Is New Guinea the missing link for understanding Australia’s rainforests?

新几内亚是了解澳大利亚雨林的缺失环节吗？

• 批准号: DP240101534
• 负责人: Dr Paul Oliver
• 金额: $ 38.08万
• 依托单位: Griffith University
• 依托单位国家: 澳大利亚
• 项目类别: Discovery Projects
• 财政年份: 2024
• 资助国家: 澳大利亚
• 起止时间: 2024-01-01 至 2026-12-31
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://dataportal.arc.gov.au/RGS/Web/Grants/DP240101534
• 关键词: New; Guinea; missing; link; understanding

This project aims to understand the extent to which the animals in Australia have shared histories with animals from the islands of Melanesia, and especially New Guinea. Key outcomes will be identification of hotspots of unique and high evolutionary diversity across both regions, and understanding of whether New Guinea has been an overall refuge or source for rainforest animals as Australia became more arid over the last 20 million years. Expected benefits include addressing fundamental gaps in our knowledge of the history of both the Australian continent and its resident biota such as when landbridges first formed with New Guinea, and the identification of priority areas for conservation investment in both Australian and Melanesia.

这个项目旨在了解澳大利亚的动物在多大程度上与美拉尼西亚群岛的动物，特别是新几内亚的动物分享历史。关键成果将是确定两个区域独特和高度进化多样性的热点，以及了解随着澳大利亚在过去2000万年里变得更加干旱，新几内亚是否一直是热带雨林动物的总体避难所或来源。预计的好处包括解决我们对澳大利亚大陆及其居住地生物群历史的基本认识空白，例如与新几内亚首次建立陆桥的时间，以及确定澳大利亚和美拉尼西亚保护投资的优先领域。