E&E Seminar: “Polyploidy: An Evolutionary Force from Cells to Ecosystems” by Douglas Soltis (University of Florida)
February 10, 2026
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM
Location
SELE 4289
Calendar
Download iCal FilePlease join us Feb. 10, 2026 at 12:30pm in SELE 4289 for an E&E Seminar featuring Dr. Douglas Soltis (University of Florida)
Host: Joe Walker
Abstract: Genome doubling or polyploidy, the possession of three or more complete sets of chromosomes, characterizes the genomes of most eukaryotes and many archaea and bacteria; it exists at the level of cells, tissues, and whole organisms. As both a speciation mechanism and the source of raw material for genomic and phenotypic evolution, polyploidy is central to the study of genetics, evolution, and ecology. Nearly all agricultural crops are polyploid, as are many human organs; some cancers are the result of polyploidy. Polyploidy impacts all scales of biological function, from cellular, to organismal and evolutionary biology and ecology, but it remains perhaps the least understood and appreciated driver of biological diversity. This talk explores the roles of polyploidy as a force generating genetic and phenotypic novelty during speciation, its role in diversification at deep phylogenetic levels, as a key stress response mechanism, and its role at the ecosystem level. It will also briefly introduce the Polyploidy Innovation and Integration Institute, a stimulus for more integration and linkage across fields in the study of polyploidy.
Date posted
Jun 24, 2025
Date updated
Jan 30, 2026