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Carlos GurgelBiography/ BackgroundAnywhere they occur, from the tropics to the poles, macroalgae are key ecological components of marine benthic communities. My research focuses on the molecular systematics, ecology and biogeography of macroalgae. My ultimate phycological interest is to bridge the fields of taxonomy, molecular biology, ecology, organismal biology and biogeography to create a more holistic understanding of macroalgal evolution, distribution and biodiversity.
Student Opportunities:2 Divisional and 2 APAI PhD Scholarships are available for immediate start - see below (open only to Australian & New Zealand citizens and permanent residents with an H2A or higher Honours degree). International applicants are encouraged to apply for scholarships, see http://www.international.adelaide.edu.au/scholarships/ for details, or seek additional funding sources. Honours students are welcome PhD 1: Marine Benthic Algae of the Great Australian Bight: Biodiversity and the Relict Species Concept.Description: The temperate Australian coast is one of the richest places in the world when it comes to marine plant biodiversity. The head of the Great Australian Bight (GAB) is however the poorest studied region due to its remoteness. Nevertheless, few studies conducted in the region suggest the existence of a highly endemic flora, with species still undescribed. Moreover many species are said to be tropical relicts, trapped at the northern reaches of the bight (and the SA Gulfs) since the last glacial minimum. This study will use a range of modern molecular systematic tools to:1) provide a comprehensive and taxonomic updated survey of the marine flora of the head of the GAB and vicinity (the taxonomy + phylogenetic components), 2) test the hypothesis that the Bunda Cliffs act as a barrier to gene flow between western and eastern GAB populations (population genetics component), and 3) test whether macroalgal species considered ‘relicts’ do indeed belong to ancient populations or whether they arrived recently hence should be defined as “long range dispersals” instead (phylogeographic component). This study will involve extensive remote field work around the GAB jointly with GAB Marine Park manager and rangers and staff of the Alinytjara Wilurara Integrated National Resource Management Group. Funding: AW NRM and University of Adelaide (tuition+ $10,228/year x 3 yrs, double for exceptional candiadtes).
PhD 2: Phylogeography and Phylogenetics of Co-distributed Marine Macroalgae Across Australia.Description: Perform a multi-marker, multi-species comparative phylogeographic study targeting macroalgal species with continuous and quasi-continuous distribution across the entire Australian continent. Test the influence of oceanographic and geographic features of the Australian coast on the isolation, genetic differentiation and molecular evolution of macroalgal populations (i.e. Great Barrier Reef, Ningaloo Reef, Great Australian Bight, Darwin, Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney). Funding: DEH, CReefs and the University of Adelaide. (tuition+ $10,228/year x 3 yrs, double for exceptional candiadtes). PhD 3 and 4. Ecology, Physiology, Phylogenetics & Phylogeography: an integrative approach to the study of the invasive marine green macroalga Caulerpa taxifolia in Australia.Description: Assess levels of genetic diversity and perform a multi-marker comparative phylogeographic study of 15 invasive and 4+ native populations of C. taxifolia (SA and NSW) building on CSIRO's molecular datasets (e.g., DNA sequences, AFLP and microsatellite data); perform laboratorial assays followed by photosynthesis analyses to test differential responses of distinct Caulerpa strains to a range of abiotic variables. Build a multi-marker DNA barcode database for the genus Caulerpa in Australia. Funding: ARC Linkage 2009 Rd2 (tuition + $26,000/year x 3 yrs) For all scholarships above, essential skills include manual driving, snorkelling, SCUBA diving certifications (open water minimum) and good field work spirit. Desirable skills: molecular biology and 4WD.
Other funded projects include:1. DNA Barcode of SA marine flora. 2. Biogeography and phylogeography of Australian macroalgae. 3. Molecular systematics of Australian tropical and temperate marine flora. 4. DNA sequencing from type material.Appointment:2007-present. Three-party joint-appointment among the University of Adelaide (School of Earth & Environmental Sciences), State Herbarium of South Australia (Department for Environment and Heritage) and South Australia Research & Development Institute, Aquatic Sciences (Department of Primary Industries and Resources). Previous experiences:Postdoctoral Fellow, Smithsonian Marine Station at Fort Pierce, USA (2005-2007); Research Associate, University of Louisiana, USA (2004-2005); Postdoctoral Fellow, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (2002-2003). Education:PhD in Evolutionary Biology & Ecology, University of Louisiana, USA (2001); MSc in Ecology, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (1997); BSc in Biology, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (1995).
Teaching InterestsCurrent teaching assignments: Botany II (aquatic plants module), Frontiers in Marine Biology, Research Methods in Marine Biology. Publications
Professional AssociationsConvener of the ARC-NZ Vegetation Function Network working group no. 47: "Marine Plant Biogeography and Bioregionalization". [http://www.vegfunction.net/wg/47/47_Marine_Plant_Phylogeography.htm] Member of the ARC-NZ Vegetation Function Network working group no. 58: "Marine flora climate impacts". ARC Linkage with Drs. Sean Connell and Bayden Russell (UofA, DEH & Abalone Association of SA): Forecasting change in subtidal habitats: connecting local pollution with global climate in temperate Australia (2008-2010). CReefs member responsible for the algal surveys (www.creefs.org). Membership in scientific societies: Botanical Society of America, Phycological Society of America, International Phycological Society, American Association for the Advancement of Science, Society for Systematic Biology, Australasian Society for Phycology and Aquatic Botany, Australian Marine Science Association. Reviewer for Scientific Journals: Phycologia, Cryptogamie Algologie, European Journal of Phycology, Journal of Phycology, Applied Phycology, Acta Botanica Brasilica, Gulf of Mexico Science, Proceedings of the 18thInternational Seaweed Symposium, Botanical Bulletin of Academia Sinica, Botanica Marina, Hidrobiologia and Marine Ecology Progress Series. Expertise for Media Contact
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