Professor Beverley Glover, Director, Cambridge University Botanic Garden
Science on Sundays is a programme of free, informal, monthly, plant science talks, bringing the latest discoveries in plant science to our visitors in a 30 minute nutshell.
This month we have gone online and our Director, Professor Beverley Glover, has recorded the talk she was going to present in the Garden on Sunday 19 April.
Beverley’s talk will focus on answering the question of how one plant species becomes two. This has happened frequently in the past in order to generate the enormous species diversity of around 350,000 flowering plants we see today.
One possible explanation is that the association between flowering plants and animal pollinators has led to speciation, as different plants adapt to suit the morphology and behaviour of different animals. Beverley will describe how her research is seeking to answer this question, focusing on nectar spurs and their interaction with pollinator tongue length.
Online talk: how does one species become two?
About Science on Sundays
Science on Sundays is a programme of free, informal, monthly, drop-in plant science talks, bringing the latest discoveries in plant science to our visitors in a 30 minute nutshell.
As access to the Garden is restricted due to COVID-19 this year, we have had to cancel these talks in person, however we are trying to deliver some virtually, as above. Please check the website and social media for updates, thank you.
Other talks part of this series:
15 March-now online Dr Sarah Robinson, Sainsbury Laboratory: The mechanics of plant development
17 May-now online Dr Gita Yadav, Department of Plant Sciences: Unpacking Plant Chemical Arsenals
19 July-now online Dr Sebastian Eves-van den Akker, Department of Plant Sciences: The overlooked enemy: nematode worms eating the plants from under our feet
16 August- online soon Dr Chantal Helm, Cambridge University Botanic Garden: Exploring wildlife diversity at CUBG and why it matters
