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SUMMARY:Phenotypes\, Fossils\, and the Reach of Microevolution - Gabriel B
 ever\; Johns Hopkins School of Medicine\, USA
DTSTART:20231107T160000Z
DTEND:20231107T170000Z
UID:TALK205606@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Daniel Field
DESCRIPTION:Charles Darwin established the modern field of Evolutionary Bi
 ology with his insight that the engine driving global patterns of biodiver
 sity is fueled by individual differences inherent to all biological popula
 tions.  One hundred and sixty plus years later\, we continue to pursue bot
 h the theoretical construction and mechanical attributes of the edifice sp
 anning micro- and macroevolutionary processes and patterns.  In this talk\
 , I will examine the hypothesis that high levels of intraspecific polymorp
 hism in the morphological phenotype may be conserved to such a degree that
  the expression of such variation is itself phylogenetically informative a
 nd capable of directly influencing macroevolutionary patterns.  Such conse
 rvation is highly unlikely within the hardened form of the Modern Synthesi
 s but finds theoretical footing in (1) the phylogenetic structure of compl
 ex genotype-phenotype maps\, (2) the distinction between biological variat
 ion and variability\, and (3) the notion of evolutionary burden.  I will a
 lso argue that the unique ability of paleontology to sample derived phenot
 ypes increasingly close to their evolutionary origins\, in terms of both p
 hylogenetic space and absolute time\, renders fossil data especially sensi
 tive/susceptible to the phenotypic effects of incomplete lineage sorting 
 – effects whose collective origin reflects what we refer to as the Exten
 ded Zone of Variability.  The implications of sampling phenotypes within t
 hese zones extend to both recent and deep divergences and include the phyl
 ogenetic relationships among stem taxa\, the order and timing of character
  transformations\, fossil-based calibrations of divergence dates\, and mor
 e.  Exploring these concepts helps clarify future research directions and 
 provides insights into a range of problematic issues that require integrat
 ion across multiple levels of biological organization.
LOCATION:Part II Lecture Theatre\, Department of Zoology
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