Topic: Reconstructing the ‘Tree-of-Life’ at the species level
Subject: Molecular Systematics
Visiting Time: May 25 - 30 2009

Abstract:

Dr Vogler is Professor of Molecular Systematics at Imperial College London and the Natural History Museum, since 1995. He leads a research group studying the molecular phylogenetics of insects with focus on Coleoptera (beetles). Dr Vogler is Associate Editor for five international journals, and currently sits on grant review boards in the UK, Norway and Germany.

Great progress has been made to assemble the Tree-of-Life using molecular systematics, but will we ever have a phylogenetic hypothesis that includes all species on Earth? Species-level trees are extremely powerful to study evolutionary processes and patterns of biodiversity. To date, these trees are available for small subgroups only, while the taxonomy in many groups is insufficiently known to establish the entities for such species-level phylogenies. This talk will present our recent efforts toward the complete Tree in the beetles (Coleoptera), as the largest radiation of the animal kingdom. Once complete, the Tree will be a huge resource for biodiversity, including for answering the question of “why are there so many species of beetles”.

Futher Informatiom: 　Alfried P. Vogler...

Dr. Alfried P. Vogler