Dr. Harvey Ballard
The Environmental & Plant Biology Colloquium Series presents Dr. Harvey Ballard on “Systematic and evolutionary studies on violets: There’s a lot more going on than we thought” on Friday, Oct. 21, at 11:50 a.m. in Porter Hall 104.
Ballard is Associate Professor of Environmental and Plant Biology at Ohio University.
Abstract: With easy access to molecular data, the field of systematics—describing and naming organisms, and inferring their relationships—has undergone a renaissance. Unfortunately, the allure of genetic evidence has often led to neglect of “traditional” kinds of information including macro- and micromorphology, anatomy, ploidy levels, reproductive behavior and ecology. My students and collaborators have been integrating these diverse sources of evidence in our studies of the violet family to reexamine diversity, interpret relationships, and clarify evolutionary mechanisms. I will highlight instances where our integrative approach is greatly altering our knowledge of diversity and evolutionary processes at different taxonomic levels. Our recurring conclusion is that there is a lot more diversity and evolutionary complexity in violets than previously thought.
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