Assistant Professor of Global Change Biology
University of California Berkeley
Rapid adaptation across climates in a synchronozied long-term plant evolution experiment; and why this matters for global species conservation targets
Abstract: Increased threats of climate change in the survival of plant species, has put a spotlight on evolutionary adaptive processes that could aid in short ecological timescales. Although the paradigm that genetic evolution is a slow process is breaking down with new genomic data of wild populations, long-term plant evolution experiments across climates that can test the speed of evolution or its predictability do not exist yet. Here we conduct a globally-distributed evolution experiment with the plant Arabidopsis thaliana in 32 outdoor experimental facilities called GrENE-net.org. Pooled whole-genome sequencing of >70,000 surviving plants across climates allowed us to detect clear signals of climate-driven rapid adaptation, map genetic loci involved in adaptation in different environments, and test the repeatability of adaptation. This work showcases the importance of understanding the genetic basis of environmental adaptation of species to anticipate the impacts of global change in nature, which I put in perspective with the current goals.
Host: OEB Graduate Students
LOCATION:Northwest Building, B101, 52 Oxford Street STATUS:CONFIRMED DTSTART:20241205T203000Z DTEND:20241205T203000Z END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR