Tuesday, October 11th, 2022
IN PERSON MEETING
Virtual Zoom Option
7:30 PM EST
Ecology and evolution of interactions between insect herbivores and plants
Mayra Vidal
Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts Boston
Abstract:
Nature can be seen as an ‘intertwined web of interactions’, where species directly or indirectly influence each other. Interactions between different species can drive the evolution of traits and potentially lead to the formation of new species, thus contributing to the diversity of organisms we have on Earth. Insect herbivores are one of the most diverse groups of organisms, and the interaction with their host plants is arguably a major driver of their diversification. In this talk, I’ll explore how host plants and natural enemies influence the evolution of a generalist herbivore, and how global environmental changes affect the interaction between insect herbivores and their host plants.
NOTICE: Welcome back to the first CEC meeting of the 2022-2023 academic year! We will be holding hybrid meetings to accommodate COVID-19 precautions and audience members from around the world.
For those attending in person, we will have an informal dinner (5:45 – 7:15 pm) at Cambridge Common Restaurant with the speaker, followed by our formal meeting (7:30 – 9:00 pm) in the Gilbert Room of the Museum of Comparative Zoology (there will be signs to help direct). The meeting will begin with club announcements, followed by a 60-minute presentation by the invited speaker and Q&A. Membership is open to amateur and professional entomologists.
CEC meetings are held the second Tuesday of the month from October through May.
