When adaptive evolution occurs rapidly it can leave little historical signature with which to trace and reconstruct evolutionary events. However, with the application of genome-scale data we now have unprecedented statistical power to investigate and tease apart even the most rapid cases of evolution, in the form of reconstructed demographic scenarios, or population and species divergences. Here, I will present two cases from flowering plants. First, demonstrating the role of interspecific reproductive interactions in driving diversification of Pedicularis in alpine communities of the Tibetan plateau; and second, demonstrating an association of climatic differences with phenotypic evolution during a radiation of Viburnum in neotropical cloud forests. In both cases, I apply new statistical models to restriction-site associated DNA (RAD-seq), and discuss the benefits and pitfalls of these approaches

Light refreshments served at 4 p.m.

Watch YouTube video: https://youtu.be/cZ-cwSsLokE