Galaxy Mergers and Their Impact over the Last 8 Gyr

In the hierarchical ACDM framework of galaxy evolution, major mergers, minor mergers, secular evolution, and smooth accretion constitute the most important mechanisms for the assembly and redistribution of mass in galaxies. The relative importance of these mechanisms depends on the epoch being considered. I will discuss mounting evidence, which suggests that over the last 8 Gyr since z similar to 1, the evolution of high and intermediate mass galaxies is not dominated by major mergers, but is shaped by less violent processes. I also summarize some of the results on galaxy mergers and their impact on star formation out to z similar to 1 from our recent paper (Jogee at al. and the GEMS collaboration 2009) and other studies. I discuss outstanding issues, unresolved questions, and some future steps for progress.