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SUMMARY:The origins of land plant complexity: interpreting development in 
 the Devonian - Dr Sandy Hetherington (University of Edinburgh)
DTSTART:20230215T130000Z
DTEND:20230215T140000Z
UID:TALK195904@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Thea Edith Kongsted
DESCRIPTION:During the Devonian period c. 420-360 million year ago land pl
 ants exploded in complexity\, from tiny leafless axes to giant trees\, for
 ming the first forests. The diversification of plants in the Devonian ther
 efore transformed the face of the Earth into the green planet we see today
 . However\, the developmental innovations that enabled this diversificatio
 n and the origin of key plant organs such as leaves and roots remains poor
 ly understood. Comparative investigation of genes and development in livin
 g species offers crucial insights into these ancient events. However\, 400
  million years of subsequent evolution and rife convergence means that fos
 sils still hold the most important lines of evidence for how roots and lea
 ves evolved. In this talk I will outline how taking a combined approach st
 udying fossil plants alongside developmental and genetic networks in livin
 g species provides the best approach to understand these key events. Final
 ly\, I will describe the importance of fossils with exceptional preservati
 on for giving us a unique glimpse into development in the past.
LOCATION:Part II Lecture Theatre\, Department of Zoology
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