Teen Science Cafe: Naming Nature: What is a Species?

What defines a species? To biologists, answering this simple question can be mired with complexity. Interspecies breeding, called hybridization, as well the phenotypic plasticity — the ability of organisms to alter their appearance, behavior, and physiology in response to environmental conditions — are two important things that can muddle our idea of what makes a species. Join Nick Levis from the University of North Carolina (UNC) to explore the importance of hybridization and phenotypic plasticity when thinking about the diversity of life that surrounds us. Understanding these processes will become increasingly important as we face what some are calling a “biodiversity crisis.”

Nick Levis is a third-year PhD student in David Pfennig’s lab in the Biology Department at UNC. His research utilizes spadefoot toad tadpoles to address questions related to the environment’s role in development and the ecological and evolutionary implications of that role. Specifically, he is exploring the evolutionary/ecological origins and subsequent refinement of a diet-induced “carnivore” tadpole ecomorph. When not in the lab, Nick can be found with his family hiking, playing outside, or watching birds gather in his backyard.