Adaptive radiation on oceanic islands: Isolation and connection, repeatability and serendipity
Rosemary Gillespie will talk about: "Adaptive radiation on oceanic islands: Isolation and connection, repeatability and serendipity".
Adaptive radiation is one of the key drivers of species diversity, yet the mechanism through which it is achieved, and the outcome of the process, are largely unknown. Focusing on spiders, I use the system provided by the Hawaiian archipelago – in which each island provides a snapshot in time of the evolutionary process – to examine the processes of adaptive radiation.
Rosemary Gillespie's profile page
Invasive terrestrial arthropods in the Pacific. 65 years after Elton’s Ecology of Invasions by Animals and Plants
George Roderick will talk about: "Invasive terrestrial arthropods in the Pacific. 65 years after Elton’s Ecology of Invasions by Animals and Plants"
Charles Elton published his land-mark book on ecology of biological invasions some 65 years ago, in which he describes effects invasive species can have on local ecosystems and in which he makes some predictions about the impacts of globalization on the world’s biota. Here, I summarize several biological inventories of terrestrial arthropods in the Pacific using DNA metabarcoding and examine some of Elton’s hypotheses about the niche, species interactions, enemy release, and biotic resistance.
George Roderick's profile page.
PS: These seminars take place on the same day as Asena Goren's disputation. Therefore these seminars will take place in the Greenhouse at 12:05. Please NOTE THE TIME! This should give you the opportunity to attend this occasion, eat your lunch at the same time and still be in time for Asena Goren’s disputation.