization success of their sperm. Using quantitative genetic tools I intend to quantify the sources of phenotypic and genotypic variance in different body and sperm traits. My work will help to understand how sexual selection operates in honeybees, and will provide the basic knowledge needed to formulate guidelines for more effective bee breeding programs.
	MELISSA THOMAS \| CEB RESEARCH ASSOCIATE My research focuses on the evolution and ecology of recognition systems in insects. I have used Hymenoptera as a model taxon in order to develop a comprehensive understanding of how recognition (or lack of) governs the success of invasive ants. My current research centers on mate recognition in the context of sperm competition. Using field crickets, I am investigating whether males are capable of maximizing their inclusive fitness by adjusting their copulatory investment in females according to risks associated with sperm competition. Future work will investigate the mechanisms associated with mate recognition and male adjustment of copulatory investment.
	MICHAEL WERNER \| CEB RESEARCH ASSOCIATE I have expertise in light and electron microscopy. My current research is focused on the characterisation of insect sperm ultrastructure, and insect sperm motility. I am also examining the functional morphology of insect genitalia, and in particular the interactions between male genital structures and the female reproductive tract.
	MAGDALENA NYSTRAND \| SWEDISH RESEARCH COUNCIL POSTDOCTORAL FELLOW My broad interest lies in evolutionary biology, behavioural ecology and conservation. My current research focuses on the genetics underlying a number of fitness components, and how this may vary over different environments. I am looking at these questions by taking a quantitative genetic approach, using Australian field crickets as the study organism. In my previous research, I focused on how different aspects of environmental heterogeneity affected fitness traits and behaviour in a bird species (Siberian jay), but using a phenotypic rather than a genotypic approach. Common to all these projects is the environmental aspect, which reflects my ongoing interest in conservation biology.
	RENEE FIRMAN \| ARC RESEARCH ASSOCIATE Using mice as a model system, I am assessing the potential benefits that a female gains from mating with more than one male in a single reproductive cycle (polyandry). Polyandrous behaviour creates competition between sperm of rival males. Sperm competition is a persuasive force in the evolution of male reproductive traits, such as testis size and sperm number, motility and size. I am testing the effects of sperm competition on testis size and ejaculate quality with a long term laboratory experiment, as well as a field study that involves sampling W.A. island populations of wild mice.
	MICHELLE TAYLOR \| ARC RESEARCH ASSOCIATE I am broadly interested in sexual selection and how female fitness is affected by their choice of mate/s. This includes the potential benefits to females’ own fitness as well as their offspring, the impact of male reproductive tactics on female fitness and how maternal effects influence sexually selected fitness. Previously I have explored these ideas using internally fertilizing insects, however, my current work at CEB will focus on an externally fertilizing species, the western Rainbowfish (Melanotaenia australis), where the effects of sexual selection are largely unknown.
	MARIANNE PETERS \| CEB RESEARCH ASSOCIATE My research focuses on the evolution of male secondary sexual traits and female preferences for these traits in humans. The development of secondary sexual traits is thought to depend on testosterone. I am examining the inter-relationships between face and body masculinity and attractiveness, testosterone, and semen quality. Relationships between these traits are often assumed to exist in theoretical models of sexual selection. My research will test these assumptions, and will further our understanding of the mechanisms that underly human sexual behaviour.
	JOHN FITZPATRICK \| NSERC POSTDOCTORAL FELLOW My research focuses on sexual selection, with particular emphasis on sperm competition, and the evolution of ejaculate traits in animals. My current research aims to uncover how inbreeding influences ejaculate traits and fertilization success in guppies and Australian rainbowfish. Previously I examined how social status and sperm competition influences ejaculate traits in highly social species and species with alternative male reproductive tactics. Additionally, I investigated sperm evolution in fish using a comparative approach
	MICHAEL YOUNG \| PHD STUDENT The aim of my research is to identify the mechanisms that have led to the evolution of different colour patterns among populations of the western rainbowfish in the north of Western Australia. Why should a single species exhibit markedly different phenotypes across its geographical range? Though phenotypic variation may reflect speciation due to the reproductive isolation of populations, it is also possible for this variation to exist alongside gene flow. Whether populations are genetically divergent or not, the phenotype expressed in a particular place is ultimately the product of complex interactions between natural selection, sexual selection and habitat characteristics.
