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Our Vision
- To advance the field of evolutionary biology through excellence in teaching, research, and mentoring.
- To actively demonstrate the relevance of evolutionary theory throughout the sciences.
- To increase public awareness of evolution, especially as it relates to the origin and conservation
of biodiversity.
Focal Areas
- Systematic biology, the study of inferring evolutionary patterns, and discovering, describing,
and classifying the diversity of past and present life.
- Evolutionary process, the study of mechanisms that affect descent through modification,
emphasizing studies at or below the species level.
- Integrative biology, comparative studies that relate diverse aspects of biology within an
evolutionary context.
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Areas of Emphasis and Expertise in Evolutionary Biology
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Biodiversity Studies is the study of the diversification of life, both extinct and extant, across all biological levels of organization, from the DNA molecule to the ecological community.
Faculty: Archibald, Berta, Bohonak, Burns, Hedin, Kelley, Reeder, Simpson.
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Flora and Fauna of California, a region of extraordinary biological diversity, much of it endemic, exhibiting a species richness and in situ diversification unsurpassed in the continental United States.
Faculty: Bohonak, Burns, Hedin, Reeder, Simpson.
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Molecular Evolutionary Biology is the detailed study of the evolution of biological molecules, with the goal of understanding the evolution of the structure and function of genes and proteins and how these relate to changes in organismal form, development, physiology, and the diversification of life.
Faculty: Arenas-Mena, Waters.
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Paleobiology is the study of past life. It encompasses reconstructing evolutionary relationships, tracing changes in diversity through radiations and extinctions, and examining the ecologic and functional roles these past species played while alive.
Faculty: Archibald, Berta.
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Phylogenetics is the component of systematic biology that deals with inferring the evolutionary history of a group of organisms, forming the basis of classification, as well as being a tool to study speciation and extinction processes, biogeographic history, and character evolution.
Faculty: Archibald, Berta, Bohonak, Burns, Hedin, Kelley, Reeder, Simpson.
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Population and Conservation Genetics is the study of diversity within and divergence among gene pools, as driven by the evolutionary forces of nonrandom mating, mutation, migration, drift, and natural selection.
Faculty: Bohonak, Burns, Hedin, Reeder.
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