DEEP TIME, GLOBAL
CHANGEAND
AND YOU
7 BILLION
THE PAST AS A GUIDE TO THE FUTURE
A David and Cecilia Ting Endowment Fund Lecture Series
January 30, - March 13, 2014
What if Extinction is Not Forever?
A Molecular Paleontologist’s View of De-extinction
Presented by Dr. Beth Shapiro, Associate Professor, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology,
University of California Santa Cruz
Thursday, March 6, 2014, 7:00 pm,
Room 1900, SFU Harbour Centre, 515 West Hastings
Abstract:
Herds of mammoths roaming the Siberian tundra. Flocks of passenger pigeons darkening the daytime skies in
Ohio. A sabre-toothed cat skulking behind a van in the grocery store parking lot. Are these the dramatic scenes
of our future? Fortunately, the answer is still no -- not our near future, anyway. Science is, however, inching
closer and closer to being able to bring extinct animals back to life, including some that have been extinct for
more than 10,000 years. But, do we really want extinct animals to be brought back? Where would a de-extinct
species end up living? How would its de-extinction affect the organisms that are alive? And would successful deextinction drive a dangerous complacency that would end up threatening more species than it could resurrect?
I will outline the science that needs to be developed in order to make de-extinction possible, and consider the
environmental and ethical consequence of de-extinction.
Bio:
Beth Shapiro is an evolutionary biologist who specializes in the genetics of ice age animals and plants. She is
Associate Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of California, Santa Cruz, where she
directs the UCSC Paleogenomics Laboratory. A pioneer in the young field called “ancient DNA,” Beth travels extensively in the Arctic collecting remains
of long-dead creatures including mammoths, giant bears, and extinct camels and horses. Using DNA extracted from these remains, she hopes to better
understand how the distribution, abundance and diversity of species changed in response to major climate changes in the past, and why some species
go extinct while others persist. In addition to their utility in the de-extinction effort, the results of Beth’s research could be useful to help develop
strategies for the conservation of species that are under threat from climate change today. Beth has received numerous awards for her research,
including being named a Searle Scholar, Packard Fellow, National Geographic Emerging Explorer and a MacArthur Fellow.
Deep Time, Global Change and You is a series of free public lectures and discussions by leading thinkers on how paleoecology can shed light on the
consequences of ecosystem disruptions. It is not news that our global environment is currently in a period of rapid and dramatic change, with uncertain longterm consequences. Scientists working in the area of “paleoecology”, the study of past environments and communities of plants and animals, can contribute
insights into the long prehistory of natural changes on earth, and shed light on likely future consequences of ecosystem disruptions. Over the long history of our
planet, many changes, ranging from continental drift and sudden climate shifts, to wildfires and the recent rise of civilizations have altered our ecosystems, and will
continue to do so. How such disturbances have shaped our present environment, and how they might change it in the future is the focus of this series.
Upcoming Lectures and Discussions:
March 6, 2014, March 13, 2014, Maintaining Humanity’s Life Support Systems in the 21st Century
Dr. Anthony Barnosky, Professor, Integrative Biology and Curator, Museum of Paleontology, University of California, Berkeley, USA
Reservations:
As seating is limited, reservations are recommended: www.sfu.ca/reserve
Contact:
For more information, contact lauriew@sfu.ca
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Sponsors:
Faculty of Environment, SFU
Faculty of Science, SFU
David and Cecilia Ting Endowment, Lifelong Learning, SFU
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