	JANINE WOJCIESZEK \| PHD STUDENT I am currently using a native Western Australian millipede (Antichiropus variabilis) as a new model species for testing some of the assumptions of sexual selection theory. I will focus on establishing the degree to which male-male competition (in the form of sperm competition and mate guarding) and/or female choice are acting within this species. I anticipate that intense sexual selection will help to explain why millipedes of the genus Antichiropus have diversified so spectacularly in south-western Western Australia.
	NICOLA LOUISE WATSON \| PHD STUDENT I am interested in the evolution of mating systems, particularly how sexual selection shapes behaviour and morphology. I am investigating the evolution of female ornamentation using the dung beetle species Onthophagus sagittarius. Male dung beetles are well known for the evolution of horns that serve as weapons during male-male competition. However, female ornamentation is a phenomenon that is not well understood. In Onthophagus sagittarius females exhibit horns that are qualitatively different and much larger than those present in males. I am investigating both intra and inter-sexual forces of selection that may have led to the evolution of female horns in this species.
	RACHEL BINKS \| PHD STUDENT I am interested in the evolutionary processes shaping morphological divergence and local adaptation among populations, particularly within marine environments. My honours project investigated post-second generational effects of translocation upon locally-adapted morphologies and genetic integrity with the marine gastropod Bembicium vittatum. My current research explores molecular, morphological and reproductive variation in one of Australia’s most common endemic sea urchins, Heliocidaris erythrogramma. Taking this holistic approach to studying intraspecific variation, it is hoped to clarify the unclear taxonomic status of the species and understand the roles of both natural and sexual selection involved in the species’ evolution.
	STEPHEN ROBINSON \| PHD STUDENT My research focuses on the effects of inbreeding and outbreeding on reproductive traits. My work so far has used Drosophila melanogaster as a model system. I am particularly interested in the effects of inbreeding on male reproductive traits such as sperm competitive ability and the production of accessory gland proteins which manipulate female physiology and behaviour. I am also interested how inbreeding may effect the sexes differently, and may lead to distorted sex ratios.
	ESTHER LEVY \| PHD STUDENT My research interests are in population and conservation genetics, particularly the loss of genetic variation in small populations. Using the Ornate Dragon lizard, Ctenophorus ornatus, as a model, my research will investigate the effect of land clearing on gene flow and consequently genetic variation. I will also examine the effect of reduced genetic variation on parasite resistance and the potential long term outcomes of decreased genetic variation, mutational meltdown and purging by inbreeding.
	BRUNO BUZATTO \| PHD STUDENT I am interested in the evolution of male dimorphism and alternative reproductive tactics in arthropods. Male dimorphism in this group usually results from a polyphenism: the differential expression of alternative phenotypes from a single genotype depending upon environmental conditions. With experiments using mites, harvestmen, and dung beetles, my research will investigate: (1) the importance of genetic compatibility between parental genotypes for male phenotype determination in the offspring; (2) how population density affects the fitness of alternative male phenotypes; (3) if selection can act independently on alternative male phenotypes; and (4) whether the co-option from sexual dimorphism mechanisms is important for male dimorphism.
	MAXINE BEVERIDGE \| GRADUATE RESEARCH ASSISTANT My expertise are in biochemistry and molecular biology. I am interested in the development of molecular markers for evolutionary studies of parentage and population genetics. My masters research was on the population genetics and mating system of Dawson's burrowing bee, a solitary bee native to the northwest of Western Australia.

Our people consist of a group of tenured academic staff, independently funded research fellows, postdoctoral researchers, research officers and students. In addition to their independent research programs, most people have collaborative research programs with others in the centre, and routinely joint supervise honours, masters, and PhD students.
	LEIGH W SIMMONS \| PROFESSOR, ARC FEDERATION FELLOW My research interests lie in the evolutionary biology of reproduction, and in particular on sexual selection and sperm competition. Current programs examine the evolution of ejaculates and genital traits, and interactions between sexual selection acting on secondary sexual traits prior to copulation, and sexual selection acting on sperm production and semen quality following multiple copulations. I seek to understand how these pre- and postcopulatory selection pressures can influence the evolution of female mating behaviour and mate preferences. My work is also examining the costs of sperm production for males within a life history context, and the interplay between sex and immunity.
