Timetable of Symposia

Click on title to view the timetable for that symposium a summary timetable of symposia is also available, as is a PDF file with the detailed timetable for the whole conference.

 

Tuesday 19th August (Full day symposia) plenary - R. May

The role of evolutionary biology in understanding, preventing and
treating infectious diseases

Reproductive parasites in evolution

Natural hybridization and introgression: its role in evolution and conservation

Genetics of species differences

Evolution in non-coding DNA


Wednesday 20th August (Full day symposia) plenary - D. Hartl

Sexual conflict

Pleistocene refugia, colonization patterns and evolution

Are transmission modes important for the evolution of mutualistic symbioses?

Genetic biodiversity in natural populations: implications for management

Experimental microbial evolution: the roles of sex, recombination and mutation

 

Thursday 21st August (Half day symposia) plenary - P. Brakefield

Morning

Evolution of sexual communication in insects

Geographical parthenogenesis and polyploidy

Pollinators and plant evolution - from specialists to generalists

Positive selection and adaptive trait genes

Evolutionary biology of learning


Friday 22nd August (Half day symposia) plenary - A. Orr

Morning

Key factors in adaptive radiation

The evolutionary biology of complex phenotypes

The evolution of sexual size dimorphism

From cell to society: conflict and cooperation at different evolutionary levels

The evolutionary roles of biased variation and internal selection

Afternoon

The evolutionary significance of variation in reproductive investment

Evolution on islands - patterns of colonisation, adaptation and speciation

Social plasticity

Genome size, cell size and scaling of metabolic rate: a cytogenetic approach to life history evolution

Morphological model systems in evolution and development


Saturday 23rd August (Full day symposia) plenary - R. Wayne

Evolutionary dynamics of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC)

Limits to species' boundaries: linking hybrid zones with adaptation to marginal conditions

Theoretical and empirical aspects of the evolution of diversity: Speciation, species discovery, and inventory

Evolutionary consequences of mate choice

Evolution of host defence against parasites

 

 

Full day symposia:

The role of evolutionary biology in understanding, preventing and
treating infectious diseases

At a professional, if not personal, level evolutionary biologists discovered infectious disease nearly a century after Pasteur, Koch and other heroes and heroines of the infectious disease biz. Over the past couple of decades, however, increasing numbers of evolutionary biologists have been making significant contributions to our understanding of microparasite infections and their prevention and treatment. And, in this enlightened time, increasing numbers of real Drs. and other people treating as well as studying infectious diseases have discovered evolution and its importance to understanding the course of infections and there control and prevention. The participants of this symposium include both evolutionary biologists who have been working on infectious disease and infectious disease specialists who have been applying population dynamic and evolutionary considerations to their investigations. In addition to the usual goal of a symposium, for the participants to present their wares (strut their stuff, as it were), this symposium has a proselytizing goal. Infectious disease raise many questions that are intriguing and delicious even from a precious academic perspective and provide an opportunity to for evolutionary biologists to make a directly useful contribution to the society that supports our endeavours.

Invited speakers:

Dan Andesson, Swedish Institute for Infectious Disease Control
Fernando Baquero, Hospital Ramon y Cajal, Madrid
Marc Lipsitch, Harvard University School of Public Health
Cathariana Svanborg, Lund University Medical School
Sunetra Gupta, Univerisity of Oxford

 

Organiser:

Bruce Levin

 

Address:

Department of Biology
Emory University
1510 Clifton Road
Atlanta
GA 30322
USA

 
Phone: (404) 727 2826  
Fax: (404) 727 2880  
Email: blevin@emory.edu  

Tuesday 19 August Conference Auditorium 1

09.50 – 10.20 Lipsitch, M.
Antibiotic use and resistance: An evolutionary / population perspective

10.20 – 11.00 Coffee

11.00 – 11.30 Andersson, D. I.
Adapting to the deleterious effects of antibiotic resistance
11.30 – 12.00 Baquero, F.
Antibiotic Resistance: Adapting to adversity by manipulating mutation rates and local tool-box genetic resources
12.00 – 12.30 Peck, S. L.
The spread of antibiotic resistance in a spatially structured hierarchy of metapopulations

12.30 – 14.00 Lunch

14.00 – 14.30 Gupta, S.
The effects of immune selection on the population dynamics of malaria
14.30 – 15.00 Svanborg, C.
Genetic control of innate immune responses and resistance to kidney infection: some evolutionary implications
15.00 – 15.30 Hambuch, T. M.
Evolutionary Genetics of Smallpox

15.30 – 16.00 Tea

16.00 – 16.30 Reece, S. E.
Host anaemia and sex ratios in malaria parasites
16.30 – 17.00 Day, T.
A general theory for the evolutionary dynamics of virulence
17.00 – 17.30 Dionisio, F.
Evolution of conjugative plasmids under antibiotic pressure
17.30 – 17.40 Levin, B.
Summary and overview

Sexual conflict

Sexual conflict is a rapidly expanding area of sexual selection examining the evolutionary consequences of disparate fitness interests between the sexes that potentially result in sexually antagonistic co-evolution. This process has recently been linked to rates of speciation and the evolution of several reproductive traits such as penile spines and toxic ejaculates. The topic is attracting considerable theoretical and experimental work on a broad range of species and traits, but there is controversy over the evidence for sexual antagonistic Co-evolution

Invited speakers: Goran Arnqvist, University of Uppsala
William Eberhard, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
Kate Lessells, Netherlands Institute of Ecology
Organisers:

Rhonda R. Snook

David Hosken

Address:

Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, Alfred Denny Building, Western Bank, University of Sheffield
Sheffield UK S10 2TN

Zoologisches Museum, Universitaet Zürich-Irchel, Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH-8057 Zürich, SWITZERLAND

Phone:

+44 114 222 0126

 

Fax:

+44 114 222 0002

+41 1 635 6826

Email:

r.snook@sheffield.ac.uk

hosken@zoolmus.unizh.ch

Wednesday 20 August Roger Stevens Lecture Theatre 21

Symposium 6: Sexual conflict (Rhonda Snook & David Hosken)

09.50 – 10.20 Arnqvist, G.
Sexual conflict: concepts and empirical avenues

10.20 – 11.00 Coffee

11.00 – 11.30 Eberhard, B.
Male-female conflict and genitalia: failure to confirm predictions
11.30 – 12.00 Lessells, K.
Why are copulating males bad for females?
12.00 – 12.20 Moore, P. J.
Patterns of genetic correlations between traits required for male fertility and manipulation of female remating
12.20 – 12.40 Rodríguez-Muñoz, R.
Genetic trade-offs in fitness related traits in the field cricket Gryllus bimaculatus?

12.40 – 14.00 Lunch

14.00 – 14.20 Crudgington H. S.
Experimental removal and elevation of sexual selection in a sperm heteromorphic model insect system: Does sexual selection generate sexual conflict?
14.20 – 14.40 Wigby, S. L.
The evolution of sexual conflict in Drosophila melanogaster
14.40 – 15.00 Rowe, L.
On detecting sexually antagonistic coevolution with population crosses
15.00 – 15. 20 Reinhardt, K.
Sexual conflict and reproductive isolation in a hybrid zone

15.20 – 16.00 Tea

16.00 – 16.20 Stockley, P.
Sexual conflict and speciation in rodents
16.20 – 16.40 Maklakov, A. A.
Conflict and cooperation in mating systems of Stegodyphusi spiders
16.40 – 17. 00 Anthes, N.
Do internally fertilising simultaneous hermaphrodites really trade sperm?
17.00 – 17.20 Harris W. E.
Sexual conflict. polygyny and female mate preference: avoidance of sperm-depleted males by a novel mechanism of mate discrimination

Evolutionary dynamics of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC)

The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) is a paradigm of adaptive evolution and an excellent model system for testing multiple aspects of evolutionary theory. The remarkable feature of the MHC is the astonishingly high levels of polymorphism found at the genes that code for antigen presentation to the immune system. What is the function of this polymorphism? How is polymorphism maintained? What are the consequences for species with low MHC diversity? This symposium aims to highlight current research addressing these issues in fields ranging from molecular evolution to behavioural ecology, and to show how the MHC can yield insight into fundamental evolutionary theories in host-parasite co-evolution, sexual selection and conservation biology.

Invited speakers: Wayne K. Potts, University of Utah
Torbjörn von Schantz, University of Lund
Philip Hedrick, Arizona State University
Invited speakers:

Wayne K. Potts
Torbjörn von Schantz
Philip Hedrick

University of Utah
University of Lund
Arizona State University

Organisers:

Stuart Piertney

Steve Paterson

Address: Department of Zoology, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB24 2TZ Department of Biological Sciences , University of Stirling , Stirling FK9 4LA
Phone: +44 1224 272864 +44 1786 467810
Fax: +44 1224 272396 +44 1786 464994
Email: s.piertney@abdn.ac.uk Steve.Paterson@stir.ac.uk

Saturday 23 August Conference Auditorium 2

Symposium 29: Evolutionary dynamics of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) (Stuart Piertney & Steve Paterson)

9.50 - 10.20 Hedrick, P.
Selection at MHC: General perspective and estimation in salmon and humans

10.20 – 11.00 Coffee

11.00 – 11.30 von Schantz, T.
Defence systems, MHC and radical sexual signals
11.30 – 12.00 Potts, W. K.
Pathogen-mediated selection acting on histocompatibility genes

12.00 – 12.20 Surridge, A. K.
MHC diversity and reproductive success in wild European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus)
12.20 – 12.40 Palmén, A.
Spatial heterogeneity in MHC polymorphism and intensity of multiple parasite infection in Arctic charr

12.40 – 14.00 Lunch

14.00 – 14.20 Westerdahl, H. W.
Between-year variation of MHC allele frequencies in great reed warblers: selection or drift?
14.20 – 14.40 Piertney, S. B.
MHC diversity, disease resistance and mate choice in red grouse (Lagopus lagopus scoticus)
14.40 – 15.00 Reusch, T. B. H.
Divergent selection at MHC Class IIB genes across locations with contrasting parasite communities
15.00 – 15. 20 Ekblom, R.
MHC class II variation and mate choice in a lekking bird, the great snipe (Gallinago media)

15.20 – 16.00 Tea

Reproductive parasites in evolution

Many species bear parasites that particularly affect host reproduction. Selfish genetic elements within the nucleus reduce sperm number. Inherited bacteria and protists may cause host infertility or lead to sex ratio distortion. Some 'selfish' mitochondria may induce male sterility. Other parasites induce reproductive castration, as they drain energy from host reproduction in an attempt to maintain a long lived host, or transmit during host copulation, making sex costly. In this symposium, we will examine the biology of these interactions. What determines the incidence of reproductive parasites? How are they adapted to their host? To what extent have these parasites driven the evolution of their host reproductive biology? Have they been involved in higher level processes such as speciation, extinction and the evolution of sex determination mechanisms?

