The School of Biological Sciences Spring 2027 Seminar Series presents Dr. Sonal Singhal

Biodiversity begins with divergence, but divergence does not always last. Populations become isolated and reconnect, lineages exchange genes, and newly formed lineages can either persist for millions of years or disappear almost as quickly as they arise. Why, then, do some parts of the Tree of Life produce extraordinary diversity while others do not? I explore this question across biological scales, from populations to large evolutionary radiations. Using studies of vertebrates and desert plants, I ask what determines whether evolutionary differences arise, persist, and ultimately accumulate into biodiversity.