An expert in the relatively new topic of Darwinian agriculture is one of several events featured in NDSU’s annual Darwin Day celebration. R. Ford Denison, author of “Darwinian Agriculture: How Understanding Evolution Can Improve Agriculture,” will examine how applying evolutionary thinking to crops can improve yields without expensive biotechnology on Thursday, Feb. 13.

Each year, hundreds of organizations host Darwin Day celebrations, which began in 1995 to mark the Feb. 12 birthday of famed naturalist and geologist Charles Darwin. This year marks the fifth annual celebration at NDSU. All events are free and open to the public.

Denison, adjunct professor of ecology, evolution and behavior in the University of Minnesota’s College of Biological Sciences, specializes in agricultural plant communities. Denison says both biotechnology and traditional plant breeding can use Darwinian concepts to improve crops, said Julia Bowsher, assistant professor of biological sciences.

“He will talk about the challenges we face in feeding the planet, and how evolutionary theory can help meet our needs,” Bowsher said. “Denison’s views are, in large part, new to those within agriculture.”

Wednesday, Feb. 12

• Allan Ashworth, James A. Meier senior professor and University Distinguished Professor of geology, will present “Ice-Age Fossils,” from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Fargo Public Library’s downtown Fargo location. Ashworth specializes in fossil insects from the American continent and Antarctica. His research was featured in the film “Ice People,” the NOVA documentary “Secrets Beneath the Ice” and in Science magazine.

Thursday, Feb. 13

• Attendees can see and handle live amphibians and reptiles from NDSU’s biological sciences collection and the Fargo Herpetological Society’s at the Herpetology Zoo scheduled from noon to 2 p.m. in Stevens Hall room 329. A Frog Call Lounge will allow attendees to experience the sounds of the summer night.
• A Hall of Biodiversity will be held from noon to 4:30 p.m. in the Memorial Union Meadowlark room. Selected specimens from NDSU’s collections will be on display. Graduate students from the Department of Biological Sciences will serve as interpreters.
• The movie “Becoming Human” will be shown from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. in the Memorial Union Century Theater followed by a celebration of Darwin’s birthday in the Memorial Union Butte Lounge. Birthday cake will be provided.
• Denison’s keynote address, “Darwinian Agriculture: Evolutionary Tradeoffs as Opportunities” is scheduled for 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the Memorial Union Century Theater. Denison suggests new research ideas can be gathered from applying natural selection to agricultural plant species.

Saturday, Feb. 15

• The entire family is welcome to “Darwin’s Cabinet of Curiosities” from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the Fargo Public Library’s downtown location. The event, hosted by the North Dakota Association of Women Geoscientists, will feature fossils and organisms from NDSU’s natural history collections. Children can make crafts featuring an evolutionary theme.

“Darwin Day is intended to help educate the public on all areas related to the theory of evolution,” said Kendra Greenlee, assistant professor of biological sciences. “The events help bring together the sciences using evolutionary principles.”

For more information on the international Darwin Day, visit http://darwinday.org.

NDSU’s Darwin Day events are cosponsored by the NDSU Department of Biological Sciences, NDSU Cooperative Sponsorship and the College of Science and Mathematics. For more information, visit www.ndsu.edu/biology/seminars_and_events/darwin_day.

NDSU is recognized as one of the nation's top 108 public and private universities by the Carnegie Commission on Higher Education.