Invited speakers: Hans Breeuwer, University of Amsterdam
Francis Jiggins, University of Cambridge
Chris Bazinet, St. Johns University
Organisers:

Greg Hurst

Tim Karr

Address: Department of Biology,
University College London
Department of Biology and Biochemistry,
University of Bath
Phone:    
Fax:    
Email: g.hurst@ucl.ac.uk tkarr@midway.uchicago.edu

Tuesday 19 August Conference Auditorium 2

Symposium 2: Reproductive parasites in evolution (Greg Hurst & Tim Karr)

09.50 – 10.20 Jiggins, F.
Host-parasite coevolution between sex ratio distorting microbes and their hosts

10.20 – 11.00 Coffee

11.00 – 11.30 Breeuwer, J. A. J.
Haploid female parthenogenesis in the mite Brevipalpus phoenicis is caused by a new bacterium
11.30 – 12.00 Bazinet, C.
The Cellular Archeology of Sex
12.00 – 12.20 Ubeda, F. F. U.
Why Mendelian segregation?
12.20 – 12.40 Burt, A.
Site-specific selfish genes as tools for the control and genetic engineering of natural populations

12.40 – 14.00 Lunch

14.00 – 14.20 Rigaud, T.
Consequences of Wolbachia-induced female biased sex ratios on their isopod host reproductive success
14.20 – 14.40 Reuter, M.
Loss of Wolbachia infection during colonisation in the invasive Argentine ant Linepithema humile
14.40 – 15.00 Tinsley, M.
Host specificity of male-killing bacteria in ladybirds
15.00 – 15.20 Pannebakker, B. A.
Cytology of Wolbachia induced parthenogenesis in Leptopilina clavipes (Hymenoptera: Figitidae)

15.20 – 16.00 Tea

16.00 – 16.20 Egas, M.
Evolution of incompatibility types in CI Wolbachia is structurally unstable under the mod-resc hypothesis
16.20 – 16.40 Butcher, R. D. J.
Competition and co-operation between intracellular insect symbionts within a common host
16.40 – 17. 00 Perrot-Minnot, M-J.
Castration of intermediate hosts by acanthocephalan parasites : adaptive trait or by-product of manipulation
17.00 – 17.20 Smith, J. E.
The evolutionary origins of vertical transmission in microsporidian parasites

Limits to species' boundaries: linking hybrid zones with adaptation to marginal conditions

Understanding the evolutionary causes of limits to species' ranges is important in predicting responses to environmental change. Unfortunately, although research into parapatric and marginal boundaries is highly complementary, few links have been made between studies of hybrid zones and adaptation at species' margins. This symposium will combine data on genetics, ecology and demography to stimulate dialogue between these areas, and encourage a unified approach to understanding the limits to local adaptation, and the spread of genotypes though different genetic and ecological backgrounds.

Invited speakers: Mark Kirkpatrick
Thomas Lenormand
Chris Thomas
Organisers:

Jon Bridle

Nick H Barton and Tim Vines

Address: Institute of Zoology, ZSL, Regent's Park, London, NW1 4RY, UK Institute of Cell, Animal and Population Biology, University of Edinburgh, EH9 3JT, UK
Phone: +44 20 7 449 6642 +44 131 650 5509
Fax: +44 20 7 586 2870 +44 131 650 6564
Email: jon.bridle@ioz.ac.uk n.barton@ed.ac.uk

Saturday 23 August Roger Stevens Lecture Theatre 22

Symposium 27: Limits to species' boundaries: linking hybrid zones with adaptation to marginal conditions (Jon Bridle, Nick Barton, Tim Vines)

09.50 – 10.20 Kirkpatrick, M.
Evolution between Scylla and Charybdis: Gene flow and local adaptation

10.20 – 11.00 Coffee

11.00 – 11.30 Lenormand, T.
The evolution of local adaptation
11.30 – 12.00 Thomas, C. D.
The eco-evo dynamics of range boundaries
12.00 – 12.20 Billard, S.
Evolution of migration in a spatially varying environment
12.20 – 12.40 Bridle, J.
Individual based simulations of adaptation at range margins

12.20 – 14.00 Lunch

14.00 – 14.20 Boulding, E. G.
Modelling the extinction risk of prey populations after an invasion of predators: Parameter estimates from an inter-tidal field experiment
14.20 – 14.40 Pérez-Figueroa, A.
Evolutionary factors explaining polymorphism in L. saxatilis: computer simulations.
14.40 – 15.00 Vines, T.
The role of habitat distribution in the structure of Bombina hybrid zones
15.00 – 15. 20 Goodman, S.
Varying introgression among markers in a dynamic hybrid zone: Distinguishing selection from ancestral polymorphism and drift

15.20 – 16.00 Tea

16.00 – 16.20 Polechova, J.
Speciation in asexual populations in sympatry and parapatry
16.20 – 16.40 Nolte, A.
Hybrid zones of Cottus are fixed locally despite changes in population density
16.40 – 17. 00 Jiggins, C. D.
Speciation in mimetic butterflies – range middle or margin?
17.00 – 17.20 Barton, N.
Ecological and genetic limits to a species’ range

Natural hybridization and introgression: its role in evolution and conservation

The role of hybridisation in evolution is more debated and empirically better supported than ever, due to new insights into genetics and ecology of hybrids. It is now widely recognized that hybridization may have a variety of evolutionary consequences, and a major goal is to understand the frequency and conditions under which they are likely to occur. At the same time, it is becoming clear that human activities may lead to increased hybridization among species and populations, and that this may affect e.g. survival of indigenous populations, establishment of invasive species, maintainance of genetic resources, etc. The goal of this symposium is to discuss the role of hybridization in speciation and adaptive evolution, and its impact on conservation of indigenous species and populations. We are particularly interested in studies linking the genetics of hybridization and introgression with the fitness and ecological performance of hybrids and parents.

Invited speakers:

Michael L. Arnold, University of Georgia
Louis Bernatchez, University of Québec
Diane Campbell, University of California, Irvine

Organisers:

Thure Hauser

Michael L. Arnold

Michael M. Hansen

Address:

Risø National Laboratory, Plant Research Dept., PRD-309, P.O.Box 49; DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark

University of Georgia

Danish Institute for Fisheries Research
Dept. of Inland Fisheries
Population Genetics Lab.
Vejlsoevej 39
DK-8600 Silkeborg
Denmark

Phone:

+45 4677 4238

 

+45 89 213145

Fax:

+45 4677 4160

 

+45 89 213150

Email:

thure.hauser@risoe.dk

arnold@dogwood.botany.uga.edu

mmh@dfu.min.dk

Tuesday 19 August Roger Stevens Lecture Theatre 21

Symposium 4: Natural hybridization and introgression: its role in evolution and conservation (Thure Hauser, Michael L. Arnold & Michael M. Hansen)

09.50 – 10.20 Campbell, D. R.
Fitness of plant hybrids depends on the environment: long-term field studies with Ipomopsis

10.20 – 11.00 Coffee

11.00 – 11.30 Bernatchez, L.
The integrated use of quantitative genetics, linkage mapping and functional genomics to investigate the basis of population divergence and reproductive isolation in a hybrid zone of the lake whitefish (Salmonidae)
11.30 – 12.00 Bouck, A.
Mapping introgression and reproductive isolation in Louisiana Irises
12.00 – 12.20 Babik, W.
A mosaic, bimodal hybrid zone between two species of newts (T. vulgaris x T. montandoni, Amphibia: Salamandridae)
12.20 – 12.40 Hauser, T. P.
Frequency dependent male and female fitness of oilseed rape, weedy B. rapa, and their hybrids

12.40 – 14.00 Lunch

14.00 – 14.20 Asami, T.
Interspecific asymmetry of cryptic isolation and hybrid vigor in hermaphroditic snails
14.20 – 14.40 Nürnberger, B.
Barriers to gene flow produced by selection on quantitative traits in hybrid zones
14.40 – 15.00 Christiansen, D. G.
How sexually reproducing hybrids remain hybrid: Microsatellite offspring genotyping in pure populations of the hybrid waterfrog Rana esculenta
15.00 – 15. 20 Strehl, C-P.
Preventing introgression in ants by shunting F1 hybrids into the sterile caste

15.20 – 16.00 Tea

16.00 – 16.20 Köhler, S. C.
Natural selection in tadpole cohorts in the Bombina hybrid zone
16.20 – 16.40 Nolte, A.
An apparent hybrid species of Cottus displays novel traits that facilitate colonization of new ecological subregions within the Rhine drainage
16.40 – 17. 00 Spaak, P
Predator induced hybrid superiority in Daphnia?
17.00 – 17.20 Hauffe, H. C.
Local speciation and raciation in a chromosomal hybrid zone

Pleistocene refugia, colonization patterns and evolution

The present distribution of many species in Europe is a result of colonization after the last ice age (Weichselian, 120k-10kya), and the genetic structure of species has been moulded by the range dynamics caused by climatic oscillations of glacial and interglacial periods during the Pleistocene (2.4my) (Hewitt 1996, 2000; Taberlet et al 1998). The ice sheets covered much of northern Europe, and central parts of the continent were characterized by tundra vegetation and permafrost. Traditionally, the postglacial history of plant and animal species has been gained from fossil data, such as pollen analysis and macrofossils. During the last fifteen years, a growing number of genetic marker studies of living populations have formed a new scientific field -phylogeography (Avise 1998, 2000) with over 500 papers in the last 3 years (WoS search). These studies have made it possible to track colonization patterns within species on different geographical scales, to gain understanding of their evolution over the Pleistocene, and the methods and emerging principles are applied worldwide (Hewitt 2001, Templeton 2001).

