Molluscs in Ancient Lakes - An Ecological Perspective Symposium - Thursday April 2nd, 2009 in the Linnean Society, London Sponsored by the Malacological Society
Ancient lakes are well known as aquatic island systems with high alpha and beta species diversity. Molluscs, especially gastropods, have formed a number of diverse endemic radiations in these systems. Ecological context is critical in both mechanisms of divergence and co-existence. This symposium will bring together specialists who have approached the ecology and evolution of molluscan species flocks in several ancient lake systems and using a range of methods. The speakers will cover many of the big topics in ecology for these systems: food, babies, parasites, deep time, communities and conservation. This symposium will be relevant to all with an interest in mechanisms of diversification in species-rich groups in island systems or in benthic ecology in aquatic systems. Schedule: 11:00 – Georges Dussart (President Malac Soc & Canterbury Univ.) - Opening and welcoming remarks 11:10 – Ellinor Michel (Natural History Museum, London) - Introduction to Ancient Lakes as Model Systems 11:20 – Thomas von Rintelen (Museum fuer Naturkunde & Humboldt Univ., Berlin, DE) - Show me thy teeth: Trophic morphology in the gastropod species radiations of the ancient lakes of Sulawesi 12:00 – Peter McIntyre (Univ. Michigan, USA) - Life history and trophic ecology in a Lake Tanganyika (E. Africa) gastropod radiation: an experimental isotopic approach 12:40 – Lunch (including MalacSoc AGM meeting) 1:40 – Martin Genner (Univ. Bristol & MBA, UK) - Invasives vs. endemics in Lake Malawi (E. Africa): Competitive advantage, parasite release and massive multiplication of Melanoides 2:20 – Frank Wesselingh (Naturalis, Natural History Museum, Leiden, NL) - The changing ecological context for molluscs in long-lived lakes through deep time. 3:00 – tea and coffee and posters 3:40 – Thomas Wilke (Univ. Giessen, DE) - Does ecology drive the evolution of endemic gastropod species in ancient Lake Ohrid (Macedonia)? 4:20 – Christian Albrecht (Univ. Giessen) – Lost and found: Conservation of ancient lake molluscs 5:00 – Depart punctually for further discussion in local hostelry Details: • Poster contributions on freshwater molluscs are welcome. • Advance registration is requested (to allow us to provide appropriate refreshments in the poster session/coffee break) by writing to [email protected] • A nominal contribution of 5 GBP is requested on arrival. Further updates and abstracts will be available on the MalacSoc website www.malacsoc.org.uk. Directions to the LinnSoc are available on http://www.linnean.org/index.php?id=215.
