Evolution of the multivariate phenotype: phylogenetic tests of rates of size and shape evolution in salamanders

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Biologists have long sought to understand how fast animals evolve in nature, and why organisms show such amazing morphological diversity. This project will study the pace of morphological change in two groups of salamanders that differ in how they interact with their environments. New methods will be developed for measuring rates of phenotypic evolution across the tree of life, and for comparing rates among groups of organisms. These methods will allow scientists to test potential explanations for why some groups evolve more rapidly than others. This project contributes to our understanding of how fast evolution occurs, and how organisms in distinct environments respond to those conditions. Work on the project will give us a better understanding of how life changes over time, which is of great interest to biologists and scientists in other fields. Through this project, several educational outreach activities will also be conducted, including: a research-in-education exchange that includes students from a small college and students attending a large research university, and teaching workshops in quantitative methods to train the next generation of graduate students and scientists from around the world.