The role of enemies in the generation of biodiversity

生物学中的一个基本问题是新物种是如何产生的。非生物因素的作用已被广泛探索，但关于生物之间的生态或行为相互作用，如寄生或捕食，在生物多样性的产生中所起的作用，人们仍然知之甚少。这个项目的目的是测试反捕食者防御(警示颜色)在产生物种方面的重要性。它将结合微观和宏观进化分析，对这种联系进行深入测试。该项目旨在利用澳大利亚动物群在行为生态学和宏观进化过程之间架起一座桥梁，并增加我们对敌人是否以及如何为地球上生命多样性的产生做出贡献的知识。

A fundamental question in biology is how new species are generated. The role of abiotic factors has been widely explored, but there is still little known about the role that ecological or behavioural interactions between organisms, such as parasitism or predation, play in the generation of diversity. This project aims to test the importance of anti-predator defences (warning colours) in generating species. It will combine micro- and macroevolutionary analyses to provide an in-depth test of this association. This project aims to provide a bridge between behavioural ecology and macroevolutionary processes, using Australian fauna, and increase our knowledge about whether and how enemies can contribute to generating diversity of life on earth.