Adjunct Professor
Peter Mather

This person does not currently hold a position at QUT.
Biography
Research theme: Environment, FoodResearch discipline: Biogeoscience
Research program: Ecosystems
Research area
Stock structure of commercially important freshwater fishes in the Mekong River basin: Populations of aquatic species that are isolated in space and time will tend to diverge as a response to local adaptation and stochastic processes. Understanding . the scale at which populations of a species are evolving independently is critical both for their long term conservation but also for how best to develop them in culture. This project assessed the spatial scale of population subdivision in two important species of cyprinid fish in the Mekong River basin.
Molecular analysis of wild and cultured stocks of giant freshwater prawn species: Giant freshwater prawn wild and culture fisheries in Asia support an industry worth annually in excess of 1 Billion USD. Currently little is known about the levels and patterns of genetic diversity in either wild or cultured stocks. This project used a variety of molecular markers to characterize genetic diversity and to use this information to assist efforts to conserve natural biodiversity in the species and to identify new approaches for improving culture stocks in the Asia-pacific region.
Evolutionary genetics of the Australian magpie (Gymnorhina tibicen): The Australian magpie is polymorphic for backcolour plumage and backcolour frequencies vary geographically across Australia. This long term study is using molecular, ecological and behavioural approaches to understand the significance of the geographical patterns of plumage variation and to test a number of evolutionary mechanisms that have been proposed to potentially maintain the distributions of backcolours in space an time.
Areas of expertise
- Population Genetics
- Genetics and Evolution
- Applied Genetics of Aquatic Species
- Aquaculture Genetics.
Current grants
- Stock structure of Mekong River Fish Species, A.C.I.A.R. (A$365,000) - 2003 - 2007
- Improving stock quality and Nuttrition in cultured freshwater prawns in the Pacific, A.C.I.A.R. (A$330,000) 2007 - 2010.
Selected research projects
- Stock structure of commercially important freshwater fishes in the Mekong River basin.
- Genetic diversity in wild and cultured stocks of abalone (Haliotis rubra)
- Molecular analysis of wild stocks of giant freshwater prawn species
- Evolutionary genetics of the Australian magpie (Gymnorhina tibicen)
- Impact of hatchery practices on genteic attriibutes of cultured aquatic species.
Personal details
Keywords
Aquaculture genetics, Evolutionary biology, Population genetics
Discipline
Fisheries Sciences, Ecology, Genetics
Field of Research code, Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification (ANZSRC), 2008
Qualifications
- PhD (La Trobe University)
- BSc(Hons) (La Trobe University)
Professional memberships and associations
- Genetics Society of Australia
- World Aquaculture Society
- North American Benthological Society
Teaching
Teaching area: Natural Resource Sciences
Selected publications
- Prentis P, Mather P, (2008) Fine-scale patterns of genetic variation indicate non-equilibrium gene frequency divergence in the stream lily, Helmholtzia glaberrima, Freshwater Biology, 53 (5), pp. 973-980.
- Marsden G, Hewitt D, Boglio E, Mather P, Richardson N, (2008) Methyl farnesoate inhibition of late stage ovarian development and fecundity reduction in the black tiger prawn, Penaeus monodon, Aquaculture, 280 (1-4), pp. 242-246.
- Truong P, Anderson A, Mather P, Paterson B, Richardson N, (2009) Apparent digestibility of selected feed ingredients in diets formulated for the sub-adult mud crab, Scylla paramamosain, in Vietnam, Aquaculture Research, 40 (3), pp. 322-328.
- Baker N, de Bruyn M, Mather P, (2008) Patterns of molecular diversity in wild stocks of the redclaw crayfish (Cherax quadricarinatus) from northern Australia and Papua New Guinea: impacts of Plio-Pleistocene landscape evolution, Freshwater Biology, 53 (8), pp. 1592-1605.
- Truong P, Anderson A, Mather P, Paterson B, Richardson N, (2008) Effect of selected feed meals and starches on diet digestibility in the mud crab, Scylla serrata, Aquaculture Research, 39 (16), pp. 1778-1786.
- Pavasovic A, Anderson A, Mather P, Richardson N, (2007) Influence of Dietary Protein on Digestive Enzyme Activity, Growth and Tail Muscle Composition in Redclaw Crayfish, Cherax quadricarinatus (von Martens), Aquaculture Research, 38 (6), pp. 644-652.
- Dammannagoda Acharige S, Hurwood D, Mather P, (2008) Evidence for Fine Geographical Scale Heterogeneity in Gene Frequencies in Yellowfin Tuna (Thunnus albacares) from the North Indian Ocean around Sri Lanka, Fisheries Research, 90 (1-3), pp. 147-157.
- Prentis P, Mather P, (2007) Micro-Geographic Landscape Features Demarcate Seedling Genetic Structure in the Stream Lily, Helmholtzia glaberrima, Aquatic Botany, 87 (2), pp. 111-115.
- Hurwood D, Adamson E, Mather P, (2008) Evidence For Strong Genetic Structure in a Regionally Important, Highly Vagile Cyprinid (Henicorhynchus lobatus) in the Mekong River Basin, Ecology of Freshwater Fish, 17 (2), pp. 273-283.
- Toon A, Mather P, Baker A, Durrant K, Hughes J, (2007) Pleistocene Refugia in an Arid Landscape: Analysis of a Widely Distributed Australian Passerine, Molecular Ecology, 16 (12), pp. 2525-2541.
QUT ePrints
For more publications by Peter, explore their research in QUT ePrints (our digital repository).
Supervision
Completed supervisions (Doctorate)
- Conservation Genetics of a Gondwana Relict Rainforest Tree, Nothofagus moorei (F. Muell).) Krasser (2008)
- Evaluation of the Nutritional Requirements of Redclaw Crayfish, Cherax quadricarinatus (2008)
- Levels and Patterns of Genetic diversity in wild and cultured populations of Mulloway (Argyrosomus Japonicus) using Mitochodrial DNA and Microsatellites (2008)
- Nutrition and feeding behaviour in two species of mud crabs (2008)
- The significance of genetic and ecological diversity in a wide-ranging insect pest, Paropsis atomaria Olivier (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) (2008)
- Does Behavioural Plasticity Contribute to Differences in Population Genetic Structure in Wild Rabbit Populations in Arid and Semi-Arid Australia? (2007)
- Genetic Stock Structure and Inferred Migratory Patterns of Skipjack Tuna (Katsuwonus Pelamis) and Yellow Fin Tuna (Thunnus Albacares) in Sri Lankan Waters (2007)
- Genetic Structuring Among Naturally Isolated Dune Lake Populations; a Microcosm of Evolutionary Processes on Oceanic Islands (2007)
- Seed Dispersal, Germination and Fine-Scale Genetic Structure in the Stream Lily, Helmholtzia glaberrima (Philydraceae) (2007)
- Levels and Patterns of Genetic Diversity in Wild Populations and Cultured Stocks of Redclaw Crayfish (Cherax quadricarinatus - Von Martens, 1868) (Decapoda: Parastacidae) (2006)