Assistant Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology & YIBS Faculty Affiliate, Martha Muñoz, has shown that organisms can influence their own evolution, a lesson she’s passing on to her students. After working in the lab all summer, Muñoz’s students are eager to see the salamanders in their native habitat. The first night out is challenging, as the species they’re seeking proves elusive. But by the second night the students know the routine better, and they’ve set their sights on a different species that proves to be more plentiful. Anderson, with the aid of the new walking stick, catches a few to help the group meet its goal. Jesús Buenrostro, a YIBS SURES program summer fellow, who as a youth worked alongside his mom packing fruit, shows no fear as he digs into the dirt. They finish up before midnight, far earlier than expected. “You guys are awesome,” Muñoz says. “In one day, you figured it all out.” Click here to read the full Science article.