Invited speakers:

Keith Bennett
Keith Crandall

Organisers:

Anna-Brit Berglund

Pierre Taberlet Pierre

Godfrey Hewitt

Address:

Department of Natural and Environmental sciences, Mid Sweden University, S-851 70 Sundsvall, Sweden

Lab. de Biologie des Populations d'Altitude, CNRS UMR 5553, Univ. Joseph Fourier, F-38041 Grenoble Cedex 9, France

School of Biological Sciences, UEA, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, UK

Phone:

 

 

 

Fax:

 

+33 476 514279

 

Email:

Anna-Britt.Nyberg-Berglund@mh.se

Taberlet@ujf-grenoble.fr

g.Hewitt@uea.ac.uk

Wednesday 20 August Roger Stevens Lecture Theatre 20

Symposium 7: Pleistocene refugia, colonization patterns and evolution (Anna-Britta Berglund, Pierre Taberlet and Godfrey Hewitt)

09.50 – 10.20 Bennett, K.
The movement of plants in space and time

10.20 – 11.00 Coffee

11.00 – 11.30 Taberlet, P.
Molecular techniques for phylogeographic studies.
11.30 – 12.00 Crandall, K.
Analytical approaches in phylogeography
12.00 – 12.20 Baird, S. J. E.
A novel approximation to the structured coalescent: the Dancing Trees algorithm
12.20 – 12.40 Cooper, S. J.B.
The impact of Pleistocene environmental changes on population subdivision of species in southern Australia

12.40 – 14.00 Lunch

14.00 – 14.20 Kotlik, P.
Circum Black Sea phylogeography of freshwater fish Barbus: divergence in the Pontic glacial refugium
14.20 – 14.40 Babik, W.
A long leap from the East? Phylogeography of Rana arvalis in Eurasia
14.40 – 15.00 Vogel, J.
Pleistocene refugia, phylogeography and polyploidy of the rockfern genus Asplenium in Europe: evidence from cpDNA and allozymes
15.00 – 15. 20 Carlsson, M.
The genetic structure of North European adders (Vipera berus).

15.20 – 16.00 Tea

16.00 – 16.20 Tribsch, A.
Patterns of endemism and comparative phylogeography confirm palaeo-environmental evidence for Pleistocene refugia in the Eastern Alps
16.20 – 16.40 Van Houdt, J. K. J.
Holarctic phylogeography of burbot (Lota lota): evidence for large-scale extinctions and recolonisation
16.40 – 17. 00 Liebers, D.
The Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) complex is not a ring species
17.00 – 17.20 Bronken Eidesen, P.
Effects of climate change on ecosystems in Svalbard: past and future immigration of thermophilous key species

Are transmission modes important for the evolution of mutualistic symbioses?

Evolutionary theory suggests that hosts and symbionts in asymmetrical symbioses may conflict over patterns of symbiont transmission. Selection favours symbionts to disperse out of the vertical host lineage. The subsequent decrease in relatedness between symbionts favours within-host competition and virulence. Hosts are therefore expected to favour reduced mixing of their symbionts, because horizontal transmission is expected to be associated with parasitic symbiont traits. However, numerous examples of mutualistic symbioses exist where horizontal transmission is the rule. In this symposium the most recent insights, both theoretical and empirical, on the importance of transmission modes for the outcome of mutualistic symbioses, will be presented.

Invited speakers: Steve Frank
Francois Lutzoni
Allen Herre
Organisers:

Duur K. Aanen

Jacobus J. (Koos) Boomsma

Address: Dept. of Population Ecology, Zoological Institute, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
Dept. of Population Ecology, Zoological Institute, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, 2100 Copenhagen
Phone: +45 35321320 +45 35321340
Fax: +45 35321250 +45 35321250
Email: dkaanen@zi.ku.dk jjboomsma@zi.ku.dk

Wednesday 20 August Conference Auditorium 2

Symposium 8: Are transmission modes important for the evolution of mutualistic symbioses? (Duur K. Aanen & Jacobus J. (Koos) Boomsma)

09.50 – 10.20 Frank, S, A.
Host control of symbiont transmission: the separation of symbionts into germ and soma

10.20 – 11.00 Coffee

11.00 – 11.30 Herre, E. A.
Do general laws govern mutualisms? Abstractions and realities
11.30 – 12.00 Lutzoni, F.
What can we learn from lichens about the origin, maintenance and deterioration of mutualism?
12.00 – 12.20 Wenseleers, T.
Conflict and cooperation in symbiotic systems: prospects for synthesis
12.20 – 12.40 Nash, D. R.
Transmission, dispersal and evolution of trophobiotic symbionts of ants

12.40 – 14.00 Lunch

14.00 – 14.20 Aanen, D. K.
Fungus-growing social insects and symbiont transmission modes
14.20 – 14.40 Poulsen, M.
Incompatibility mechanisms of fungus clones cultivated by Acromyrmex leaf-cutting ants
14.40 – 15.00 Korb, J.
Transmission modes of fungal symbionts in fungus-growing termites (Macrotermitinae) and their implications
15.00 – 15. 20 Belliure, B.
Does Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus benefit its vector Frankliniella occidentalis?

15.20 – 16.00 Tea

16.00 – 16.20 Bédhomme, S.
Resource availability and parasite virulence in Aedes aegypti infected with a microsporidia
16.20 – 16.40 Capelle, J.
Virulence and mode of transmission in wild populations: a plant/parasite study case
16.40 – 17. 00 Gil, R.
The minimum gene set to sustain endosymbiotic life: comparative analysis of reduced genomes

Theoretical and empirical aspects of the evolution of diversity: speciation, species discovery, and inventory

This symposium is focused at the intersection of theory and the empirical study of the evolution of diversity. New approaches to biodiversity inventory and new developments in species concepts, speciation theory, and molecular evolution interact and enable innovative directions in quantifying biological complexity. Participants will speak to new directions in documenting diversity and understanding evolutionary processes of diversification, including new studies on species level processes and mechanisms.

Invited speakers: Ed Wiley, University of Kansas
Jody Hey, Rutgers University
Dan Brooks, University of Toronto
Organisers:

Douglas Causey

Daniel Brooks

Address: Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA Dept Zoology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Phone: +1 61 7 495-2471 +1 41 6 978-3139
Fax: +1 61 7 495-5667 +1 41 6 978-8352
Email: dcausey@oeb.harvard.edu dbrooks@zoo.utoronto.ca

Saturday 23 August Roger Stevens Lecture Theatre 20

Symposium 26: Theoretical and empirical aspects of the evolution of diversity: speciation, species discovery, and inventory (Douglas Causey)

09.50 – 10.20 Causey, D.
How to quantify biodiversity

10.20 – 11.00 Coffee

11.00 – 11.30 Hey, J.
Understanding and confronting species uncertainty in biology and conservation
11.30 – 12.00 Krishtalka, L.
Modelling evolutionary phenomena using biodiversity informatics
12.00 – 12.20 Gomez, A.
The evolution of biodiversity: what can we learn from cryptic species?
12.20 – 12.40 Tautz, D.
The use of DNA taxonomy for species inventories

12.40 – 14.00 Lunch

14.00 – 14.20 Saetre, G-P.
Speciation as a positive feedback loop between pre- and postzygotic barriers to gene flow
14.20 – 14.40 Weingartner, E. L.
Speciation processes and host plant utilization in Polygonia butterflies
14.40 – 15.00 Gavrilets, S.
On models of sympatric speciation
15.00 – 15. 20 Drossel, B.
Speciation and cospeciation in quantitative genetic models

15.20 – 16.00 Tea

16.00 – 16.20 Cohen, D.
Modeling evolutionary and ecological consequences of selection in heterogeneous environments
16.20 – 16.40 Burzynski, A.
Evolution of mitochondrial inheritance in mussels from Baltic Sea
16.40 – 17. 00 Barraclough, T. G.
Diversification in sexuals and asexuals
17.00 – 17.20 Grande, C.
Molecular systematics of Euthyneura (Mollusca: Gastropoda)

Genetics of species differences

Currently, we see a revival of the interest in speciation and hybridization due to major advances in molecular techniques (marker techniques, QTL analysis and theory). In particular the genetics of species differences and hybridization barriers is now a growing field. Recent reviews about speciation in TREE and other journals have shown that there is a lot of progress in our knowledge about the genetic architecture of species differences.

