Hi my name is Ryan Martin
And I'm a postdoctoral researcher at the
National Institute for Mathematical and Biological
Synthesis
My research is in the field of evolutionary
ecology
Which is interested in understanding how aspects
In the environment can cause evolution through
The process of natural selection in wild populations
This is an important question right now because
many
Aspects of the earth's environment are rapidly
changing
Through natural activities and through human
activities as well
So it's crutial to understand both if and
how
Species and populations can adapt to changing
environments
Now, many field biologists have been examining
This question for many years
For example: A recent study looking at swallows
That live near highways
Has found that these swallow populations
Have evolved shorter wings
Becasue shorter winged swallows are more manuverable
Than longer winged swallows which are more
likely
To be hit by passing cars along the highways
Now, in my research I use a statistical technique
Called meta - analysis that combines the results
From many many different studies in order
to look at
General patterns of how many species evolved
to many
Different aspects of environmental change
So some of the questions that I'm addressing
With this approach of meta - analysis is first
Asking, do different aspects of the environment
such as
Changes in temperature or percipitation verses
Changes in competitive environment
Or when predators are present in different
populations
How different or stronger evolotuion than
other
Aspects of environment
The second question is to ask if
Different species show different or
Similar responses to the same environmental
changes
Now looking at these questions is important
in
Our own lives as well because many of
The species and organisims that we depend
on
For food and for our livelihood are also evolving
Response to environmental changes
For instance our cultural crops and animals
Are evolving response to introduce pathogens
in
Changes in the climate