	J DALE ROBERTS \| PROFESSOR I am interested in the evolution of the Australian fauna with particular focuses on the integration of historical biogeography, speciation models, population structure and mating system evolution. I have specialist skills in animal acoustics: signal structure, function and evolution. My work on sexual selection and sperm competition in frogs derives from my interests in natural history and mating system evolution. I also work in conservation biology because it relates closely to my interest in population structure and historical biogeography. My research is focused on frogs but extends into any animal group that can answer appropriate questions.
	JASON KENNINGTON \| LECTURER I use both molecular and quantitative genetic approaches to investigate factors that determine the fitness and evolutionary potential of populations. I am especially interested in the genetic bases of traits involved with variation in fitness, the importance of genetic variation in populations and the effect of gene flow on local adaptation. I also have an ongoing interest in the genetic threats of extinction posed to small populations. My current research examines the evolution of post-zygotic incompatibilities between populations and testing the contributions of novel versus pre-existing variation to local adaptation.
	JONATHAN EVANS \| ARC QEII RESEARCH FELLOW I am interested in sexual selection, particularly in the context of sperm competition, cryptic female choice and the evolution of polyandry. Much of this work is conducted using freshwater fishes, including guppies, swordtails and native Australian rainbowfish. Current projects focus on the genetic basis of mate choice, sexual conflict and population genetics. An additional component of my work uses broadcast spawning marine invertebrates such as sea urchins to understand how genetic compatibility and gamete interactions influence offspring fitness.
	JOSEPH L TOMKINS \| ARC AUSTRALIAN RESEARCH FELLOW I am interested in the evolution of threshold traits and male dimorphisms that arise under the conditional evolutionarily stable strategy. This includes a desire to understand phenotypic plasticity, and the integration of plastic traits both phenotypically and genetically. Some of my early career research was on fluctuating asymmetry, an area that still interests me, particularly the ontogeny of FA. I am particularly interested in the allometry of both primary and secondary sexual traits, and the manner in which allometries evolve. My current research is focussed on the genetics of condition and condition-dependence in sexual selection. I am using a quantitative genetics approach to answer many of the questions raised in these areas of interest.
	BORIS BAER \| ARC QEII RESEARCH FELLOW I am working on aspects of sexual selection in social insects, currently using honeybees, where females (queens) are highly polyandrous. I use several approaches such as artificial insemination techniques and proteomics to examine whether aspects of sexual selection such as sperm competition or cryptic female choice are present, and their evolutionary consequences in the social context.
	FRANCISCO GARCIA-GONZALEZ \| ARC AUSTRALIAN RESEARCH FELLOW My research centres around examining the material and genetic benefits that females may acrue by mating with more than one male in a single reproductive cycle (polyandry), investigating male adaptations to sperm competition, studying the mechanisms that allow females to bias paternity towards specific males, and analysing conflicts of interests bewteen males and females over mating rates and paternity. I predominantly use insect model systems for empirical studies, but I am also interested in the theoretical approaches to sperm competition, sexual conflict, and the evolution of polyandry.
	NICOLA MITCHELL \| LECTURER My research melds ecophysiology with ecology; currently I am seeking to understand how frog vocalisations are constrained by their physical environment, and how this plays out in the arena of sexual selection. My other major research interest is the demographic consequences of temperature-dependent sex determination - integrating field and laboratory studies of tuatara (archaic reptiles) to model hatchling sex ratios and population viability under various scenarios of global warming.
	NATASHA LEBAS \| ARC AUSTRALIAN POSTDOCTORAL FELLOW I am an evolutionary biologist interested in sexual selection. My current research interests are the evolution and maintenance of female ornamentation and the consequences of inbreeding for small populations. I primarily utilize an agamid lizard study system, in which the many, highly isolated populations provide the ideal structure in which to address these questions. Other recent research interests include the evolution of genetic and environmental polymorphisms in lizards and mites; selection on developmental integration; nuptial gift giving and colour trait signaling. I also utilize molecular techniques, such as microsatellites, to investigate lizard mating systems in the natural environment.