Invited speakers:

Nick Barton, University of Edinburgh
Loren Rieseberg, Indiana University
Sarah Via, University of Maryland

Organisers:

Juergen Gadau

Leo Beukeboom

Address: Universität Wuerzburg- Biozentrum
Institut für Verhaltensphysiologie und Soziobiologie
Am Hubland
97074 Wuerzburg
Germany
Biological Centre
University of Groningen
Kerklaan 30
NL-9751 NN Haren
P.O. Box 14
NL-9750 AA Haren
The Netherlands
Phone: +49 931 888 4309 +31 50 363 8448
Fax: +49 931 888 4305 +31 50 363 2348
Email: Jgadau@biozentrum.uni-wuerzburg.de l.w.beukeboom@biol.rug.nl

Tuesday 19 August Roger Stevens Lecture Theatre 20

Symposium 3: Genetics of species differences (Juergen Gadau & Leo Beukeboom)

09.50 – 10.20 Rieseberg, L. H.
Integration of Populations and Differentiation of Species

10.20 – 11.00 Coffee

11.00 – 11.30 Via, S.
The genetic mosaic of speciation
11.30 – 12.00 Barton, N.
The plausibility of parapatric speciation
12.00 – 12.20 Miyatake, T.
Pleiotropic effects of clock genes and allochronic reproductive isolation
12.20 – 12.40 Domazet-Loso, T.
An evolutionary analysis of orphan genes in Drosophila

12.40 – 14.00 Lunch

14.00 – 14.20 Bensch, S.
Extreme conflict among mitochondrial and nuclear loci for phylogenetic patterns in Phylloscopus warblers
14.20 – 14.40 Greenberg, A. J.
Precise allelic substitution as a tool to study speciation and adaptation in Drosophila
14.40 – 15.00 Haerty W.
Sexual isolation between natural populations of Drosophila melanogaster from Brazzaville (Congo)
15.00 – 15. 20 Lineham, M. E.
How polygenic are the traits responsible for sexual isolation in fruit flies?

15.20 – 16.00 Tea

16.00 – 16.20 Shuker, D. M.
The genetic basis of male hybrid sterility in a Chorthippus grasshopper hybrid zone: quantitative genetic and molecular approaches
16.20 – 16.40 Pietsch, C.
The genetic architecture of courtship and mating behaviour of Nasonia (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae)
16.40 – 17. 00 Gadau, J.
The evolution of non-flying males in the genus Nasonia
17.00 – 17.20 Peire-Morais, A.
Non-mendelian inheritance of courtship behaviour in Nasonia vitripennis (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae)

Genetic biodiversity in natural populations: implications for management

The symposium will cover the study of population and evolutionary factors with a high relevance in conservation issues. The main focus will be on the development of theoretical approaches and empirical achievements in the quantification of genetic diversity in natural populations (estimation of effective population size, population structure, quantitative versus molecular variation, etc.) Other important aspects will be intraspecific reproductive barriers and ecological speciation.

Invited speakers:

Louis Bernatchez, Université Laval
Sara Via, University of Maryland College Park
Phil Hedrick, Arizona State University

Organisers:

Kerstin Johannesson

Armando Caballero

Jesús Fernández

Address:

Department of Marine Ecology, Tjarno Marine Biological Laboratory, Goteborg University, SE-452 96 Stromstad, SWEDEN

Departamento de Bioquímica, Genética e Inmunología
Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Vigo, 36200 Vigo, SPAIN

Departamento de Mejora Genética Animal
Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria (INIA)
Crta. A Coruña Km. 7,5, Madrid SPAIN

Phone:

+46 (0)526 686 00

+34 986 812568

+34 91 3471487

Fax:

+46 (0)526 686 07

+34 986 812556

+34 91 3572293

Email:

kerstin.johannesson@tmbl.gu.se

armando@uvigo.es

jmj@inia.es

Wednesday 20 August Conference Auditorium 1

Symposium 9: Genetic biodiversity in natural populations: implications for management (Kerstin Johannesson, Armando Caballero and Jesús Fernández)

09.50 – 10.20 Hedrick, P.
Effective population size in endangered species

10.20 – 11.00 Coffee

11.00 – 11.30 Bernatchez, L.
Challenges in assessing genetic biodiversity: an empirical illustration through recent research on salmonid fishes
11.30 – 12.00 Via, S.
The genetics of ecological speciation on a geographic scale
12.00 – 12.20 Hollander, J.
Evolution of reproductive barriers
12.20 – 12.40 Leblois, R.
Maximum likelihood inference of demographic parameters from microsatellites data : precision and robustness of a new algorithm

12.40 – 14.00 Lunch

14.00 – 14.20 Bakker, J.
Genetic differentiation in experimental Drosophila melanogaster metapopulations
14.20 – 14.40 Wang, J.
Estimating admixture proportions from genetic data
14.40 – 15.00 Griebeler, E. M.
Spatial genetic patterns generated by admixing populations of two cryptic species
15.00 – 15. 20 Carvajal-Rodríguez, A.
Effect of contamination processes on intra- and interpopulation genetic diversity

15.20 – 16.00 Tea

16.00 – 16.20 van der Linde, K.
Genetic differences on a local scale
16.20 – 16.40 Ernande, B.
Adaptive changes in harvested populations: Plasticity and evolution of age and size at maturation
16.40 – 17. 00 Jehle, R.
The spatio-temporal genetic structure of subdivided newt populations
17.00 – 17.20 Zhang, X-S.
Response of genetic variation to a bottleneck in population size

Evolutionary consequences of mate choice

Originally, the theory of sexual selection was invoked to account for biological phenomena that could not be explained by natural selection alone. New developments however emphasise the role of sexual selection as a common denominator towards solving two important problems in evolutionary biology: the evolution of sex and the origin of species. Sexual selection may compensate the two-fold cost of sex because differential male mating success can drastically reduce mutational load (Siller 2001, Agrawal 2001). At the same time, the role of sexual selection in the widely debated issue of sympatric speciation is increasingly acknowledged (Seehausen et al. 1999, Turner and Burrows 1995, Lande et al. 2001). In this symposium, we aim to bring together theoretical, genetical and ecological perspectives in order to assess these evolutionary consequences of mate choice.

Invited speakers: Steven Siller, University of Oxford
Steve Howard, Middle Tennessee State University
Tom van Dooren, University of Leiden
Organisers:

Martine Maan

Vicky Schneider

Address: Leiden University, Institute for Evolutionary and Ecological Sciences, Section Animal Ecology, PO Box 9516, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands Leiden University, Institute for Evolutionary and Ecological Sciences, Section Animal Ecology, P.O.Box 9516, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands
Phone: +31 (0)71 5274916 +31 (0)71 527 4989
Fax: +31 (0) 71 5274900 +31 (0) 71 5274900
Email: maan@rulsfb.leidenuniv.nl mvschneider@rulsfb.leidenuniv.nl

Saturday 23 August Roger Stevens Lecture Theatre 21

Symposium 28: Evolutionary consequences of mate choice (Martine Maan & Vicky Schneider)

09.50 – 10.20 Howard, R. S.
Mate choice and the evolutionary stability of sex

10.20 – 11.00 Coffee

11.00 – 11.30 Siller, S.
Is there a lek paradox?
11.30 – 12.00 Van Dooren, T. J. M.
Mate choice evolution and the odds of sympatric speciation vs. dimorphic sexes
12.00 – 12.20 Van Doorn, G. S.
Sympatric speciation by sexual selection
12.20 – 12.40 Klinkhamer, P. G. L.
Selective embryo abortion in plants

12.40 – 14.00 Lunch

14.00 – 14.20 Barson, N. J.
Genetics of female mate preferences and speciation in Lake Malawi Cichlid fishes.
14.20 – 14.40 Radwan, J.
Effectiveness of sexual selection in preventing fitness deterioration in bulb mite populations under relaxed natural selection
14.40 – 15.00 Haavie, J.
Asymmetric character shifts in the song of sympatric pied and collared flycatchers (Ficedula spp.): a case of reinforcement?
15.00 – 15. 20 Vistulo de Abreu, F.
Sympatric speciation from mutual sexual selection

15.20 – 16.00 Tea

16.00 – 16.20 Bilde, T.
Implications of mate choice for inbreeding and the evolution of sociality in spiders
16.20 – 16.40 Butcher, R. D. J.
Kin recognition based female mate discrimination in polyandrous wasps with an inbreeding sensitive sex determination system
16.40 – 17. 00 Kurtz, J.
Mate choice for optimal immunity
17.00 – 17.20 Alatalo, R. V.
Multitude of non-arbitrary male sexual ornaments in the lekking black grouse

Experimental microbial evolution: the roles of sex, recombination and mutation

Experimental evolution is the laboratory study of the fundamental processes of evolutionary change (mutation, genetic drift and adaptation by natural selection) that give rise to patterns of genetic diversity within and among populations. Microorganisms have proven to be useful subjects for this research as a consequence of their large population sizes, short generation times, and the ease with which their environments and genotypes can be manipulated. Experimental studies of microbial evolution have confirmed the basic principles of evolutionary theory, while providing new insights into the genetics and ecology of microorganisms.

