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Integrating Earth-life systems: a geogenomic approach
Greer A Dolby1, Scott E K Bennett2, Rebecca J Dorsey3
1School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA; Center for Mechanisms of Evolution, Biodesign Center, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA; Baja GeoGenomics Consortium, www.bajageogenomics.org.
Trends in Ecology & Evolution
|February 6, 2022
Summary
Geogenomics integrates geologic, climatic, and genomic data to understand how Earth processes shape species evolution. This emerging field requires new tools and collaborations to explore Earth-life interactions at the mesoscale.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Evolutionary Biology
- Geosciences
Background:
- Earth's landscape and climate have long been known to influence species distribution and evolution.
- Understanding these complex interactions requires integrating diverse data types.
Purpose of the Study:
- Introduce and define the emerging field of geogenomics.
- Highlight the need for transdisciplinary approaches and new quantitative tools.
- Propose geogenomics as a framework to test cause-effect relationships between Earth and life.
Main Methods:
- Deep integration of geologic, climatic, and population genomic data.
- Reconstruction of landscape and evolutionary histories using technological advances.
- Focus on intermediate spatial and temporal scales (mesoscale).
Main Results:
- Geogenomics offers a novel approach to study Earth-life interactions.
- Technological advancements facilitate detailed reconstruction of historical data.
- Transdisciplinary collaboration is crucial for data integration.
Conclusions:
- Geogenomics can contribute to a unified theory of biodiversity generation.
- The field aims to characterize conditions under which geologic and climatic processes create new biodiversity.
- Understanding species' differential responses to Earth processes is a key goal.
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