[Enviro-lunch] TODAY 3/8: Malcolm Rosenthal

[Jing Yan]

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Hello Everyone,
Please join us for a talk this Today 3/8 by Malcolm Rosenthal, 12-1pm in Room SE2-302.

Everything changes: how environmental variation complicates the study of animal communication

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Abstract:
Determining the function of mating displays has long been a goal of behavioral ecologists. Yet this process is complicated by the fact that animal communication is often structurally complex and dynamic, with signaler and receiver behavior varying in response to multiple environmental factors. To fully understand the complexity of animal communication, we must therefore address a signal's structural and functional complexity, as well as how signal form and function vary across all relevant environments. Here, I discuss how variation in the environment over developmental time, as well as variation in the signaling environment can affect the relationships between components of a complex display, and how that can affect signal function and, potentially, sexual selection. I address these questions with studies on several species of Schizocosa wolf spiders, a genus of small (and adorable) cursorial spiders known for their complex visual and vibratory mating displays.

Bio:
Malcolm is a postdoctoral scholar at UC Berkeley, studying the evolution and function of complex animal communication.  He received his PhD from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where he worked with professor Eileen Hebets on the mating behavior of wolf spiders. Since then, he has held postdoctoral positions at the University of Toronto with professor Maydianne Andrade, and now at Berkeley with professor Damian Elias. He has studied communication in a variety of spider systems, including wolf spiders, jumping spiders, and orb weavers despite being a serious arachnophobe.

When: Mar., 8 Thursday, 12pm – 1pm

Where: SE2-302

Coffee and treats will be provided, please bring your own mugs.

We look forward to seeing you,

Nate & Jing

Organizers for Spring 2018: Nate Bogie and Jing Yan
Faculty coordinator: Asmeret Asefaw Berhe


Jing Yan
Postdoctoral Scholar, Soil Physics Lab, School of Natural Sciences,
University of California, Merced

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