Invited speakers:

G. Velicer, Max-Planck Institute for Developmental Biology, Tubingen
S. Schoustra, Wageningen University
R. Korona, Jagiellonian University

Organisers:

Santiago F. Elena

J. Arjan G. M. de Visser

Graham Bell

Address:

Instituto de Biologia Molecular y Celular de Plantas
Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas
Avda. de los naranjos s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain

Department of Genetics, Wageningen University, Arboretumlaan 4, 6703 BD Wageningen, The Netherlands

Redpath Museum and Biology
Department, McGill University, McGill University, Montreal,
Quebec, Canada

Phone:

+34 963 877 885

+31 317 483 144

1 (514) 398-6458

Fax:

+34 963 877 859

+31 317 483 146

1 (514) 398-5069

Email:

sfelena@ibmcp.upv.es

arjan.devisser@wur.nl

graham.bell@mcgill.ca

Wednesday 20 August Roger Stevens Lecture Theatre 22

Symposium 10: Experimental microbial evolution: the roles of sex, recombination and mutation (Santiago F. Elena, J. Arjan G. M. de Visser and Graham Bell)

09.50 – 10.20 Bell, G.
Experimental sexual selection in Chlamydomonas

10.20 – 11.00 Coffee

11.00 – 11.30 Taddei, F.
Sources of genetic and phenotypic variability
11.30 – 12.00 Bohannan, B. J. M.
Using microbial model systems to explore spatially-explicit evolutionary theory
12.00 – 12.20 Korona, R.
When defects cannot be masked: a case study with deleterious mutations in yeast
12.20 – 12.40 Schoustra, S.
Experimental evolution in Aspergillus nidulans: reducing the cost of resistance

12.40 – 14.00 Lunch

14.00 – 14.20 Velicer G.
Evolution of cooperation in a social bacterium
14.20 – 14.40 de Visser J. A. G. M.
Experimental rejection of non-transitive interactions as cause of declining rate of evolution in E. coli
14.40 – 15.00 Hughes, D.
Evolution of fluoroquinolone resistance in urinary tract infection E. coli
15.00 – 15. 20 Collins, S.
Evolutionary Response to Rising Levels of Carbon Dioxide in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

15.20 – 16.00 Tea

16.00 – 16.20 Elena, S. F.
The experimental evolution of gene regulation and expression: the case of the tetAR operon
16.20 – 16.40 Buckling, A.
Specialization constrains diversification of Pseudomonas fluorescens
16.40 – 17. 00 Spiers, A.
Multiple evolution to a single niche: comparative analysis of the Pseudomonas fluorescens wrinkly spreaders
17.00 – 17.20 Bell, G.
Closing remarks.

Evolution in non-coding DNA

98% of our genome is non-coding. How and when did it get there, how is it held in check, and does non-coding sequence ever have advantages? The increasing availability of sequenced genomes means these questions can now be readily addressed. In the case of transposons, the dates of transposon activity can be established from phylogenies of degraded fragments. It may be that transposon activity is generally deleterious and repressed, but provides benefits in periods of evolutionary stress.

Invited speakers:

Daniel Hartl
Mike Tristem
Wen-Hsiung Li, University of Chicago

Organisers:

Richard Sibly

Mark Pagel

Address: School of Animal and Microbial Sciences, University of Reading, Whiteknights, Reading RG6 6AJ, UK School of Animal and Microbial Sciences, University of Reading, Whiteknights, Reading RG6 6AJ, UK
Phone: +44 118 931 8461 +44 118 931 8461
Fax: +44 118 931 0180 +44 118 931 0180
Email: r.m.sibly@rdg.ac.uk m.pagel@rdg.ac.uk

Tuesday 19 August Roger Stevens Lecture Theatre 22

Symposium 5: Evolution in non-coding DNA (Richard Sibly & Mark Pagel)

09.50 – 10.20 Hartl, D. L.
Genomic Themes in Augmented and Diminished C

10.20 – 11.00 Coffee

11.00 – 11.30 Li, W-H.
Methods for analyzing genomic DNA sequences
11.30 – 12.00 Tristem, M.
The evolution, persistence and distribution of endogenous retroviruses
12.00 – 12.20 Brookfield, J. F. Y.
Phylogenies of interspersed repetitive DNA families when not all copies are active
12.20 – 12.40 Johnson, L.
Sequence analysis of rodent ID elements: Re-assessing the evidence for a master gene

12.40 – 14.00 Lunch

14.00 – 14.20 Papp, B.
Dosage sensitivity and evolution of gene co-regulation and gene families yeast
14.20 – 14.40 Keightley, P. D.
Quantifying functional constraints in noncoding DNA
14.40 – 15.00 Parsch, J.
Selective constraints on intron evolution in Drosophila
15.00 – 15. 20 Sibly, R. M.
In search of a general theory of microsatellite evolution

15.20 – 16.00 Tea

16.00 – 16.20 Weetman, D.
Misbehaving microsatellites: how significant are deviations from classical mutation models?
16.20 – 16.40 Ustinova, J.
Length and frequency of microsatellite loci in the huge genome of the acridid grasshopper Chorthippus biguttulus
16.40 – 17. 00 Meagher, T. R.
QTLs need not be coding loci - localised variation in DNA content within the genome of Silene latifolia
17.00 – 17.20 Filatov, D. A.
Molecular evolution of the human pseudoautosomal region

Evolution of host defence against parasites

The symposium focuses on evolutionary responses of organisms to selection imposed by their natural enemies, and how these responses are constrained. Novel insights into such constraints have arisen from studies that have explicitly taken into account the complex ecological environment and multiple defence options of organisms. How are costs of resistance modified by environmental conditions ? How is selection on defensive compounds modulated by their effects on competitors or other organisms at the same or higher trophic levels ? Can different defence options (e.g. resistance vs. tolerance) be simultaneously favoured by selection ?

Invited speakers: Tom Mitchell-Olds
Mark D. Rausher
Lex Kraaijeveld
Organisers:

Arjen Biere

Jacqui A Shykoff

Address: Netherlands Institute of Ecology, NIOO-KNAW, Centre for Terrestrial Ecology,
P.O. Box 40, NL-6666 ZG Heteren, The Netherlands
Laboratoire d'Ecologie, Systematique et Evolution, CNRS UPRESA 8079, Universite de Paris-Sud, Batiment 362, 91405 Orsay Cedex, France
Phone: +31 26 4791212 +33 1 69155666
Fax: +31 26 4723227 +33 1 69157353
Email: biere@cto.nioo.knaw.nl jacqui.shykoff@ese.u-psud.fr

Saturday 23 August Conference Auditorium 1

Symposium 30: Evolution of host defences against parasites (Arjen Biere & Jacqui A Shykoff)

09.50 – 10.20 Mitchell-Olds, T. H.
Molecular and phenotypic variation for insect resistance in Arabidopsis thaliana and A. lyrata.

10.20 – 11.00 Coffee

11.00 – 11.30 Rausher, M. D.
Experimental analysis of selection in plant-enemy systems.
11.30 – 12.00 Kraaijeveld, A. R.
Multiple selection pressures on host resistance.
12.00 – 12.20 Heidel, A. J.
Interactions between herbivore and pathogen resistance in Nicotiana attenuata.
12.20 – 12.40 Restif, O.
Concurrent evolution of resistance and tolerance against pathogens.

12.40 – 14.00 Lunch

14.00 – 14.20 Ågren, J.
Negative correlation between resistance and tolerance to herbivory in the perennial herb Lythrum salicaria.
14.20 – 14.40 Biere, A.
Cost of chemical defense: are trade-offs with growth enhanced under competition?
14.40 – 15.00 Wegner, K. M.
Constraints in defence gene diversity – the case of sticklebacks and their parasites.
15.00 – 15. 20 Decaestecker, E.
Constraints in defences of Daphnia magna populations.

15.20 – 16.00 Tea

16.00 – 16.20 Van der Veen, I. T.
State dependent trade-off between predation and infection risk mediated via carotenoids.
16.20 – 16.40 Montserrat, M.
Who is forcing on my door? Flexible anti-predator behaviour in spider mites.
16.40 – 17. 00 Mallon, E. B.
Specific vs. non-specific immune defence in the bumble bee, Bombus terrestris L.
17.00 – 17.20 Ferrari, J.
Resistance to natural enemies and host plant specialisation in the pea aphid.

Half day symposia:

Key factors in adaptive radiation

In 2002, a major German research program on Adaptive Radiation (funded by DFG) has started of which the organiser of this symposium is a coordinator. There are 31 projects with special emphasis on the role of reproductive systems, of geographical isolation, of "key innovations", and of radiations in interdependent groups of organisms (http://mansfeld.ipk-gatersleben.de/Radiationen/). With this symposium, the program will present itself on an international scale and offer opportunities for communication and cooperation.

Invited speakers: Axel Meyer, Universität Konstanz
Thomas Städler, Universität München
Organisers:

Konrad Bachmann

Susanne Foitzik

Address: Institut für Pflanzengenetik und Kulturpflanzenforschung, IPK, D-06466 Gatersleben, Germany LS Biologie I, Universität Regensburg, Universitätsstr. 31, D - 93040 Regensburg, Germany
Phone: +49 39482 5465 +49 941 943 2152
Fax: +49 39482 5155 +49 941 943 3304
Email: bachmann@ipk-gatersleben.de Susanne.Foitzik@biologie.uni-regensburg.de

Friday 22 August Conference Auditorium 1

Symposium 16: Key factors in adaptive radiation (Konrad Bachmann & Susanne Foitzik)

09.20 – 09.50 Meyer, A.
Comparative developmental and genomic approaches to the study of cichlid fish diversification
09.50 – 10.20 Städler, T.
Genealogical footprints of speciation processes in wild tomatoes: A multilocus approach

10.20 – 11.00 Coffee

11.00 – 11.20 Glaubrecht, M.
Endemic radiations in the evolutionary theatre of encient lakes: an evolutionary ecology approach exemplified by limnic gastropods in East Africa and on Sulawesi
11.20 – 11.40 Maraun, M.
Radiation in 'ancient asexuals': oribatid mites (Acari)
11.40 – 12.00 Mayhew, P. J.
Which clade is the greatest? Reasons why we still don't know
12.00 – 12.20 Ruber, L.
Rapid speciation and ecological divergence in the American seven-spined gobies (Gobiidae, Gobiosomatini) inferred from a molecular phylogeny
12.20 – 12.40 Feldhaar, H.
Is ecological speciation the driving force in the radiation of the Macaranga associated Crematogaster (Decacrema) plant-ants?

