Dr. Jane Edgeloe
Postdoc
Genetic diversity underpins the resilience and adaptive capacity of species facing rapid environmental change, particularly for sessile organisms like kelp that cannot readily shift their distributions. My postdoctoral research explores how marine heatwaves influence kelp biology at the molecular level, using transcriptomic approaches to characterise stress responses and adaptive potential. Complementing this, I investigate patterns of population genomic variation to understand connectivity and evolutionary processes across spatial scales, alongside experimental work on gametophytes to assess life-stage specific responses to environmental stress.
Qualifications
2024: PhD Population genomics and ecological response to climatic-stressors in a habitat-forming foundation seaweed species
2020: MSc in Marine Biology, University of Western Australia. Thesis: Population genomics of Posidonia australis: Assessment of adaptive variation across a natural environmental gradient in Shark Bay.
2018: BSc in Marine Science and Environmental Science, University of Western Australia.
Achievements and awards
2023: Grant winner, Robson & Robertson Awards.
2023: Grant winner, The Holsworth Wildlife Research Endowment.
2022: Grant winner, The Holsworth Wildlife Research Endowment.
2022: PSA Conference Travel Award.
2021: Grant winner, The Holsworth Wildlife Research Endowment.
2020: Australian Government Research Training Program (RTP) Fees Offset Scholarship and University Postgraduate Award (UPA) Scholarship (UWA).
2019: Jennifer Arnold Memorial Research Award (UWA)
2018: Kings Park Summer Scholarship
Publications
Edgeloe, J. M., Starko S, Pessarrodona, P., Wood, G.V., Minne, A.J.P, & Wernberg T. (accepted 29/04/2026). Complete organellar genomes of Cystophora brownii: insights into mitochondrial and plastid structure and evolution in brown algae. Journal of phycology.
Edgeloe, J. M., Coleman, M. A., Wood, G.V., Starko, S., Nimbs, M.J., Batley, J., & Wernberg T. (2026). Temporal and stability and spatial patterns of genetic diversity in populations of the climate-vulnerable fucoid Scytothalia dorycarpa. Journal of phycology. https://doi.org/10.1111/jpy.70156
Starko S, Pessarrodona A, Edgeloe JM, Montie S, Attlan O, Burkholz C, Edwards GE, Forbes H, Gendall L, Minne A, Nair N, Simpkins T, van der Mheen M, Walley G, Filbee-Dexter K, Wernberg T (in press) Marine heatwave impacts on kelp growth and tissue condition reveal population-specific thermal tolerance and local adaptation. Mar Ecol Prog Ser :0-0 https://doi.org/10.3354/meps15171
Starko, S., Burkholz, C., Edgeloe, J.M., Wheeler, D., Filbee-Dexter, K., Batley, J., Minne, A.J.P., Coleman, M.A., & Wernberg, T. (2026). Evidence of a genomic basis for growth rate variation in a natural kelp population. Scientific Reports, 16, 6222. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-36286-8
Edgeloe, J. M., Starko, S., Pessarrodona, A., Coleman, M. A., Batley, J., Wernberg, T., & Wood, G. V. (2025). Strong genetic differentiation and low genetic diversity in a habitat‐forming fucoid seaweed (Cystophora racemosa) across 850 km of its range. Journal of phycology. https://doi.org/10.1111/jpy.70023
Wood, G. V., Griffin, K. J., van der Mheen, M., Breed, M. F., Edgeloe, J. M., Grimaldi, C., ... & Coleman, M. A. (2024). Reef Adapt: A tool to inform climate-smart marine restoration and management decisions. Communications Biology, 7(1), 1368. https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-024-06970-4
Edgeloe J.M., Severn-Ellis A, Bayer P, Mehravi S, Breed M, Krauss S, Batley J, Kendrick GA, Sinclair E. (2022). Extensive polyploid clonality was a successful strategy for seagrass to expand into a newly submerged environment. Proceedings of Royal Society London: B. https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2022.0538 (https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2022.0538)
Sinclair, E., Edgeloe, J., Anthony, J., Statton, J., Breed, M., & Kendrick, G. (2020). Variation in reproductive effort, genetic diversity and mating systems across Posidonia australis seagrass meadows in Western Australia. AoB Plants, 12(4), plaa038–plaa038. https://doi.org/10.1093/aobpla/plaa038
Other publications
Sinclair, E., Kendrick, G., Edgeloe, J.M , & Breed, M. (2022). Meet the world’s largest plant: a single seagrass clone stretching 180 km in Western Australia’s Shark Bay. The Conversation . https://theconversation.com/meet-the-worlds-largest-plant-a-single-seagrass-clone-stretching-180-km-in-western-australias-shark-bay-184056
Sinclair, E., & Edgeloe, J.M. (2020). Unravelling the mystery of Shark Bay seagrass reproduction. For People & Plants, 110, 30-33.
Sinclair, E., Edgeloe, J.M, & Krauss, S. Western Australia is home to the world’s largest plant–and it’s underwater. Kings Park Science. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/363737277_Western_Australia_is_home_to_the_world%27s_largest_plant_-_and_it%27s_underwater