Marx, Christopher JLeiby, Nicholas2014-06-062014-06-062014Leiby, Nicholas. 2014. Adaptation and Specialization in the Evolution of Bacterial Metabolism. Doctoral dissertation, Harvard University.http://dissertations.umi.com/gsas.harvard:11364http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:12274296Specialization is a balance of evolutionary adaptation and its accompanying costs. Here we focus on the Lenski Long-Term Evolution Experiment, which has maintained cultures of Escherichia coli in the same, defined seasonal environment for 50,000 generations. This dissertation explores the extent and means by which metabolic specialization occurs over an extended period in the same environment.en-USBiologyThesis or Dissertation2014-06-06