12.40 – 14.00 Lunch

The evolutionary biology of complex phenotypes

The field of phenotypic integration has been both important and somewhat peripheral in evolutionary biology throughout the 20th century. Integration deals with the complex questions of how large numbers of characters are related to make up the whole organism, how these relationships evolve and change their function, and what processes affect them-from genetic and developmental constraints to responses induced by the environment (phenotypic plasticity). We think the time is ripe for a major entry of phenotypic integration studies on the main stage of modern evolutionary biology, especially given the intrinsic interdisciplinarity of this sort of research, spanning from paleontology to developmental biology, from genomics to evolutionary ecology.

Invited speakers:

Katherine Preston, Stanford University
Christian Klingenberg, University of Manchester

Organisers:

Massimo Pigliucci

Katherine Preston

Address: Departments of Botany and of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA Department of Biological Sciences, 371 Serra Mall, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305-2050, USA
Phone: +1 865 974 6221 +1 650 723 6526
Fax: +1 865 974 2258 +1 650 723 6132
Email: pigliucci@utk.edu kap1@stanford.edu

Friday 22 August Conference Auditorium 2

Symposium 17: The evolutionary biology of complex phenotypes (Massimo Pigliucci & Katherine Preston)

09.20 – 09.50 Preston, K. A.
Phenotypic integration: the challenges of studying the evolution of complex phenotypes
09.50 – 10.20 Klingenberg, C. P.
Integration in complex morphological structures: from developmental processes to evolutionary potential

10.20 – 11.00 Coffee

11.00 – 11.20 Astles, P.
Potential for character state evolution in response to an indirect ecological effect
11.20 – 11.40 Hermisson, J.
The evolution of the genetic architecture of complex traits under selection and constraint
11.40 – 12.00 Townsend, J. P.
Population Genetic Variation in Genome-wide Gene Expression
12.00 – 12.20 Forsman, A.
Correlated evolution of conspicuous coloration and body size in poison frogs (Dendrobatidae)
12.20 – 12.40 Davidowitz, G.
The physiological regulation of insect body size

12.40 – 14.00 Lunch

The evolution of sexual size dimorphism

While the evolution of large body size is well understood, studies that demonstrate selection on small body size are rare. It is widely accepted that fecundity selection favours large body size in females while sexual selection favours large male size. Selection pressures on the sexes may differ in strength resulting in sexual size dimorphism (SSD). Species differ in the degree of SSD from females being much smaller than males and vice versa, with both extremes being rare. The evolution of so-called dwarf males in particular is a hotly debated issue and data are extremely scarce. The goal of the symposium is to review conflicting hypotheses and data in three taxa: birds, insects and spiders via the invited speakers. Contributed papers will be selected to cover a wide range of approaches that test current hypotheses.

Invited speakers: Wolf Blanckenhorn, University of Zurich
Alex Badyaev, University of Arizona
Organisers:

Jutta Schneider

Marie Herberstein

Address: Inst. Evolutionary Biology & Ecology, University of Bonn, An der Immenburg 1D-53121 Bonn, Germany Department of Biological Sciences
Macquarie University
North Ryde 2109 NSW Australia
Phone: +49 (0)228 735159 + 61 2 9850 6276
Fax: +49 (0)228 735129 + 61 2 9850 8245
Email: js@gilgamesh.de m.herberstein@bio.mq.edu.au

Friday 22 August Roger Stevens Lecture Theatre 20

Symposium 18: The evolution of sexual size dimorphism (Jutta Schneider & Marie Herberstein)

09.20 – 09.50 Blanckenhorn, W. U.
Selection, Rensch's rule and the evolution of sexual size dimorphism in dung flies
09.50 – 10.20 Badyaev, A. V.
Male and female growth in sexually dimorphic vertebrates: Harmony, conflict, or both?

10.20 – 11.00 Coffee

11.00 – 11.20 Szekely, T.
Sexual selection explains Rensch’s rule of size dimorphism in shorebirds
11.20 – 11.20 Höglund, J.
The evolution of sexual size dimorphism in grouse- phylogenetic data and the molecular basis for sex specific growth patterns in chicken
11.40 – 12.00 Teder, T.
Females tend to vary more in body size than males: a meta-analysis
12.00 – 12.20 Fairbairn, D.
Deducing the adaptive significance of divergent genitalic and somatic sexual size dimorphism in a water strider
12.20 – 12.40 Uhl, G.
Sex related growth strategies in a spider

12.20 – 14.00 Lunch

Evolution of sexual communication in insects

Sexual communication in insects may acquire various kinds of signals from acoustic cues to visual signals and pheromones. Evolution of these signals and male-female interactions requires co-ordinated changes in both sexes calling for studies on variation in male traits and female trait preferences as well as on correlation between these traits. Insect species are good model organisms for studying the genetic basis of mating rituals as their behaviour is under a strict genetic control, and as their matings can often be observed both in wild and in laboratory. Comparison of closely related species can also give information on the direction of evolution in the studied traits.

Invited speakers: Christer Lofstedt, University of Lund
Mike Ritchie, St Andrews University
Organisers:

Astrid Groot

Anneli Hoikkala

Address: Dept. Entomology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695 Dept. Biology, University of Oulu, P.O.Box 3000, 90014 Oulu, Finland
Phone: +919 515 1649 +3588 5531784
Fax: +919 515 2824 +358 8 5531061
Email: astrid_groot@ncsu.edu anneli.hoikkala@oulu.fi

Thursday 21 August Conference Auditorium 2

Symposium 12: Evolution of sexual communication in insects (Astrid Groot & Anneli Hoikkala)

09.20 – 09.50 Löfstedt, C.
A phylogenetic reconstruction of the evolution of moth pheromone communication
09.50 – 10.20 Ritchie, M. G.
Title unavailable
10.20 – 11.00 Coffee

11.00 – 11.20 Cremer, S.
Being attractive to both sexes: chemical female mimicry of ant males
11.20 – 11.40 LeBas, N. R.
Non-linear and correlational sexual selection on ‘honest’ female ornamentation
11.40 – 12. 00 Jones, T. M.
The importance of being average
12.00 – 12.20 Groot, A.
Evolution of moth pheromone communication systems
12.20 – 12.40 Serrano-Meneses, A.
Disentangling the mechanisms of selection for male wing pigmentation in calopterygid damselflies: sexual or natural selection?

12.40 – 14.00 Lunch

14.00 – Excursions

The evolutionary significance of variation in reproductive investment

Very little attention has been given to variation in reproductive investment at ESEB meetings over the years. This is surprising since reproduction is central to individual fitness and because over the past years significant advances in many areas of reproductive biology have been made. This symposiums aims at understanding the forces determining reproductive investment and resource allocation in animals, by drawing attention to these new developments in the field. Those include patterns of reproductive allocation from juvenile and adult feeding, the effect of different environments for the correlated evolution of reproductive traits, and variation in reproductive success arising from sexual conflict. Integrating this exciting progress into a single symposium, together with the contributing papers, will focus discussion from which future directions may emerge.

Invited speakers: Carol Boggs, Stanford University,
Charles Fox, University of Kentucky
Organisers:

B.J. Zwaan

K. Fischer

Address: Leiden University, Institute for Evolutionary and Ecological Sciences, Section Evolutionary Biology, P.O. Box 9516, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands Leiden University, Institute for Evolutionary and Ecological Sciences, Section Evolutionary Biology, P.O. Box 9516, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands
Phone: +31 71 527 4877  
Fax: +31 71 527 4900  
Email: zwaan@rulsfb.leidenuniv.nl fischer@rulsfb.leidenuniv.nl

Friday 22 August Conference Auditorium 2

Symposium 22: The evolutionary significance of variation in reproductive investment (B. J. Zwaan & K. Fischer)

14.00 – 14.30 Boggs, C. L.
Reproductive investment as a life history adaptation
14.30 – 15.00 Fox, C.
The evolution of egg size and number in a variable environment: Lessons from a seed beetle.
15.00 – 15.20 Chapman, T.
Variation in reproductive success arising from sexual conflict

15.20 – 16.00 Tea

16.00 – 16.20 Kruuk, L. E. B.
Maintaining variation: the evolutionary genetics of maternal effects in a long-lived mammal
16.20 – 16.40 Gibbs, M.
Where do good parents come from and does it matter?
16.40 – 17.00 Candolin, U.
Condition-dependent variation in reproductive investment of male three-spined sticklebacks
17.00 – 17.20 Fischer, K.
Artificial selection on butterfly egg size: Responses, correlated responses and fitness consequences

Geographical parthenogenesis and polyploidy

Organisms can reproduce either sexually or asexually and many plant and animal taxa can have both modes of reproduction. These might have differential geographical distributions. Such geographical parthenogenesis (for example in Europe) might be expressed in decreasing percentage of sexuality towards higher latitude, or parthenogenetic females occurring throughout Europe, but sexual female being restricted to circum-Mediterranean localities. In addition, the degree of polyploidy in asexuals might show similar patterns. Both historical and biological mechanisms underlie the observed patterns.

