When Ehrlich and Raven published their now classic study of coevolution between butterflies and plants in 1964, the link between the development of coevolutionary theory and plant-insect interactions was cemented. Since this time, numerous studies of plant-insect interactions have revealed an important role for coevolution, even as the perceived importance of coevolution for the overall structure of plant-insect communities has waxed and waned. Currently, much of the research on the ecology and evolution of plant-insect interactions, both mutualistic and antagonistic, is expanding from simpler two-species frameworks to consider coevolution in the context of multispecies communities and networks.
During the week of April 4-8 a workshop on coevolution and the ecological structure of plant-insect communities will be held at the Mathematical Biosciences Institute (MBI) in Columbus, Ohio. The central goal of this workshop will be to identify and develop promising new mathematical, computational, and statistical approaches for studying coevolution by fostering interactions and cross-talk between individuals using empirical and mathematical/computational approaches. Logistically, the workshop will be structured around a core of 16 talks, a poster session, and a panel discussion. To see more information about the workshop and a list of confirmed speakers, visit the workshop web page at http://mbi.osu.edu/2010/ws5description.html. The workshop is open to any interested participants and participation by graduate students and post-docs studying coevolution from a theoretical or empirical perspective is particularly encouraged. Limited funds are available from the MBI to defray the cost of workshop participation for graduate students. In order to register for this workshop and to request financial support, click on the “apply for event” tab on the workshop web page http://mbi.osu.edu/2010/ws5description.html. The application deadline for financial support is January 31.
