Taylor Zalleck- Turcotte Lab
"Using experimental evolutionary community ecology to study biological invasions"
Wednesday, November 4, 2020
12:10 PM
Zoom Link:
https://pitt.zoom.us/j/92904158500
Meeting ID: 929 0415 8500
Abstract:
Researchers have long sought to understand the impacts of evolutionary forces on biological invasions. However, measuring these impacts remains challenging because of the limited and observational nature of available data. Therefore, in order to directly quantify the ecological versus evolutionary contributions to invasion (as well as their interactions) we need to utilize empirical approaches. In this seminar, I will discuss the advantages to using evolutionary ecology experiments in community contexts to answer fundamental questions in invasion biology. Two such fundamental questions that I have addressed to date are: 1.) Does evolution to novel abiotic environments by invader populations predict future invasion success? 2.) How does selection change over the course of a biological invasion? I will share my approaches to addressing these questions and some preliminary findings. Results suggest that evolution to certain abiotic disturbances can have significant impacts on invasion outcomes and that selection appears to be stronger during late invasion community dynamics.