	JENNIFER L KELLEY \| UWA POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCH FELLOW I am particularly interested in predator-prey ecology, specifically, the effects of predation risk on grouping behaviour and the role of learning in the development of antipredator strategies. Most of my work has been conducted with freshwater fishes including guppies, Mexican goodeids and Australian rainbowfishes. Recently I have become interested in defensive colouration (e.g. camouflage), and my latest project investigates the relationship between visual perception, grouping behaviour and crypsis in the West Australian rainbowfish.
	RODOLFO JAFFE \| UWA POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCH FELLOW I am interested in sexual selection, the evolution of insect mating systems and the conservation of bees. My research focuses in integrating pre- with postcopulatory sexual selection, determining how the mating success of honey bee males is related to the fertilization success of their sperm. Using quantitative genetic tools I intend to quantify the sources of phenotypic and genotypic variance in different body and sperm traits. My work will help to understand how sexual selection operates in honeybees, and will provide the basic knowledge needed to formulate guidelines for more effective bee breeding programs.
	MELISSA THOMAS \| CEB RESEARCH ASSOCIATE My research focuses on the evolution and ecology of recognition systems in insects. I have used Hymenoptera as a model taxon in order to develop a comprehensive understanding of how recognition (or lack of) governs the success of invasive ants. My current research centers on mate recognition in the context of sperm competition. Using field crickets, I am investigating whether males are capable of maximizing their inclusive fitness by adjusting their copulatory investment in females according to risks associated with sperm competition. Future work will investigate the mechanisms associated with mate recognition and male adjustment of copulatory investment.
	MICHAEL WERNER \| CEB RESEARCH ASSOCIATE I have expertise in light and electron microscopy. My current research is focused on the characterisation of insect sperm ultrastructure, and insect sperm motility. I am also examining the functional morphology of insect genitalia, and in particular the interactions between male genital structures and the female reproductive tract.
	MAGDALENA NYSTRAND \| SWEDISH RESEARCH COUNCIL POSTDOCTORAL FELLOW My broad interest lies in evolutionary biology, behavioural ecology and conservation. My current research focuses on the genetics underlying a number of fitness components, and how this may vary over different environments. I am looking at these questions by taking a quantitative genetic approach, using Australian field crickets as the study organism. In my previous research, I focused on how different aspects of environmental heterogeneity affected fitness traits and behaviour in a bird species (Siberian jay), but using a phenotypic rather than a genotypic approach. Common to all these projects is the environmental aspect, which reflects my ongoing interest in conservation biology.
	RENEE FIRMAN \| ARC RESEARCH ASSOCIATE Using mice as a model system, I am assessing the potential benefits that a female gains from mating with more than one male in a single reproductive cycle (polyandry). Polyandrous behaviour creates competition between sperm of rival males. Sperm competition is a persuasive force in the evolution of male reproductive traits, such as testis size and sperm number, motility and size. I am testing the effects of sperm competition on testis size and ejaculate quality with a long term laboratory experiment, as well as a field study that involves sampling W.A. island populations of wild mice.
	MICHELLE TAYLOR \| ARC RESEARCH ASSOCIATE I am broadly interested in sexual selection and how female fitness is affected by their choice of mate/s. This includes the potential benefits to females’ own fitness as well as their offspring, the impact of male reproductive tactics on female fitness and how maternal effects influence sexually selected fitness. Previously I have explored these ideas using internally fertilizing insects, however, my current work at CEB will focus on an externally fertilizing species, the western Rainbowfish (Melanotaenia australis), where the effects of sexual selection are largely unknown.
	MARIANNE PETERS \| CEB RESEARCH ASSOCIATE My research focuses on the evolution of male secondary sexual traits and female preferences for these traits in humans. The development of secondary sexual traits is thought to depend on testosterone. I am examining the inter-relationships between face and body masculinity and attractiveness, testosterone, and semen quality. Relationships between these traits are often assumed to exist in theoretical models of sexual selection. My research will test these assumptions, and will further our understanding of the mechanisms that underly human sexual behaviour.
