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Resurrection of Dormant Daphnia magna: Protocol and Applications

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Published on: January 19, 2018

Cryptic eco-evolutionary dynamics.

Michael T Kinnison¹, Nelson G Hairston², Andrew P Hendry³

¹School of Biology and Ecology, University of Maine, Orono, Maine.

Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences

|December 1, 2015

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Complex interactions in nature, known as eco-evolutionary dynamics, can be hard to spot. This review highlights how these intertwined processes may appear simple, urging scientists to look closer for cryptic ecological and evolutionary patterns.

Keywords:

coevolution community genetics eco-evolutionary feedback evolutionary rescue rapid or contemporary evolution stabilizing selection

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Area of Science:

Ecology
Evolutionary Biology
Theoretical Ecology

Background:

Natural systems exhibit complex interactions crucial for ecology and evolution.
A bias towards seeking simple explanations can obscure intricate eco-evolutionary dynamics.
Intertwined environmental, ecological, phenotypic, and genetic processes drive complex dynamics.

Purpose of the Study:

To temper the inclination to seek only simple explanations in ecology and evolution.
To highlight how complex eco-evolutionary outcomes can appear similar to simpler ecological or evolutionary patterns.
To identify observational biases and mechanisms leading to cryptic eco-evolutionary dynamics.

Main Methods:

Review of theoretical frameworks in eco-evolutionary dynamics.
Synthesis of empirical evidence demonstrating cryptic patterns.
Analysis of feedback mechanisms linking ecological and evolutionary processes.

Main Results:

Eco-evolutionary outcomes can mimic purely ecological, evolutionary, or null expectations, rendering them cryptic.
Specific observational biases and feedback mechanisms contribute to the formation of cryptic patterns.
Cryptic dynamics can be associated with ecological stability, resilience, and recovery.

Conclusions:

Recognizing cryptic eco-evolutionary dynamics is essential for a comprehensive understanding of natural systems.
Further research is needed to develop methods for detecting and studying these often-hidden processes.
Understanding cryptic dynamics offers insights into ecosystem stability and adaptation in a changing world.