Invited speakers: Koen Martens
Peter Van Dijk
Organisers:

Koen Martens

Peter Van Dijk

Address: Freshwater Biology, Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, Vautierstraat 29, 1000 Brussels, Belgium Dept. of Plant Population Biology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-CTO)
Phone: + 32 262 74 315 +31 26 4791208
Fax: +32 264 64 433 +31 26 4723227
Email: martens@naturalsciences.be  

Thursday 21 August Roger Stevens Lecture Theatre 20

Symposium 13: Geographical parthenogenesis and polyploidy (Koen Martens & Peter Van Dijk)

09.20 – 09.50 Van Dijk, P. J.
Geographic parthenogenesis in higher plants
09.50 – 10.20 Martens, K.
Geographic Parthenogenesis in animals: a review

10.20 – 11.00 Coffee

11.00 – 11.20 Aguin-Pombo, D.
Origin and advantages of multiple clones of Empoasca like leafhoppers in the Madeira archipelago. Geographical patterns of parthenogenesis within an island escale
11.20 – 11.40 Meirmans, P. G.
The distribution areas of sexual and asexual dandelions suggest postglacial recolonisation routes for which there is only scarce genetic evidence
11.40 – 12. 00 Haag, C. R.
Coexistence of cyclical parthenogenetic and obligate parthenogenetic Daphnia pulex in a metapopulation
12.00 – 12.20 Kapralov, M. V.
The Ural Mountains as a model system for studying South-North differentiation in sexuality and polyploidy, exemplified by the Nodding Saxifrage (Saxifraga cernua)
12.20 – 12.40 Lamatsch, D. K.
Monophyletic origin of the triploid clones of the Amazon Molly, Poecilia formosa

12.40 – 14.00 Lunch

14.00 – Excursions

Pollinators and plant evolution - from specialists to generalists

Flowering plants and insects comprise a major fraction of terrestrial biodiversity and have radiated over a similar geological time period, with considerable interaction. Plant-pollinator associations vary from extreme specialisation (figs and wasps, yuccas and moths) to broad pollinator and visitation "webs" that link many species. Where plants lie on this continuum will influence their patterns of gene flow, selection and pollen limitation, as well as the nature of their coevolutionary interactions with pollinators.

Invited speakers: Ann Smithson, University of Exeter
Dr. Jeff Ollerton, University College Northampton
Organisers:

Christine B. Mueller

James M. Cook

Address: Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park, London, NW1 4RY Department of Biological Sciences, Imperial College, Silwood Park, Ascot, Berks SL5 7PY
Phone: +44 20 74496698 +44 20 75942329
Fax: +44 20 75862870 +44 20 75942339
Email: Christine.Mueller@ioz.ac.uk j.cook@ic.ac.uk

Thursday 21 August Conference Auditorium 1

Symposium 11: Pollinators and plant evolution - from specialists to generalists (Christine B. Mueller & James M. Cook)

09.20 – 09.50 Ollerton, J.
Patterns of specialization and generalization in pollination systems across ecosystems
09.50 – 10.20 Smithson, A.
Cheating plants, pollinator learning, and specialisation by plants and pollinators

10.20 – 11.00 Coffee

11.00 – 11.20 Castellanos, M. C.
Pollen transfer and evolutionary shifts to hummingbird pollination in Penstemon
11.20 – 11.40 Collin C. L.
Should Dianthus sylvestris cater to a specialist pollinators that eats its seeds?
11.40 – 12. 00 Cook, J. M.
Impacts of pollinating fig wasps on the evolution of their host plants
12.00 – 12.20 Memmot, J.
Generalization in pollination systems: a food web approach
12.20 – 12.40 Schiestl, F. P.
Insect behaviour and floral evolution in sexually deceptive orchids

12.40 – 14.00 Lunch

14.00 – Excursions

Evolution on islands - patterns of colonisation, adaptation and speciation

Islands (of any sort) are an excellent model for understanding particular problems in evolution. In part this results from the interesting traits exhibited by the organisms themselves - many species are both highly polymorphic and diverged from their closest mainland relatives - but also because an adaptive radiation can result from differences in environment and competition. Furthermore, different islands on which similar lineages have arisen allow investigations to be replicated. Ongoing studies of molecular, ecological, behavioural and morphological relationships among a variety of island organisms will provide further insights into the different forces that promote and maintain diversity.

Invited speakers: Axel Meyer, Konstanz
Rosemary Gillespie, Berkeley
Organisers:

Sara Goodacre

Angus Davison

Address: Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, UK Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University, Aramaki-Aza-Aoba, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980 8578, Japan, (ICAPB, Edinburgh from March 2003)
Phone: +44 1603 593853 +81 22 2177813
Fax: +44 1603 592250 +81 22 2177813
Email: s.goodacre@uea.ac.uk a.davison@hgmp.mrc.ac.uk

Friday 22 August Conference Auditorium 1

Symposium 21: Evolution on islands - patterns of colonisation, adaptation and speciation (Sara Goodacre & Angus Davison)

14.00 – 14.30 Gillespie, R. G.
Evolution of spiders on Oceanic islands: the venture of few and gain of many
14.30 – 15.00 Meyer, A.
Patterns and processes of colonization and radiation in East African cichlid fish species flocks
15.00 – 15.20 Roderick, G. K.
Colonisation of the insular Pacific by herbivorous insects: the role of host shifts and dispersal

15.20 – 16.00 Tea

16.00 – 16.20 Clegg, S. M.
Microevolution in an island bird group, the silvereyes of the southwest Pacific
16.20 – 16.40 Leys, R.
Islands in the desert: Evolution of subterranean water beetles in arid Australia
16.40 – 17.00 Adamowicz, S. J.
Intercontinental phylogeography and the radiation of Daphnia
17.00 – 17.20 Jordal, B. H.
Distinguishing insular isolation from host switching in the diversification of Macaronesian beetles breeding in Euphorbia spurges

Social plasticity

Research on social evolution has usually focussed on the advantages of living in group versus leading a solitary life. The comparison of related species with different social structures helps in shedding light on mechanisms of the evolution of sociality. Nevertheless, recent studies have documented a large degree of flexibility in the social organization within the same species. This plasticity may be based on simple genetic differences (e.g., in the red imported fire ant) or complex environmental conditions. We believe that this social plasticity at the species-level is fundamental in understanding the processes underlying the evolution of sociality.

Invited speakers: Andrew Bourke, Zoological Society of London
M. Justin O'Riain, University of Cape Town
Organisers:

Jürgen Heinze

Patrizia D'Ettorre

Address: Biologie I Universitaet Regensburg, D-93040 Regensburg Biologie I Universitaet Regensburg,D-93040 Regensburg
Phone: +49 941 943 3054 or 2475 +49 941 943 2996
Fax: +49 941 943 3304 +49 941 943 330
Email: juergen.heinze@biologie.uni-regensburg.de patrizia.dettorre@biologie.uni-regensburg.de

Friday 22 August Roger Stevens Lecture Theatre 21

Symposium 24: Social plasticity (Jürgen Heinze & Patrizia D'Ettorre)

14.00 – 14.30 Bourke, A.
Social plasticity and its consequences in social insects
14.30 – 15.00 O'Riain, J. M.
Naked mole-rats - pushing the limits of mammalian plasticity
15.00 – 15.20 Korb, J.
Solitary spotted hyenas, Crocuta crocuta: Social plasticity in a typical group living carnivore and its potential causes

15.20 – 16.00 Tea

16.00 – 16.20 Sundström, L.
Phenotypic plasticity in facultatively polygyne ants
16.20 – 16.40 Foitzik, S.
Ecology of Leptothorax ants: impact of food, nest sites and social parasites
16.40 – 17.00 Faurie, C.
Fights and the evolution of handedness: a cross-cultural study.
17.00 – 17.20 Salonen, A.
Spatial and temporal distribution of food - The effect on aggressive behaviour in European graylin (Thymallus:Salmonidae)

From cell to society: conflict and cooperation at different evolutionary levels

Conflict and cooperation are recurrent themes in the evolution of life on earth. In the progression towards greater complexity, genes combined to form genomes, genomes cooperated in the formation of cells, cells teamed up to form multicellular organisms and some organisms went on to live in social groups. An increased level of cooperation is evident in each of these major evolutionary transitions, but conflict often remains. This symposium will investigate common principles in these transitions in two main areas: (1) to what degree is conflict at these various levels logically and theoretically the same and (2) are similar mechanisms employed to resolve conflicts.

Invited speakers: Steve Frank
Eors Szathmary
Organisers:

Francis Ratnieks

Tom Wenseleers

Address: Dept. Animal & Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK Dept. Animal & Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
Phone: +44 114 2220070 +44 114 222 0144
Fax: +44 114 222 0002 +44 114 222 0002
Email: F.Ratnieks@sheffield.ac.uk Tom.Wenseleers@bio.kuleuven.ac.be

Friday 22 August Roger Stevens Lecture Theatre 21

Symposium 19: From cell to society: conflict and cooperation at different evolutionary levels (Francis Ratnieks & Tom Wenseleers)

09.20. – 09.50 Szathmary, E.
Major transitions in evolution: Information, energy, boundary
09.50 – 10.20 Frank, S. A.
Repression of competition and the evolution of cooperation

10.20 – 11.00 Coffee

11.00 – 11.20 Foster, K.
How is cheating maintained in the slime mould, Dictyostelium discoideum?
11.20 – 11.40 Ratnieks, F. L. W.
Conflict resolution by worker policing in insect societies
11.40 – 12.00 Aanen, D. K.
Genomic conflicts in mushrooms
12.00 – 12.20 Dijkstra, M. B.
The regulation of worker reproduction in queenright Acromyrmex leafcutter ants
12.20 – 12.40 Korb, J.
The evolution of cooperation in termites

12.40 – 14.00 Lunch

Genome size, cell size and scaling of metabolic rate: a cytogenetic approach to life history evolution

The symposium will review recent hypothesis on the causes and consequences of genome size variation for the cell size, whole-body metabolic rates, and ultimately, life history diversification observed in animals. We hope to demonstrate the link between very basic cytological level, resource acquisition rate, mortality rate and the evolutionary optimisation of body size. In particular, we aim to discuss its consequences for scaling of life history traits and metabolic rates.

