Evolutionary Biology Lab

We do some theoretical (largely simulations) and mostly experimental work on multiple questions in evolutionary biology and population dynamics. All our experimental work involves long-term studies with lab populations of Drosophila. We are looking at adaptations to larval crowding and their impact on population stability; evolution of rapid pre-adult development and its implications for sexual conflict and sexual selection; the interaction of dispersal and life-history and its effects on stability and persistence of small populations and metapopulations; conceptual foundations of evolutionary biology and genetics (see FOGEG page).                CONTACT ME: ajoshi@jncasr.ac.in,          TWITTER: @joshiamitabhevo

Research from our group was the only work from a non-western group, included among 65 important breakthroughs in evolutionary ecology from Darwin to the present time (LD Mueller, 2020: ‘Conceptual Breakthroughs in Evolutionary Ecology’, Elsevier).

Read more at: https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1658122 

A newly described ant species from Kerala was named Ooceraea joshii in my honour (2021).

Details at: https://pib.gov.in/pressreleasepage.aspx?prid=1691484 

Founding Member, and Member, Executive Council, Indian Society of Evolutionary Biologists (ISEB): 

website: www.evolutionindia.org                              Twitter:  @india_evolution

Some recent representative publications:

Gupta, M., Prasad, N. G., Dey, S., Joshi, A. and T. N. C. Vidya. 2017. Niche construction in evolutionary theory: the construction of an academic niche? Journal of Genetics 96: 491-504. (LINK) (VIDEO ABSTRACT)

Tung, S., Rajamani, M., Joshi, A. and S. Dey. 2019. Complex interaction of resource availability, life-history and demography determines the dynamics and stability of stage-structured populations . Journal of Theoretical Biology 460: 1-12. (LINK to a previous bioRxiv version)

Ghosh, S. M., Satish, K. M., Jayaram, M. and A. Joshi. 2019. Does long-term selection for development time result in canalization: a test using Drosophila melanogaster. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution 7: 228 (Link: https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2019.00228).

Mital, A., Sarangi, M., Nandy, B., Pandey, N. and Joshi, A. 2022. Shorter effective lifespan in laboratory populations of D. melanogaster might reduce sexual selection. Behavioural Ecology and Sociobiology 76: 52 (https://doi.org/10.1007/s00265-022-03158-w).

Joshi, A. 2022. Nine things to keep in mind about mathematical modelling in ecology and evolution. Journal of Biosciences 47: 19 (https://www.ias.ac.in/article/fulltext/jbsc/047/0019).

Vidya, T. N. C., Dey, S., Prasad, N. G. and Joshi, A. 2023a. The Darwinian core of evolutionary theory and the Extended Evolutionary Synthesis: similarities and differences. Pgs. 271-328 in Evolutionary Biology: Contemporary and Historical Reflections upon Core Theory (eds. T. E. Dickins and B. J. A. Dickins), Springer series – Evolutionary Biology: New Perspectives on its Development (by invitation) (preprint at https://ecoevorxiv.org/repository/view/3688/).

guftand jahaan-e-maa, aayaa ba-too mee saazad; guftam ke namee saazad, guftand ke barham zan

God asked me if I did find his universe to my likihg and taste; when I said no, then He replied, create your own and lay this waste

(Allama Iqbal)

"While poets and mathematicians have the luxury of creating alternative universes, biologists must make do with model systems"

(N. G. Prasad and A. Joshi, 2003, Journal of Genetics)