Adaptive Radiation in Mediterranean Cistus (Cistaceae)

lineage consists of 12 species primarily distributed in Mediterranean habitats and is herein subject to analysis. lineages), which display asymmetric characteristics: number of species (2 vs. 10), leaf morphologies (linear vs. linear to ovate), floral characteristics (small, three-sepalled vs. small to large, three- or five-sepalled flowers) and ecological attributes (low-land vs. low-land to mountain environments). A positive phenotype-environment correlation has been detected by historical reconstructions of morphological traits (leaf shape, leaf labdanum content and leaf pubescence). Ecological evidence indicates that modifications of leaf shape and size, coupled with differences in labdanum secretion and pubescence density, appear to be related to success of new species in different Mediterranean habitats.

Intelligent Behavior in Autonomous Agents through Optimization and Learning

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Washington, 2019The dream of intelligent robotics performing useful tasks is predicated on the ability to quickly generate complex behaviors. These systems must be able to dynamically react and adapt to unstructured environments and unexpected situations, all without having full awareness of the complexity of the world around them. These behaviors then cannot be pre-planned with prior insight, and indeed many complex tasks might be difficult for humans to even specify algorithmically. A successful method must balance the ability to perform well quickly with prior information while also learning from experience to improve over time; as additional computing resources are increasingly available these ideas are realizable. In this thesis we present work involving the combination of model free and model based paradigms. The interaction of these methods allows for faster behavior synthesis through trajectory optimization while also incorporating experience discovered through planned exploration to enable more long term planning