MVZ Lunch is a graduate level seminar series (IB264) based on current and recent vertebrate research. Professors, graduate students, staff, and visiting researchers present on current and past research projects. The seminar meets every Wednesday from 12- 1pm in the Grinnell-Miller Library. Enter through the MVZ's Main Office, 3101 Valley Life Sciences Building, and please let the receptionist know you are there for the MVZ lunch seminar. The library is located in the rear of the Museum on the north side - follow the orange directional signs.
Abstract:
One of the most poorly understood evolutionary processes is the evolution of novelty. How do new species colonize novel ecological niches or begin to use existing structures for novel functions? This talk will explore the complex origins of trophic specialists in a case study for the evolution of novelty in action: scale-eating and molluscivory in Caribbean pupfishes. The answer lies at the intersection of ecological opportunity, performance, complex fitness landscapes, and diverse sources of genetic variation.