Phenotypes, Fossils, and the Reach of Microevolution

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• Gabriel Bever; Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, USA
• Tuesday 07 November 2023, 16:00-17:00
• Part II Lecture Theatre, Department of Zoology.

If you have a question about this talk, please contact Daniel Field.

Charles Darwin established the modern field of Evolutionary Biology with his insight that the engine driving global patterns of biodiversity is fueled by individual differences inherent to all biological populations. One hundred and sixty plus years later, we continue to pursue both the theoretical construction and mechanical attributes of the edifice spanning micro- and macroevolutionary processes and patterns. In this talk, I will examine the hypothesis that high levels of intraspecific polymorphism in the morphological phenotype may be conserved to such a degree that the expression of such variation is itself phylogenetically informative and capable of directly influencing macroevolutionary patterns. Such conservation is highly unlikely within the hardened form of the Modern Synthesis but finds theoretical footing in (1) the phylogenetic structure of complex genotype-phenotype maps, (2) the distinction between biological variation and variability, and (3) the notion of evolutionary burden. I will also argue that the unique ability of paleontology to sample derived phenotypes increasingly close to their evolutionary origins, in terms of both phylogenetic space and absolute time, renders fossil data especially sensitive/susceptible to the phenotypic effects of incomplete lineage sorting – effects whose collective origin reflects what we refer to as the Extended Zone of Variability. The implications of sampling phenotypes within these zones extend to both recent and deep divergences and include the phylogenetic relationships among stem taxa, the order and timing of character transformations, fossil-based calibrations of divergence dates, and more. Exploring these concepts helps clarify future research directions and provides insights into a range of problematic issues that require integration across multiple levels of biological organization.

This talk is part of the Zoology Departmental Seminar Series series.

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• Part II Lecture Theatre, Department of Zoology
• Zoology Departmental Seminar Series

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