Mitonuclear incompatibility, speciation, and the Z sex chromosome. This project will characterise the interaction between the mitochondrial and nuclear genome in several species and its contribution t

Description

Mitonuclear incompatibility, speciation, and the Z sex chromosome. This project will characterise the interaction between the mitochondrial and nuclear genome in several species and its contribution to the divergence of species. This interaction is at the heart of energy transformation and storage in all animals and its importance to evolution is yet to be fully understood. The research will provide insight into speciation processes by focusing on recent divergence in Australian finch species. We will integrate genomics, bioenergetics, and whole organismal performance in growth, mobility and reproduction by studying birds in the wild and the laboratory. An overarching aim is to unite data from genomics, phenotype and physiology to understand the forces underlying the evolution of species, and biodiversity. Scheme: Discovery Projects. Field: 3104 - Evolutionary Biology. Lead: Prof Simon Griffith