Adapting to climate change: transgenerational acclimation as a mechanism of rapid evolution.

在气候变化的背景下，必须确定物种在多大程度上有能力在更温暖的环境中坚持下去。然而，除了对模式物种的研究外，我们对野生种群适应的潜力知之甚少。虽然传统研究预测气候变化将导致生物多样性减少，但预测往往是基于关注一个生命阶段或一代人的短期实验。最近的研究表明，一些水生物种可以世代适应气温升高，例如气候变化情景下预测的温度升高。这种现象被称为“跨代适应”，它可能是某些物种种群适应环境变化的一种强有力的机制。尽管它在改变物种对新环境的反应方面具有潜在的重要性，但它对物种在适应能力和繁殖产出方面长期应对气候变化的能力的影响在很大程度上是未被探索的。此外，我们对跨代适应的分子机制的理解是有限的。该项目旨在通过测试父母暴露在高温压力环境中如何在相同条件下改善后代的表现，来研究导致快速适应反应的过程。你将使用一种实验方法来测试跨代高温暴露对具有生态重要性的水生生物的行为、生理和生活史表现的影响。生理和生活史测量将被纳入预测模型，以预测预测的气候变化对人口的潜在影响。你将使用最先进的基因测序和生物信息学来检查基因表达模式，并将它们与适应高温的两足类动物的生理和行为表现联系起来，以确定哪些基因驱动每个特征的适应。发展生态生理学、基因组学、行为生态学、进化生物学和种群模型方面的专业知识。接受畜牧业、生态生理学(呼吸测量、热分析)和分子工具(RNA分离/QC、qPCR)(UOP)方面的培训。生物信息学(BAS)。人口/生理模型(PML/UC)。数据分析、批判性思维、科学写作。

In the context of climate change, it is imperative to determine to what extent species have the capacity to persist in a warmer environment. Yet beyond studies in model species, we understand little of the potential for adaptation in wild populations. While traditional studies predict that climate change will lead to a reduction in biodiversity, predictions are often based on short-term experiments focusing on one life stage or generation. Recent studies show that some aquatic species can acclimate to elevated temperatures, such as those projected under climate change scenarios, across generations. This phenomenon, known as "transgenerational acclimation", could be a powerful mechanism by which populations of some species adjust to environmental change. Despite its potential importance in modifying species' response to novel environments, its effects on species' ability to respond long-term to climate change, in terms of fitness and reproductive output, are largely unexplored. Moreover, our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underpinning transgenerational acclimation is limited. This project aims to investigate processes that lead to rapid adaptive responses by testing how parental exposure to thermally stressful environments improves offspring performance under the same conditions. You will use an experimental approach to test the effects of transgenerational exposure to elevated temperatures on behavioural, physiological and life-history performance of ecologically-important aquatic organisms. Physiological and lifehistory measurements will be incorporated into predictive models to forecast potential population effects of projected climate change. You will use state-of-the-art genetic sequencing and bioinformatics to examine patterns of gene expression, and correlate them with physiological and behavioural performance of amphipods acclimated to elevated temperatures, to identify which genes drive acclimation in each trait. to develop expertise in ecophysiology, genomics, behavioural ecology, evolutionary biology, and population modelling. receiving training in:Animal husbandry, eco-physiological (respirometry, thermal assays) and molecular tools (RNA isolation/QC, qPCR) (UoP). Bioinformatics (BAS).Population/physiological modelling (PML/UC). Data analysis, critical thinking, scientific writing.