Evolutionary effects of interactions between galaxies

Interactions between galaxies might be expected to affect the evolution of galaxies in a variety of ways. We summarise the evidence available to date which indicates that infrared activity is strongly correlated with morphological evidence of interactions, and that this infrared activity in the majority of cases is due to a burst of star formation. We review some of the characteristics of such starbursts, and then investigate how interaction-induced starbursts might be responsible for several features of the spectral, chemical, and morphological evolution of galaxies, and other forms of activity in galactic nuclei. (author)