Unraveling the Peculiarities of Island Life: The Galápagos Tortoises (2013)

Lecture by Michael Russello, Associate Professor in the Department of Biology at the University of British Columbia, and Hrdy Visiting Fellow in Conservation Biology at Harvard University

Oceanic islands such as the Galápagos archipelago are natural laboratories of evolution, home to an incredibly unique biodiversity of flora and fauna. At the same time, these systems have disproportionally high rates of extinction, warranting immediate conservation attention. Focusing on the giant tortoise of the Galápagos, Dr. Michael Russello will explore ways in which genomic approaches can be used to reconstruct evolutionary history, define present conservation status, and inform management strategies for such threatened wildlife.