On biological evolution and environmental solutions

Matthews, Blake; Jokela, Jukka; Narwani, Anita; Räsänen, Katja; Pomati, Francesco; Altermatt, Florian; Spaak, Piet; Robinson, Christopher T.; Vorburger, Christoph

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.138194

Cited by 9 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 110 publications

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“…algal blooms (Cloern 2018). Harmful algal bloom events are, on the other hand, characterized by an additional array of defence traits, known as algal toxins, which are mediated by single genes or metabolic pathways (low integration level) and have profound and long-lasting ecosystem effects (Neilan et al 2008;Paerl & Otten 2013;Matthews et al 2020).…”

Section: Accepted Articlementioning

confidence: 99%

“…This trade-off between fast resource uptake and defense against grazing is at the basis of the ecological causes of phytoplankton biomass accumulation, that is, algal blooms (Cloern 2018). Harmful algal bloom events are, on the other hand, characterized by an additional array of defence traits, known as algal toxins, which are mediated by single genes or metabolic pathways (low integration level) and have profound and long-lasting ecosystem effects (Neilan et al 2008, Paerl and Otten 2013, Matthews et al 2020.…”

Section: Acknowledging An Integration Continuum In Trait Based Ecologymentioning

confidence: 99%

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Reconciling trait based perspectives along a trait‐integration continuum

Fontana

Rasmann

Bello

et al. 2021

Ecology

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Trait-based ecology has developed fast in the last decades, aiming to both explain mechanisms of community assembly, and predict patterns in nature, such as the effects of biodiversity shifts on key ecosystem processes. This body of work has stimulated the development of several conceptual frameworks and analytical methods, as well as the production of trait databases covering a growing number of taxa and organisational levels (from individuals to guilds). However, this breeding ground of novel concepts and tools currently lacks a general and coherent framework, under which functional traits can help ecologists organise their research aims, and serve as the common currency to unify several scientific disciplines. Specifically, we see a need to bridge the gaps between community ecology, ecosystem ecology, and evolutionary biology, in order to address the most pressing environmental issues of our time. To achieve this integration goal, we define a trait integration continuum, which reconciles alternative trait definitions and approaches in ecology. This continuum outlines a coherent progression of biological scales, along which traits interact and hierarchically integrate from genetic information, to whole-organism fitness-related traits, to trait syndromes and functional groups. Our conceptual scheme proposes that lower-level trait integration is closer to the inference of eco-evolutionary mechanisms determining population and community properties, whereas higher-level trait integration is most suited to the prediction of ecosystem processes. Within these two extremes, trait integration varies on a continuous scale, which relates directly to the inductive-deductive loop that should characterize the scientific method. With our proposed framework, we aim to facilitate scientists in contextualising their research based on the trait integration levels that matter most to their specific goals. Explicitly acknowledging the existence of a trait integration continuum is a promising way for framing the appropriate questions, thus obtaining reliable answers and results that are comparable across studies and disciplines.

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Section: Accepted Articlementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Acknowledging An Integration Continuum In Trait Based Ecologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Reconciling trait based perspectives along a trait‐integration continuum

Fontana

Rasmann

Bello

et al. 2021

Ecology

Self Cite

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“…Although LNS may require more replication and likely generations of experimental evolution, it may often be a more comprehensive approach. Recent work has discussed the potential role applied evolutionary biology could play in addressing global issues related to agriculture, industry and the health of humans, animals, and ecosystems (Carroll et al, 2014; Matthews et al, 2020; Sandberg et al, 2019). We assert that LNS can fill a niche alongside other approaches of applied evolutionary biology in addressing these issues.…”

Section: Potential Applied Niches For Laboratory Natural Selectionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Advantages of laboratory natural selection in the applied sciences

Lewis

Morran

2021

J of Evolutionary Biology

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In the past three decades, laboratory natural selection has become a widely used technique in biological research. Most studies which have utilized this technique are in the realm of basic science, often testing hypotheses related to mechanisms of evolutionary change or ecological dynamics. While laboratory natural selection is currently utilized heavily in this setting, there is a significant gap with its usage in applied studies, especially when compared to the other selection experiment methodologies like artificial selection and directed evolution. This is despite avenues of research in the applied sciences which seem well suited to laboratory natural selection. In this review, we place laboratory natural selection in context with other selection experiments, identify the characteristics which make it well suited for particular kinds of applied research and briefly cover key examples of the usefulness of selection experiments within applied science. Finally, we identify three promising areas of inquiry for laboratory natural selection in the applied sciences: bioremediation technology, identifying mechanisms of drug resistance and optimizing biofuel production. Although laboratory natural selection is currently less utilized in applied science when compared to basic research, the method has immense promise in the field moving forward.

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“…Ecologists have regarded hybrid zones as natural laboratories in which to study evolutionary processes because hybridization provides a great contribution to the accumulation of genetic variation, the generation of novelty, and speciation, especially in plants ( Barton and Hewitt, 1985 ; Arnold, 1997 ; Taylor and Larson, 2019 ). Swarms in hybrid zones could also be useful resources to explore adaptive traits from the perspective of genetic conservation and landscape management ( Hamilton and Miller, 2016 ; Matthews et al, 2020 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Extensive Sympatry and Frequent Hybridization of Ecologically Divergent Aquatic Plants on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

Wang

Xie

et al. 2022

Front. Plant Sci.

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Hybridization has fascinated biologists in recent centuries for its evolutionary importance, especially in plants. Hybrid zones are commonly located in regions across environmental gradients due to more opportunities to contact and ecological heterogeneity. For aquatic taxa, intrazonal character makes broad overlapping regions in intermediate environments between related species. However, we have limited information on the hybridization pattern of aquatic taxa in alpines, especially submerged macrophytes. In this study, we aimed to test the hypotheses that niche overlap and hybridization might be extensive in related aquatic plants across an altitudinal gradient. We evaluated the niche overlap in three related species pairs on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and assessed the spatial pattern of hybrid populations. Obvious niche overlap and common hybridization were revealed in all three pairs of related aquatic plants. The plateau edge and river basins were broad areas for the sympatry of divergent taxa, where a large proportion of hybrid populations occurred. Hybrids are also discretely distributed in diverse habitats on the plateau. Differences in the extent of niche overlap, genetic incompatibility and phylogeographic history might lead to variation differences in hybridization patterns among the three species pairs. Our results suggested that plateau areas are a hotspot for ecologically divergent aquatic species to contact and mate and implied that hybridization may be important for the freshwater biodiversity of highlands.

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On biological evolution and environmental solutions

Cited by 9 publications

References 110 publications

Reconciling trait based perspectives along a trait‐integration continuum

Reconciling trait based perspectives along a trait‐integration continuum

Advantages of laboratory natural selection in the applied sciences

Extensive Sympatry and Frequent Hybridization of Ecologically Divergent Aquatic Plants on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

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