Dr Mitzy Pepper ‘How geomorphology controls biodiversity (especially lizards) in the Australian deserts’

Dr Mitzy Pepper, an ARC DECRA Fellow at ANU, will focus on the exciting synthesis of biology and geomorphology in understanding the evolution of both the biodiversity, and the landscapes of the Australian deserts.

Abstract
The distribution of lizards in arid Australia is an example of the complex influence of geology, climate and geomorphological processes in shaping contemporary genetic patterns. Mitzy’s talk will focus on the exciting synthesis of biology and geomorphology in understanding the evolution of both the biodiversity, and the landscapes of the Australian deserts. She will touch on case studies in the rocky Pilbara region of Western Australia and contrast this to evolutionary patterns we see in the low-lying dune systems of eastern Australia.

Biography 
Dr Mitzy Pepper is an Australian Research Council (ARC) Discovery Early Career Researcher Award (DECRA) Fellow in the Keogh Lab at the ANU. Her areas of interest are evolutionary biology, herpetological systematics and biogeography. She uses genetic data to understand where biodiversity is high, where it is low, how species in different parts of Australia are related to one another, the timing of evolutionary events and how the demographic history of populations has changed through time. Mitzy is particularly interested in understanding the influence of historical climate change and the evolution of the Australian landscapes on genetic patterns in Australia’s arid regions.

Booking Link: https://www.trybooking.com/CTFXG

Booking
Lunchtime talks are held at 12.30 pm every Thursday from February to November. Talks last for 1 hour. We welcome donations by gold coins, notes, or electronically. The Friends use donations received at each talk to support Gardens’ programs and development and we thank all those who have donated. 

Unless otherwise indicated, talks are held in the ANBG Theatrette.

It is a good idea to reserve a seat at the talks that you wish to attend; talks may be booked out very quickly.  Bookings can be made from about 30 days in advance until the night before the talk or until seating limits are reached. 

Booking Link: https://www.trybooking.com/CTFXG 

The Friends of the ANBG thank the speakers who volunteer their time and talents to further the knowledge of all attending events in the Gardens. Many summaries or PowerPoint presentations of Thursday talks are available to Friends at the ANBG library. Please direct queries about the talks to the Thursday Talks Team: email talks@friendsanbg.org.au.