Invited speakers: T. Ryan Gregory, Guelph, Canada.
Robert E. Ricklefs, University of Missouri-St. Louis.

Organisers:

Marek Konarzewski

Jan Kozlowski

Address: Institute of Biology, University of Bialystok
Swierkowa 20B Str. 15-950 Bialystok, Poland
Institute of Environmental Sciences, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 3, 30-387 Krakow, Poland
Phone: +4885 7457328 +4812 2690944 ext. 124
Fax: +4885 7457302 +4812 2690927
Email: marekk@cksr.ac.bialystok.pl kozlo@ eko.uj.edu.pl

Friday 22 August Roger Stevens Lecture Theatre 22

Symposium 25: Genome size, cell size and scaling metabolic rate: a cytogenetic approach to life history evolution (Marek Konarzewski & Jan Kozlowski)

14.00 – 14.30 Gregory, T. R.
Aves versus Amphibia: Why organismal biology matters in genome size evolution (and vice versa)
14.30 – 15.00 Morand, S.
Genome size and life history traits in primates
15.00 – 15.20 Kozlowski, J.
Cell size as a link between junk DNA and scaling of metabolic rate

15.20 – 16.00 Tea

16.00 – 16.20 Konarzewski, M.
Genome size and scaling of metabolic rate in homeotherms
16.20 – 16.40 Olmo, E.
Reptiles: a group of transition in the evolution of genome size and nucleotypic effect
16.40 – 17.00 Glazier, D. S.
Evolution of differences in metabolic scaling in pelagic versus non-pelagic animals

Morphological model systems in evolution and development

Morphological studies have contributed substantially to the synthesis of evolutionary and developmental biology. Our symposium will focus on three model systems that have been studied particularly well, and which form a series of increasing morphological and developmental complexity: the insect wing, rodent mandible, and the mammalian (especially primate) skull. Talks will address the development, genetic architecture and adaptive potential of these systems, but also include aspects of phylogeny. Collectively, the symposium will make it possible to assess if general patterns are emerging from these model systems that may be widely applicable.

Invited speakers:

Brian Hall, Dalhousie University
James Cheverud, Washington University

Organisers:

Christian Klingenberg

Benedikt Hallgrímsson

Address: School of Biological Sciences
University of Manchester
3.164 Stopford Building
Oxford Road
Manchester M13 9PT
United Kingdom
Department of Cell Biology & Anatomy, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta T2N 4N1, Canada
Phone:   +1 403 220 3060
Fax:   +1 403 283 5666
Email: cpk@man.ac.uk bhallgri@ucalgary.ca

Friday 22 August Roger Stevens Lecture Theatre 20

Symposium 23: Morphological model systems in evolution and development (Christian Klingenberg & Benedikt Hallgrímsson)

14.00 – 14.30 Hall, B. K.
Cell condensations as modules of morphological change in development and evolution
14.30 – 15.00 Cheverud, J. M.
Modular structure of pleiotropic effects on morphology
15.00 – 15.20 German, R. Z.
Variation in growth of the craniofacial skeleton

15.20 – 16.00 Tea

16.00 – 16.20 Leamy, L. J.
Epistatic pleiotropy within and between early- and late-developing skull character complexes in mice
16.20 – 16.40 Richtsmeier, J. T.
Developmental instability of the skull in aneuploidy
16.40 – 17.00 Hallgrimsson, B.
The use of mouse mutant models for understanding canalization and developmental stability
17.00 – 17.20 Renaud, S.
Morphological variability in mandible shape of wood mice (Apodemus): Latitudinal gradients as adaptive trend?

The evolutionary roles of biased variation and internal selection

Evolutionary developmental biology is looking for a balance between externalist and internalist views. The debate is relevant to questions such as evolvability; evolutionary novelties; types of selection; and the entrenchment of genes in developing systems, including the question of how such entrenchment may alter through evolutionary time. The issues of parallelism and convergence are also receiving new attention. The symposium will host both theoretical papers and contributions from comparative and experimental approaches.

Invited speakers: Stuart Newman
Arlin Stoltzfus
Organisers:

Wallace Arthur

Alessandro Minelli

Address: Ecology Centre, University of Sunderland, Sunderland SR1 3SD, UK Department of Biology, University of Padova, Via Ugo Bassi 58B, I 35131 Padova, Italy
Phone: +44 191 515 2533 +39 049 8276300
Fax: +44 191 515 2534 +39 049 8276230
Email: wallace.arthur@sunderland.ac.uk alessandro.minelli@unipd.it

Friday 22 August Roger Stevens Lecture Theatre 22

Symposium 20: The evolutionary roles of biased variation and internal selection (Wallace Arthur & Alessandro Minelli)

09.20 – 09.50 Newman, S. A.
From physics to development: the evolution of morphogenetic mechanisms
09.50 – 10.20 Stoltzfus, A.
Climbing Mount Probable: the mechanistic basis of orthogenesis

10.20 – 11.00 Coffee

11.20 – 11.20 Fusco, G.
Interaction between selection and constraints in arthropod post-embryonic growth
11.20 – 11.40 Chipman, A. D.
The gene and the egg – what is conserved and what is not in early arthropod embryogenesis
11.40 – 12.00 Hansen, T. F.
The effect of epistatic gene interactions on evolvability
12.00 – 12. 20 Azevedo, R. B. R.
Nematode cell lineages are computationally efficient
12.20 – 12.40 General Discussion
Contributions from organisers, speakers and audience

12.40 – 14.00 Lunch

Positive selection and adaptive trait genes

There is a continuous quest for identifying genes that have been directly involved in adaptations in natural populations. Previously, such studies have focussed on candidate genes with corresponding molecular analysis in populations. This work has shown that such genes leave evolutionary signatures in genomes and populations, for which one can directly screen with the help of high throughput sequencing and genotyping facilities. These allow to detect patterns of selective sweeps or linkage disequilibrium, which are connected to genes which have been under positive selection. We should like to explore in this symposium both the practical, as well as the theoretical aspects of such screens for adaptive trait genes, which promise to open up a whole new field of evolutionary genetics.

Invited speakers: Michael Nachman, University of Arizona
Wolfgang Stephan, University of Munich
Organisers:

Christian Schlötterer

Diethard Tautz

Address: Institut für Tierzucht und Genetik, Veterinärmedizinische Universität Wien, Josef Baumann Gasse 1, 1210 Wien, Austria  
Phone: +43-1-25077-5603  
Fax: +43-1-25077-5693  
Email: christian.schloetterer@vu-wien.ac.at tautz@uni-koeln.de

Thursday 21 August Roger Stevens Lecture Theatre 21

Symposium 14: Positive selection and adaptive trait genes (Christian Schlötterer & Diethard Tautz)

09.20 – 09.50 Nachman, M. W.
The genetic basis of adaptive melanism in pocket mice
09.50 – 10.20 Stephan, W.
Multi-locus approaches to distinguish the effects of demography, substructure and selection in Drosophila

10.20 – 11.00 Coffee

11.00 – 11.20 Anderson, T. J. C.
Drug treatment and hitchhiking in SE Asian malaria parasites
11.20 – 11.40 Hasselmann, M.
Distribution of nucleotide polymorphisms, recombination rate and nonsynonymous sites at a locus under strong overdominance selection
11.40 – 12. 00 Ihle, S.
Searching for genes involved in environmental adaptations in mouse populations
12.00 – 12.20 Wiener, P.
Patterns of diversity near a selected locus in cattle
12.20 – 12.40 Emerson, B. C.
Origin and maintenance of a broad-spectrum disease resistance locus in Arabidopsis

12.40 – 14.00 Lunch

14.00 – Excursions

Evolutionary biology of learning

When does evolution favour improved learning ability? How does learning contribute to fitness? What costs and tradeoffs are associated with it? How much genetic variation for learning ability segregate in natural populations? What do we know about underlying genes? How do the properties of the environment affect the evolution or learning and the type of learning and cues an animal uses? The symposium would focus on experimental approaches addressing these questions, stressing testing explicit evolutionary hypotheses.

Invited speakers: Victoria Braithwaite, University of Edinburgh, UK
Frederic Mery, University of Fribourg, Switzerland
Organisers:

Tadeusz J. Kawecki

Sue Healy

Address: Unit for Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Fribourg
Chemin du Musée 10, CH-1700 Fribourg Switzerland
Division of Biological Sciences, Ashworth Labs, University of Edinburgh, King's Buildings,
Edinburgh, EH9 3JT, UK
Phone: +41 26 300 88 71 +44 131 650 7363
Fax: +41 26 300 96 98 +44 131 650 6564
Email: tadeusz.kawecki@unifr.ch s.healy@ed.ac.uk

Thursday 21 August Roger Stevens Lecture Theatre 22

Symposium 15: Evolutionary biology of learning (Tadeusz J. Kawecki & Sue Healy)

09.20 – 09.50 Braithwaite, V.
The evolutionary ecology of learning and memory
09.50 – 10.20 Mery, F.
Fitness costs and benefits of learning: experimental evidence from Drosophila melanogaster

10.20 – 11.00 Coffee

11.00 – 11.20 Sznajder, B.
Innate versus learned responses to prey-related cues and the evolution of learning
11.20 – 11.40 Mallon, E. B.
Immune response inhibits memory consolidation in insects
11.40 – 12. 00 Mappes, J.
Does natural selection favour smart birds?
12.00 – 12.20 Jordan, W. C.
Atlantic Salmon change the expression of odorant receptor genes to learn the smell of home
12.20 – 12.40 Ellers, J.
Testing the role of vocal learning in song divergence and male dispersal

12.40 – 14.00 Lunch

14.00 – Excursions