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Following the Dynamics of Structural Variants in Experimentally Evolved Populations
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Evolutionary traps and range shifts in a rapidly changing world.

Robin Hale1, John R Morrongiello2, Stephen E Swearer2

  • 1School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville 3010, Australia robin.hale@unimelb.edu.au.

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Summary

Rapid environmental changes can create evolutionary traps, where animals choose resources that harm their fitness. This review explores how these traps impact species adapting to climate change and shifting ranges, potentially affecting population survival.

Keywords:
HiRECdispersalfitnesshabitat selectionplasticity

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Area of Science:

  • Ecology
  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Conservation Biology

Background:

  • Human activities are rapidly altering global environments.
  • Species are exhibiting behavioral plasticity, shifting ranges in response to climate change.
  • Rapid changes may lead to 'evolutionary traps,' where animals select suboptimal resources, reducing fitness.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the role of evolutionary traps in the fitness consequences of species range shifts.
  • To review how climate change interacts with evolutionary traps.
  • To identify research gaps for understanding the detrimental effects of these interactions on animal populations.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review synthesizing current research on evolutionary traps and range shifts.
  • Analysis of how climate change may induce maladaptive developmental pathways.
  • Examination of how environmental changes increase the likelihood of animals encountering evolutionary traps.

Main Results:

  • Evolutionary traps can arise from rapid environmental alterations, leading animals to prefer detrimental resources.
  • Climate change can exacerbate the formation and impact of evolutionary traps.
  • These traps can lead to selective removal of certain phenotypes and threaten population persistence.

Conclusions:

  • Interactions between evolutionary traps and range shifts pose significant risks to animal populations.
  • Further research is needed to understand the conditions under which these interactions are most detrimental.
  • Addressing evolutionary traps is crucial for effective conservation strategies in a changing climate.