| Upcoming Activities |
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| Title: |
Current methods on speciation research: combining population and quantitative genetic approaches |
| Date: |
August 2012 |
| Location: |
Conference Centre Château Liblice, Czech Republic |
| Main organizers: |
Miloš Macholán (macholan@iach.cz),
Radka Storchová (radkas@biomed.cas.cz) |
| Other organizers: |
Pavel Munclinger (Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic), Jirí Forejt (Institute of Molecular Genetics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic), Stuart J. E. Baird (CIBIO, Portugal), Ulf Dieckmann (Frospects chair), Åke Brännström (Frospects co-chair) |
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| Expected number of participants: |
6-8 invited speakers; 25-30 students, 7 committee members |
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| Application procedure: |
Prospective participants should send a brief CV with a list of publications (if any) together with a one-paragraph statement of motivation. Applications will be accepted between eight and two months before the event. Later applications can be considered if places are available. |
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| Program outline: |
The summer school will be organized into four days, each day focusing on one approach how to empirically study speciation. These approaches include:(1) spatial population genetics, cline theory and hybrid zone analyses, (2) theory of coalescence and detection of post-divergence gene flow, (3) adaptive divergence and signatures of positive selection, and (4) genetic mapping and positional cloning of speciation genes. The special focus will be given to integration of different methods in speciation research. The day’s program will have morning session on theoretical background and afternoon session on practical computer work. In addition, there will be a series of evening lectures on a carefully-assembled set of case studies showing how integration of different approches can contribute to our understanding of speciation, and one lecture on theory of speciation. The lectures will be given by 6-8 invited speakers, who are leading researchers in the field, with smaller contribution of organizing committe members. |
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| Summary: |
The purpose of this summer school is to provide students with the theoretical knowledge and practical skills in methods relevant to the study of speciation. This will be done by bringing together population and quantitative geneticists, bioinformaticians, statisticians and theoreticians, who will present theoretical lectures and lead practical computer work. The School will give a special emphasis to the use of updated molecular genetic tools and novel computational methods in analysis of genome-wide sequence data, and will stimulate the development of interdisciplinary approaches. The school is intended primarily for PhD and post-doctoral students, who will be encouraged to discuss their own projects and analyse their own data-sets. |
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| Title: |
Theory of speciation |
| Date: |
19-26 August 2012 |
| Location: |
Linnasmäki Congress Centre, Turku, Finland |
| Main organizers: |
Mats Gyllenberg (mats.gyllenberg@helsinki.fi), Eva Kisdi (eva.kisdi@helsinki.fi
) |
| Other organizers: |
Tadeas Priklopil (tadeas.priklopil@helsinki.fi); Ulf Dieckmann and Åke Brännström as chair and vice-chair of the FroSpects Steering Committee |
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| Expected number of participants: |
5 lecturers; 40 students and young researchers, 2 senior organizers. |
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| Application procedure: |
The school is aimed at PhD students of biology with sufficient theoretical background and at PhD students of mathematics with interest in ecology and evolution. We also welcome advanced undergraduates and postdocs.
See the school website for the details of application. |
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| Program outline: |
The school's program consists of five series of lectures (6x45 min each), student discussion groups centred on working papers (see below), and free discussion periods when the lecturers are available for the students.
A Reader will be distributed to all participants. The five lecture series are as follows:
(1) Population genetics of speciation: Sergey Gavrilets (University of
Tennessee)
Speciation is traditionally seen as a problem of population genetics. While our current understanding places much more weight on the ecological side of speciation, it remains true that speciation cannot be understood without the population genetics of reproductive isolation. This lecture series focuses on models permitting an analytical approach.
(2) Multilocus models of speciation: Nick Barton (IST Austria)
Multilocus simulation models are in focus of current speciation research and have recently generated much progress but also controversy. Several of the recent multilocus models are also pertinent to the role of spatial distribution in speciation.
(3) The role of sexual selection: Sander van Doorn (University of Bern)
Sexual selection shapes the process of mate choice and is therefore expected to create or enhance reproductive isolation, possibly leading to speciation. Sexual selection almost certainly plays a role in the spectacular adaptive radiation of cichlid fishes. Recent theoretical developments however argue that speciation by sexual selection alone is unlikely. The role of sexual selection was one of the most interesting debates of speciation research in the past decade.
(4) The ecology of speciation: Eva Kisdi (University of Helsinki)
It is now generally accepted that speciation is most often adaptive, and the selective forces leading to speciation are generated by ecological interactions. Even if speciation occurs due to other causes (e.g. polyploid speciation of plants), it depends on the ecology whether the new species can persist. This series of lectures will include adaptive dynamics (a modelling framework to study diversification driven by ecological interactions) and the theory of species coexistence.
(5) Theory and empirical speciation research: Daniel Bolnick (University
of Texas)
To foster connection between theory and empirical research, we include a series of lectures summarizing the frontiers of speciation research from a more biological point of view, given by a lecturer who is expert of both theory and field research. Our school will attract an audience different from schools aimed at students conducting empirical research, and we feel it is important that theoretically minded students also get an overview of current empirical work. Open questions and challenges at the interface of theory and empirical research should get emphasis in these lectures.
For the discussion groups, each lecturer will be asked to propose 1-2 papers. Students accepted to the summer school will be sent these papers and will choose one paper which they study in detail (reading up also on related work if necessary). During the summer school, students will form groups to discuss the papers and each group gives a presentation in the last day of the school.
Each lecturer is asked to contribute original text or relevant publications from the primary literature to the Reader; these should cover at least the major part of the lectures at a reasonable length and be accessible for students.
