EEB Seminar: Erik Sotka, College of Charleston

All Seminars will start at 3:30 p.m., Room 307 in the Science & Engineering Bldg.

Speaker: Erik Sotka, College of Charleston

Title: "Diffuse coevolutionary arms races among plants and herbivores in the sea"

Abstract: Seaweeds commonly produce chemical defenses that minimize the impact of herbivorous fishes and urchins, who must evolve physiological mechanisms to tolerate these metabolites. Recent evidence indicates that diffuse coevolutionary arms races between seaweeds and herbivores are rampant in marine ecosystems. At higher latitudes, the coevolutionary dynamics are mediated by tannin-based defenses while terpene-based defenses mediate coevolution at lower latitudes. These results also reinforce the important roles that microevolution, phylogenetic lineage and geographic origin have in the feeding habits of highly generalist herbivores.

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