Uncovering the genetic basis of adaptation during the course of rapid experimental evolution in nature

Nature is experiencing an ever-changing world where dramatic environmental changes require species to adapt rapidly to new conditions. As a result, understanding when species can rapidly adapt and persist has become crucial to ensuring the preservation of vulnerable populations such as freshwater ecosystems. The current project addresses our limited understanding of the parallelism of adaptation and rapid evolution by studying genetic changes in unique protected populations of threespine stickleback fish in Haida Gwaii, BC. Although these populations are protected under the Species At Risk Act, climate change and human activities can have dramatic impacts on these populations. Understanding how these populations can rapidly adapt to a drastic change of environmental conditions thus helps us understand more generally the potential for evolution to promote long-term preservation of species and the ecosystem services they provide. This project will identify what are the key factors responsible for explaining how populations manage to rapidly adapt to new environments. It will also help identify how parallel is the adaption to similar environmental conditions. Further we will gain a better understanding of the process of adaptation to changing environments which can help protecting these populations and other freshwater environments.

Faculty Supervisor:

Andrew Hendry

Student:

Partner:

University of Bern

Discipline:

Life Sciences

Sector:

Life Sciences (not health); Sustainability & the Environment

University:

McGill University

Program: