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K-State Today

September 19, 2022

Swanne Gordon to present Division of Biology Seminar

Submitted by Division of Biology

Swanne Gordon, assistant professor in the department of ecology and evolutionary biology at Cornell University, will present her research, "Impact of social learning and environment on rapidly evolving sexually selected traits in Trinidadian guppies" as part of the Division of Biology Seminar Series at 3:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 19, via Zoom.

Understanding how organisms evolve to changing environments is fundamental to developing an efficient response to our current biodiversity crisis. For example, some introduced species are often initially restricted in their new environments, but then abruptly proliferate to become invasive pests. This change may be caused by the ability of the invader to quickly evolve new adaptations after establishment. Research in our lab uses a multidisciplinary approach, including a combination of field, laboratory, mathematical, and behavioral experiments to study the selective forces maintaining diversity in four main areas: rapid evolution of guppies to novel environments; warning color polymorphism; urban ecology; and the role of behavior in eco-evolutionary dynamics. In each topic, much of our research focuses specifically on the interplay between natural and sexual selection in driving many of our studied traits.

Gordon is hosted by Michi Tobler. Please contact tobler@k-state.edu if you would like to meet with her.