“Evolution Canyon”: Natural laboratory of adaptation and speciation in Israel and the U.S
Few slides – Evolution In Action at Evolution Canyon
Ecologically diverging microsites provide an optimal opportunity for studying diverse taxonomic groups of organisms inhabiting a comparatively small territory under different types and intensities of abiotic and biotic stress. Such variability is studied in a long-term research project initiated and orchestra by Prof. Eviatar Nevo from the Institute of Evolution,Haifa University, on the opposing slopes of the “EvolutionCanyons” (EC’s) microsites.
These sites are located in the northern part of Israel and lately also on the east-west canyons of the Blue Mountains and Salmon River Valley of Idaho and OregonU.S.A. The south-facing slopes of “Evolution Canyons” (EC’s) are xeric and warm and, on average, 200 m from the north-facing slope, which is mesic, cool and temperate. The main stressor on the south-facing slope is drought (i.e., heat plus evapotranspiration) due to high solar radiation. On the nouth-facing slope the main stressor is shade, or light deprivation.
My postdoc study at the Rowland Institute, Harvard University with Dr. Benjamin de Bivort (adviser) and in collaboration with Prof. John Graham lab, focus on the behavioral, morphological, molecular and neurological mechanisms underlying phototaxis in Drosophilidae exposed to sharp abiotic stresses, at the EC.
Together with Prof. Iain Couzin from Princeton I initiate these days a study on Democracy and Leadsership under stress.
Together with Prof. Jay Lennon from Michigan State University and Prof. Evitar Nevo and I study bacteria ecology and evolution.
Main collaborators
(i) Prof. Eviatar Nevo Institute of Evolution, Haifa University (ii) Dr. Benjamin de Bivort, Rowland Institute, Harvard University (iii) Prof. John H. Graham, Department of Biology, Berry College, USA , (iv) Prof. Iain Cozuin, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University. (v) Dr. Isabella Grishkan, Institute of Evolution, Haifa University
Students
(i) Sarah Zhang (B.Sc), visiting fellow, Harvard University, U.S.A. Co-advisor with Prof. Eviatar Nevo ; (ii) Nathan Schwartz (Undergradutae), Berry College, USA. Co-advisor with Prof. John Graham (iii) AshleyAllison,Berry College,USA. Co-advisor with Prof. John Graham
Evolution Canyons
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