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Ecology and basic biology of Amazonian Lepidoptera: Advances and opportunities
Presented by: Geoff Gallice, Pontifical Catholic University of Peru, Lima; and Alliance for a Sustainable Amazon, Madre de Dios, Peru
Abstract: The western Amazon and adjacent tropical Andean habitats are the world’s most important biodiversity hotspot, yet we know essentially nothing about the basic biology of the vast majority of the region’s species. In fact, we still do not know, even to within an order of magnitude, how many species occur here. Our lack of knowledge of Amazonian biodiversity precludes more detailed study of ecology and evolution—for instance, how do these hyper-diverse ecosystems function, and how have they come to be? This, in turn, prevents us from conducting effective, science-based conservation in the face of mounting human pressures. To address this challenge we have created the Lepidoptera Diversity and Biology Project, a collaboration between Peruvian and international academic and civil society institutions that aims to fill in major gaps in our biodiversity knowledge in southeastern Peru using butterflies and moths as a model group. In this talk I will discuss our achievements to date spanning region-wide species inventories, natural history, and population monitoring, as well as how our basic research has contributed to studies spanning taxonomy, ecology, and molecular biology. I will also discuss the importance of basic infrastructure to projects of this kind in remote parts of tropical, developing countries, and what we’re doing to overcome a lack of key resources in our study region.
Watch on ZoomWatch previously recorded webinars here
Thomas C. Emmel Seminar Series presents: Expanding Horizons in Lepidoptera Research
Continuing from Fall 2020, the McGuire Center is hosting this webinar series as an opportunity for both early career researchers as well as established leaders in the field to present their work. We hope that you will join us to hear about current advances in many diverse fields of Lepidoptera research.