Speaker

Dr Krushnamegh Kunte (National Centre for Biological Sciences, TIFR, India)

Abstract

The evolution of biological communities forms a critical interface between ecological and evolutionary processes. Community assembly is influenced by the traits that define functional groups and community interactions. Using an integrated approach involving mimetic butterfly communities of the Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot, a community phylogenetic framework, and an extensive analysis of trait diversification, I will provide insights into the tempo and mode of trait evolution that underlie the functional mechanisms of community assembly. I will also show how trait evolution and sexual dimorphisms influence clade diversification in these mimetic butterflies, offering larger perspective on the evolution of biodiversity.