All students will introduce themselves briefly at the beginning of the school and also via a mini-poster displayed throughout the school to help people of similar interests to find each other and engage in informal discussions.
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| Summary: |
The last years have seen a remarkable advance in our understanding of the origin of species, via both theoretical and empirical breakthroughs. New models have shown that adaptive speciation can occur also in a sympatric setting, but also uncovered obstacles to speciation stemming e.g. from sexual selection. This school covers topical issues of speciation theory and also provides an overview on connecting theory to empirical speciation research. In addition to the lectures, student discussion groups centred on working papers and free discussion periods will foster interaction between participants and lecturers. The target audience is PhD students of biology with interest and background in theory, but the school will also accept advanced undergraduates, postdocs, and students of mathematics working in ecology and evolution. The school is connected to the biannual series of the Helsinki Summer School in Mathematical Ecology and Evolution. |
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| Past Activities |
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| Title: |
Eco-evolutionary modeling of speciation
Blog post about this event |
| Date: |
7-11 March 2011 |
| Location: |
Abisko Science Station, Sweden |
| Main organizers: |
Åke Brännström (ake.brannstrom@math.ume.se), Ulf Dieckmann (dieckmann@iiasa.ac.at)
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| Number of participants: |
6 invited speakers; 20 sudent participants |
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| Program outline: |
The school provided participants with a gentle introduction to theoretical methods in modern speciation research. Introductory overviews, including some coverage of recent advances in the field, were organized in four lecture series as listed below. These were complemented by a fifth lecture series covering developments in empirical speciation research:
1. Genetic speciation models (Sander van Doorn, University of Bern, Switzerland)
2. Modeling ecological dynamics involved in speciation (Eva Kisdi, University of Helsinki, Finland)
3. Individual-based models in speciation research (Rupert Mazzucco, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, Laxenburg, Austria and Katja Enberg, Institute of Marine Research, Bergen, Norway)
4. Theory of species packing (Akira Sasaki, Graduate University for Advanced Studies, Sokendai, Hayama, Japan)
5. Introduction to empirical speciation research (Ole Seehausen, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Eawag, Kastanienbaum, Switzerland)
In addition to the lecture series, the lecturers have assembled a reader and time was set aside in the schedule for the discussion and summary presentation of the papers contained therein.
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| Summary: |
Theoretical speciation research has a rich history that stretches back to the very dawn of modern evolutionary theories. It grew with the recognition of Mendelian genetics and the development of population genetics. Many practically important modern concepts such as genetic drift, gene flow, and effective population size were first introduced as theoretical constructions. Conversely, the need for empirically based estimates in genetics has stimulated the development of quantitative genetics and the recent and quickly growing discipline of bioinformatics. Parallel to this development has been the build-up of insights into the ecological aspects of speciation. Much of this work has focused on conditions that allow species to coexist, but in the last two decades these ideas have been taken further: models enabling study of all main modes of speciation have been developed and successfully applied to understand how spatial distributions and ecological interactions affect or effect the speciation process. Most recently, these models have also been applied to specific systems to understand their evolutionary past. This school has introduced graduate students and postdoctoral researchers to modern methods of theoretical speciation research. While we covered classical approaches based on population genetics and quantitative genetics, the main thrust of the school was on the interplay between ecological dynamics and processes of speciation. To facilitate bridge-building between theoretical and empirical approaches, we invited a leading researcher to present an overview of some salient aspects of modern empirical speciation research. |
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| Title: |
Methods of empirical speciation research |
| Date: |
29 August - 4 September 2010 |
| Location: |
Eawag Center of Ecology, Evolution & Biogeochemistry (CEEB) in Kastanienbaum/Luzern, Switzerland |
| Main organizer: |
Ole Seehausen (ole.seehausen@iee.unibe.ch) |
| Other organizers: |
Elena Conti (Uni Zurich), Walter Salzburger (Uni Basel), Alex Widmer (Uni Zurich), Mathias Currat (Uni Geneva), Arjun Sivasundar (Uni Bern), Marta Barluenga (Eawag), Piet Spaak (Eawag), Irene Keller (Eawag), Ake Bränström, Ulf Dieckmann |
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| Number of participants: |
5 invited speakers; 25 students |
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| Program outline: |
There were 4 series of lectures on how to empirically integrate molecular population and/or functional genetics with evolutionary ecology to test alternative theoretical models of speciation. There was one series of lectures on how to ensure that empirical research is appropriately informed and guided by theoretical speciation research, and how theory development is in turn guided by empirical research. Each lecture series consisted of 5 lectures (45 minutes each), totalling 5x5=25 classroom lectures, filling 5 half days. The remaining program included student working groups, discussion sessions with individual lecturers and a field excursion to a local speciation study site. The target audience was PhD students (and exceptionally well qualified MSc students) with background in evolutionary biology. |
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| Summary: |
The recent renaissance in speciation research was driven significantly by advances in empirical speciation research. A wave of advance came about in the 1990s when molecular population genetics data became readily available and researchers began to integrate these with evolutionary ecology in a biogeographically explicit context. We are currently experiencing a second wave of advance, ushered in by the genomics era. Studying speciation is a deeply interdisciplinary endeavour, which to be successful requires good understanding of several different fields in ecology and evolution. This makes speciation research sometimes more difficult to access for young scientists than disciplinary research questions. The school introduced advanced graduate students to the way successful speciation researchers integrate research across different disciplines in order to identify major modes, mechanisms and drivers of speciation. One of the five invited lecturers was a theoretician working closely with empiricists and bridging genetics and ecology in modelling. The school was taught by five invited lecturers that are leading figures in the field with smaller contributions from local scientists. |
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