Concepts in Evolutionary Biology

10 Feb 2025, 09:00 → 13 Feb 2025, 16:10 Europe/Berlin

Evolutionary Biology has undergone several transitions from the publication of "On the Origin of Species" through holistic gradualism, reconciliation with genetics and the emergence of population genetics, recognition of the role of epigenetics and development, and multilevel selection to predicting evolution. These reflect changes in the approaches for addressing evolutionary questions and factors considered relevant and explanatory for evolutionary phenomena.

The workshop "Concepts in Evolutionary Biology" aims to promote the discussion of fundamental concepts in evolutionary biology and thus ensure that new generations of evolutionary biologists possess appropriate toolkits of ideas.

Each session will be introduced by a theoretical talk and followed by an empirical talk.
 

Participants are requested to contribute with a poster.
 

Booktlet

Monday 10 February

15:00 → 16:20 Announcements

15:00 Registration and Check-In

16:00 Welcome words

16:20 → 17:20 Niche construction

16:20 Concept talk: The role of niche construction in evolutionary explanations

Speaker: Dr Kevin Lala

17:20 → 17:30 Short break

17:30 → 18:30 Niche construction

17:30 Empirical talk: Chalk lecture

Speaker: Dr Blake Matthews

18:30 → 19:30 Dinner

19:30 → 20:30 Poster session

19:30 Session 1

Tuesday 11 February

09:00 → 10:00 Early replicators and origin of life

09:00 Concept talk: Early replicators and origin of life

Speaker: Dr Nick Lane

10:00 → 10:30 Coffee break

10:30 → 11:30 Evolutionary developmental biology (Evo-Devo)

10:30 Concept talk: Evolution and development

Speaker: Dr Nathalie Feiner

11:30 → 11:40 Short break

11:40 → 12:40 Evolutionary developmental biology (Evo-Devo)

11:40 Empirical talk: Mechanisms underlying colour pattern variation within and between species of cichlid fishes

Speaker: Dr Emilia Santos

12:40 → 13:40 Lunch

13:40 → 14:40 Evolutionary developmental biology (Evo-Devo)

13:40 Empirical talk: Evolution of cranial shapes

Speaker: Dr Markéta Kaucká

14:40 → 14:50 Short break

14:50 → 15:50 Holobiont and HGT

14:50 Concept talk: Holobionts and HGT

Online session

Speaker: Dr Ford Doolittle

15:50 → 16:20 Coffee break

16:20 → 17:20 Holobiont and HGT

16:20 Empirical talk: Chalk talk

Speaker: Dr Honour McCann

17:20 → 17:30 Short break

17:30 → 18:30 General discussion

17:30 Discussion day 1

18:30 → 19:30 Dinner

19:30 → 20:30 Poster session

19:30 Session 2

Wednesday 12 February

09:00 → 10:00 Fitness landscapes

09:00 Concept talk: concepts, theory and history

Speaker: Dr Justin R Meyer

10:00 → 10:30 Coffee break

10:30 → 11:30 Fitness landscapes

10:30 Empirical talk: Entangled adaptive landscapes facilitate exaptation

Speaker: Dr Andreas Wagner

11:30 → 11:40 Short break

11:40 → 12:40 Adaptive Radiations

11:40 Concept talk: Adaptive radiations

Speaker: Dr Dolph Schluter

12:40 → 12:50 Group Photo

12:50 → 13:40 Lunch

13:40 → 14:40 Adaptive Radiations

13:40 Empirical talk: Natural history of caribbean pupfishes

Speaker: Dr Christopher Martin

14:40 → 14:50 Short break

14:50 → 15:50 Predicting evolution

14:50 Concept talk: Predicting evolution

Speaker: Dr Meike Wortel

15:50 → 16:20 Coffee break

16:20 → 17:20 Predicting evolution

16:20 Empirical talk: Chalk talk

Speaker: Dr Peter Lind

17:20 → 17:30 Short break

17:30 → 18:30 General discussion

17:30 Discussion day 2

18:30 → 19:30 Dinner

19:30 → 20:30 Poster session

19:30 Session 3

Thursday 13 February

09:00 → 10:00 Multilevel selection

09:00 Concept talk: Multi-level selection

Speaker: Dr Paul Rainey

10:00 → 10:30 Coffee break

10:30 → 11:30 Multilevel selection

10:30 Empirical talk: Chalk talk

Speaker: Dr Katrin Hammerschmidt

11:30 → 11:40 Short break

11:40 → 12:40 Polygenic adaptations

11:40 Concept talk: Some models for phenotypic selection and transmission

Speaker: Dr Marcus Feldman

12:40 → 13:40 Lunch

13:40 → 14:40 Polygenic adaptations

13:40 Empirical talk: Understanding adaptations of complex traits

Speaker: Dr Neda Barghi

14:40 → 14:50 Short break

14:50 → 15:50 General discussion

14:50 Discussion day 3

15:50 → 16:10 Announcements

15:50 Closing remarks