A University of Wyoming professor who studies the behavior, ecology, and evolution of crossbills will be speaking at the Goodstein Foundation Library on Tuesday, Nov. 29 at 7 p.m.

Craig W. Benkman, professor and Robert B. Berry Distinguished Chair in Ecology at UW, will share the results of his current research. “Much of my research has focused on linking resource availability to various aspects of behavior, ecology, and evolution. We (Benkman and his research team at UW) mostly study crossbills because we can quantify resource availability in the wild and we can bring food resources into the laboratory where we can ask meaningful questions with captive crossbills,” he said.

“One of my current projects addresses whether and how a coevolutionary arms race between crossbills and lodgepole pine is causing crossbills to speciate, and another project is evaluating the conditions favoring coevolution and the overall importance of coevolution in the adaptive radiation of crossbills,” Benkman noted.

“Craig’s work is at the cutting edge of evolutionary studies combining both field observation and experimental approaches to address important questions about how coevolution occurs and how important it is in creating biodiversity,” said Scott Seville, associate dean in the UW Outreach School, Wyoming INBRE program coordinator, and professor of zoology and physiology at the University of Wyoming/Casper College Center.

Light refreshments will be served at the presentation, which is free and open to the public.

Lisa S. Icenogle
Editor/News Coordinator
Casper College
125 College Dr.
Casper, WY 82601
307-268-2372
800-442-2963, ext. 2372
Cell: 307-333-3166
Fax: 307-268-2237

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