Biology

Dr. Jahnavi Joshi
National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bengaluru

Species are fundamental units in ecology and evolutionary biology. Understanding patterns of speciation and processes of species diversification remain one of the major endeavors in evolutionary biology. Recent advances in the fields of molecular phylogenetics, macroecology and biogeography have provided new sources of information to study speciation patterns and diversification processes. In this talk, I will explore speciation patterns and diversification processes using two arthropod groups (centipedes and butterflies) as model systems at two spatial scales, the tropical forests of the Western Ghats of peninsular India and the tropical forests of the Indo-Australian Region. Centipedes and butterflies are contrasting models systems as they have distinct phylogenetic history, clade age, and life history traits among invertebrates. I have integrated evidences from multiple sources including DNA sequences, morphological traits, and data from geology, climate, and ecology.