The Beauty and Complexity of Evolution: Manzanitas as the Example, by Tom Parker

Manzanitas (Arctostaphylos, Ericaceae family) have proliferated in California's Mediterranean climate in multiple ways. Tom introduces you to the diversity of this group, and then focuses on two stories. The first story is where manzanitas come from, and examines the history of a small subfamily, the Arbutoideae, of the blueberry/rhododendron/heath family (Ericaceae). Most of the genera in this subfamily occur in California, but only two are in northern California. This history leads into the second story, how manzanitas have captured mutualists, rodents such as chipmunks and chaparral mice, that bury fruits that help them survive our fires.
Tom Parker, Professor of Biology Emeritus, taught at San Francisco State University for 40 years before retiring from teaching. He was educated at the University of Texas (B.A.) and the University of California, Santa Barbara (M.A., Ph.D.). He is principally an evolutionary ecologist who works mainly in tidal wetlands and chaparral. He is one the principal author of the treatment for Arctostaphylos in Flora of North America and The Jepson Manual, 2nd Ed, and one of the co-authors of the Field Guide to Manzanitas.

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Very poor audio during the question and answer session.