LE3 - Research overview

The Laboratory for Experimental Ecology and Evolution (LE3) is conceived as an integrated facility that will create synergy among the research groups involved. It has been inspired by three key innovations. (1) The consistent use and development of model systems. We believe that the key to understanding ecological and evolutionary mechanisms that operate on large scales of space and time is to use microbes (and micrometazoans) whose small size and rapid reproduction shrinks these scales to laboratory dimensions. LE3 will allow us to construct experiments of unprecedented size and power, capable of exploring complex systems and detecting rare events, in standard defined model systems. (2) Strong linkage to field research. Laboratory experiments in ecology and evolution have been criticized as being irrelevant to understanding particular natural systems such as forests or lakes. We shall take advantage of the unique system of field stations operated by McGill and the extensive program of field research they support to link the LE3 projects to strong pre-existing field projects addressing similar issues. These field projects are conducted by our colleagues and by ourselves, and will ensure the the laboratory work remains relevant to the field reality. (3) Parallel development of theory. The theory of complex systems of interacting genotypes or species is developing rapidly, but we still do not understand how novel adaptations or stable ecosystems emerge. LE3 includes an advanced modelling capacity that will enable theory development to proceed hand-in-hand with experimental work.

The research program of LE3 will be organized around four central themes in evolution and ecology: adaptation, diversity, interaction and stability. All involve complex biological systems: large numbers of variable, interacting genotypes or species. Experimental work is difficult, not only because of sheer complexity, but also because of the unique biology of particular taxa and the unique history of particular lineages or communities. Nevertheless, the last decade has seen the emergence of increasingly ambitious programs designed to overcome these difficulties: the Ecotron facility and the Biodepth experiment in Europe, the Cedar Creek field site in the U.S.A., and the advanced bacterial evolution labs at Michigan, Oxford and elsewhere. LE3 will change the course of ecological research by taking the next step in this direction. The power of experiments on complex variable systems depends primarily on the rate of cycling of the systems and on the number of treatments and replicates that can be mounted. The technological core of our proposal is to increase this power dramatically by the deployment of microbial models and techniques such as microplate culture and automated transfer systems.