| Abstract Detail
Population Genetics Franks, Steven J. [1], Weis, A.E. [2], Conner, Jeffery K. [3], Etterson, Julie R. [4], Mazer, Susan [5], Shaw, Ruth G. [6]. Storing and resurrecting ancestral genotypes to capture evolution in action. There is now widespread and convincing evidence that the global climate is changing at a rates and scales not seen for many millennia. The extent and rate of climate change we now face is likely to impose strong selection on many species and may spur an ‘evolution explosion.’ Climate change can thus be viewed as a massive unplanned experiment on the potential of species to adapt to changing conditions. With a recently refined technique, it is possible to take advantage of this situation to better understand the process of evolution. This technique, which we call the ‘resurrection paradigm,’ involves collecting and storing seeds at multiple points in time and raising ancestors and descendant genotypes under common conditions to observe evolutionary change directly. This approach was recently used with the annual plant Brassica rapa to show rapid evolution of earlier flowering time following a recent natural drought. The resurrection paradigm, especially when used in concert with other techniques, can help us to understand the patterns and processes of evolution and predict responses of species to global climate change. In a workshop sponsored by the National Science Foundation entitled ‘Project Baseline,’ a group of evolutionary biologists, and seed storage experts met recently to discuss establishing a coordinated effort to collect and store seeds of diverse taxa so that the resurrection paradigm can be implemented by many current and future scientists to study evolutionary change over the coming decades.
Log in to add this item to your schedule
1 - The University of California, Irvine, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, 321 Steinhaus Hall, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
2 - University of California Irvine, Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, 321 Steinhaus Hall, Irvine, California, 92697-2525, USA
3 - Michigan State University and Kellog Biological Station, Plant Biology, 166 Plant Biology Building, East Lansing, MI, 49060, USA
4 - University of Minnesota-Duluth, Department of Biology, 207 Swenson Science Building, 1035 Kirby Drive, Duluth, MN, 55812-3004, USA
5 - University of California Santa Barbara, Department of Ecology Evolution And Marine Biology, Santa Barbara, California, 93106-9610, USA
6 - University of Minnesota, Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, 100 Ecology Building, 1987 Upper Buford Circle, St. Paul, MN, 55108, USA
Keywords:
climate change
evolution
resurrection paradigm
seed bank .
Presentation Type: Poster:Posters for Topics
Session: P
Location: Exhibit Hall (Northeast, Southwest & Southeast)/Hilton
Date: Sunday, July 8th, 2007
Time: 8:00 AM
Number: P76012
Abstract ID:1850 |
