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Updated: Jan 20, 2026
Animal and Plant Cell Structure
Getting Back to Nature: Feralization in Animals and Plants
Eben Gering1, Darren Incorvaia2, Rie Henriksen3
1Department of Integrative Biology and Ecology, Evolutionary Biology, and Behavior Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA; Department of Biological Sciences, Halmos College of Natural Sciences and Oceanography, Nova Southeastern University, Davie, FL, USA.
Abstract:
Formerly domesticated organisms and artificially selected genes often escape controlled cultivation, but their subsequent evolution is not well studied. In this review, we examine plant and animal feralization through an evolutionary lens, including how natural selection, artificial selection, and gene flow shape feral genomes, traits, and fitness. Available evidence shows that feralization is not a mere reversal of domestication. Instead, it is shaped by the varied and complex histories of feral populations, and by novel selection pressures. To stimulate further insight we outline several future directions. These include testing how 'domestication genes' act in wild settings, studying the brains and behaviors of feral animals, and comparative analyses of feral populations and taxa. This work offers feasible and exciting research opportunities with both theoretical and practical applications.
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