Projects per year
Abstract
When species shift their ranges to track climate change, they are almost certain to experience novel environments to which they are poorly adapted. Otaki and co-workers document an explosion of wing pattern variation accompanying range expansion in the pale grass blue butterfly. This pattern can be replicated in the laboratory using artificial selection on cold shocked pupae, at temperature extremes typical of recently colonized environments. We discuss how this phenotypic plasticity may be associated with successful colonization and how significant local adaptation is likely to re-establish developmental control. Integrating knowledge of trait plasticity into current genetic models of adaptation is central to our understanding of when and where a colonising population will be able to persist and adapt in novel surroundings.
Original language | English |
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Article number | 382 |
Journal | BMC Evolutionary Biology |
Volume | 10 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2010 |
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Dive into the research topics of 'Novel variation associated with species range expansion'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.Projects
- 1 Finished
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TESTING THE LIMITS TO EVOLUTION: WHEN AND WHY DOES ADAPTATION FAIL IN REPONSE TO ECOLOGICAL CHANGE?
Bridle, J. (Principal Investigator)
1/01/09 → 1/08/13
Project: Research