Effects of Extreme Climatic Events on Evolutionary Processes

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Evolutionary Biology
• Climate Change Science

Background:

• Climate change impacts biodiversity, with gradual warming effects well-documented.
• The influence of extreme climatic events (ECEs) on evolutionary processes remains less understood.
• ECEs pose unique challenges to evolutionary trajectories compared to gradual climate shifts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the current knowledge on the impact of ECEs on evolutionary processes.
• To explore how ECEs influence the drivers of evolution: mutation, selection, gene flow, and genetic drift.
• To identify knowledge gaps and propose future research directions.

Main Methods:

• Literature review synthesizing existing research on ECEs and evolution.
• Discussion of theoretical impacts of ECEs on evolutionary mechanisms.
• Analysis of ecological interactions and community-level consequences.

Main Results:

• ECEs can disrupt evolutionary drivers, potentially hindering adaptation and evolutionary rescue.
• The unpredictable nature of ECEs complicates species' responses.
• Understanding ECE impacts requires considering shifts in ecological interactions and community dynamics.
• Significant knowledge gaps exist regarding the genetic-level impacts of ECEs.

Conclusions:

• ECEs are a significant threat to biodiversity, impacting evolution through various pathways.
• Rapid adaptation and evolutionary rescue are constrained by ecological and genetic factors in the face of ECEs.
• Urgent, hypothesis-driven monitoring and research are needed to understand ECEs' evolutionary consequences.