PADILLA, Dianna K; Stony Brook University: Larry McEdward’s legacy and influence on future research in complex life histories.

Larry McEdward was a leader of the field of ecological physiology, and evolutionary ecology of marine invertebrate larvae and complex life histories. Complex life histories are an important aspect of the biology of animals, and occur in almost all animal phyla and plant divisions. The study of complex life histories has been, and continues to be, an important focal area of study that allows us to integrate across disciplines including ecology, evolution, development, physiology, and behavior. Complex life-histories result in early life stages that are physiologically, morphologically, and ecologically different from later stages, and there are intriguing phylogenetic patterns of complex life-histories among species of marine invertebrates-including convergence of adult forms with different larval types, and convergence of larval forms with different adults. In 2001 Larry unexpectedly passed away, which was a significant loss to the field. Here I will synthesize the recent major research advances within this field presented by other speakers in the symposium, especially focusing on the future directions inspired by and leading from Dr. McEdward’s work.