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

Announcements

1 Registration and Check-In

2 Welcome words

Niche construction

3 Concept talk: The role of niche construction in evolutionary explanations

Speaker: Dr Kevin Lala

17:20 Short break

Niche construction

4 Empirical talk: Chalk lecture

Speaker: Dr Blake Matthews

18:30 Dinner

Poster session

5 Session 1

Tuesday 11 February

Early replicators and origin of life

6 Concept talk: Early replicators and origin of life

Speaker: Dr Nick Lane

10:00 Coffee break

Evolutionary developmental biology (Evo-Devo)

7 Concept talk: Evolution and development

Speaker: Dr Nathalie Feiner

11:30 Short break

Evolutionary developmental biology (Evo-Devo)

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

Speaker: Dr Emilia Santos

12:40 Lunch

Evolutionary developmental biology (Evo-Devo)

9 Empirical talk: Evolution of cranial shapes

Speaker: Dr Markéta Kaucká

14:40 Short break

Holobiont and HGT

10 Concept talk: Holobionts and HGT

Online session

Speaker: Dr Ford Doolittle

15:50 Coffee break

Holobiont and HGT

11 Empirical talk: Chalk talk

Speaker: Dr Honour McCann

17:20 Short break

General discussion

12 Discussion day 1

18:30 Dinner

Poster session

13 Session 2

Wednesday 12 February

Fitness landscapes

14 Concept talk: concepts, theory and history

Speaker: Dr Justin R Meyer

10:00 Coffee break

Fitness landscapes

15 Empirical talk: Entangled adaptive landscapes facilitate exaptation

Speaker: Dr Andreas Wagner

11:30 Short break

Adaptive Radiations

16 Concept talk: Adaptive radiations

Speaker: Dr Dolph Schluter

12:40 Group Photo

12:50 Lunch

Adaptive Radiations

17 Empirical talk: Natural history of caribbean pupfishes

Speaker: Dr Christopher Martin

14:40 Short break

Predicting evolution

18 Concept talk: Predicting evolution

Speaker: Dr Meike Wortel

15:50 Coffee break

Predicting evolution

19 Empirical talk: Chalk talk

Speaker: Dr Peter Lind

17:20 Short break

General discussion

20 Discussion day 2

18:30 Dinner

Poster session

21 Session 3

Thursday 13 February

Multilevel selection

22 Concept talk: Multi-level selection

Speaker: Dr Paul Rainey

10:00 Coffee break

Multilevel selection

23 Empirical talk: Chalk talk

Speaker: Dr Katrin Hammerschmidt

11:30 Short break

Polygenic adaptations

24 Concept talk: Some models for phenotypic selection and transmission

Speaker: Dr Marcus Feldman

12:40 Lunch

Polygenic adaptations

25 Empirical talk: Understanding adaptations of complex traits

Speaker: Dr Neda Barghi

14:40 Short break

General discussion

26 Discussion day 3

Announcements

27 Closing remarks