	JOHN FITZPATRICK \| NSERC POSTDOCTORAL FELLOW My research focuses on sexual selection, with particular emphasis on sperm competition, and the evolution of ejaculate traits in animals. My current research aims to uncover how inbreeding influences ejaculate traits and fertilization success in guppies and Australian rainbowfish. Previously I examined how social status and sperm competition influences ejaculate traits in highly social species and species with alternative male reproductive tactics. Additionally, I investigated sperm evolution in fish using a comparative approach
	MICHAEL YOUNG \| PHD STUDENT The aim of my research is to identify the mechanisms that have led to the evolution of different colour patterns among populations of the western rainbowfish in the north of Western Australia. Why should a single species exhibit markedly different phenotypes across its geographical range? Though phenotypic variation may reflect speciation due to the reproductive isolation of populations, it is also possible for this variation to exist alongside gene flow. Whether populations are genetically divergent or not, the phenotype expressed in a particular place is ultimately the product of complex interactions between natural selection, sexual selection and habitat characteristics.
	JANINE WOJCIESZEK \| PHD STUDENT I am currently using a native Western Australian millipede (Antichiropus variabilis) as a new model species for testing some of the assumptions of sexual selection theory. I will focus on establishing the degree to which male-male competition (in the form of sperm competition and mate guarding) and/or female choice are acting within this species. I anticipate that intense sexual selection will help to explain why millipedes of the genus Antichiropus have diversified so spectacularly in south-western Western Australia.
	NICOLA LOUISE WATSON \| PHD STUDENT I am interested in the evolution of mating systems, particularly how sexual selection shapes behaviour and morphology. I am investigating the evolution of female ornamentation using the dung beetle species Onthophagus sagittarius. Male dung beetles are well known for the evolution of horns that serve as weapons during male-male competition. However, female ornamentation is a phenomenon that is not well understood. In Onthophagus sagittarius females exhibit horns that are qualitatively different and much larger than those present in males. I am investigating both intra and inter-sexual forces of selection that may have led to the evolution of female horns in this species.
	RACHEL BINKS \| PHD STUDENT I am interested in the evolutionary processes shaping morphological divergence and local adaptation among populations, particularly within marine environments. My honours project investigated post-second generational effects of translocation upon locally-adapted morphologies and genetic integrity with the marine gastropod Bembicium vittatum. My current research explores molecular, morphological and reproductive variation in one of Australia’s most common endemic sea urchins, Heliocidaris erythrogramma. Taking this holistic approach to studying intraspecific variation, it is hoped to clarify the unclear taxonomic status of the species and understand the roles of both natural and sexual selection involved in the species’ evolution.
	STEPHEN ROBINSON \| PHD STUDENT My research focuses on the effects of inbreeding and outbreeding on reproductive traits. My work so far has used Drosophila melanogaster as a model system. I am particularly interested in the effects of inbreeding on male reproductive traits such as sperm competitive ability and the production of accessory gland proteins which manipulate female physiology and behaviour. I am also interested how inbreeding may effect the sexes differently, and may lead to distorted sex ratios.
	ESTHER LEVY \| PHD STUDENT My research interests are in population and conservation genetics, particularly the loss of genetic variation in small populations. Using the Ornate Dragon lizard, Ctenophorus ornatus, as a model, my research will investigate the effect of land clearing on gene flow and consequently genetic variation. I will also examine the effect of reduced genetic variation on parasite resistance and the potential long term outcomes of decreased genetic variation, mutational meltdown and purging by inbreeding.
	BRUNO BUZATTO \| PHD STUDENT I am interested in the evolution of male dimorphism and alternative reproductive tactics in arthropods. Male dimorphism in this group usually results from a polyphenism: the differential expression of alternative phenotypes from a single genotype depending upon environmental conditions. With experiments using mites, harvestmen, and dung beetles, my research will investigate: (1) the importance of genetic compatibility between parental genotypes for male phenotype determination in the offspring; (2) how population density affects the fitness of alternative male phenotypes; (3) if selection can act independently on alternative male phenotypes; and (4) whether the co-option from sexual dimorphism mechanisms is important for male dimorphism.
	MAXINE BEVERIDGE \| GRADUATE RESEARCH ASSISTANT My expertise are in biochemistry and molecular biology. I am interested in the development of molecular markers for evolutionary studies of parentage and population genetics. My masters research was on the population genetics and mating system of Dawson's burrowing bee, a solitary bee native to the northwest of Western Australia.

Centre for Evolutionary Biology

Our People