Evolutionary response to environmental uncertainty

对环境不确定性的进化反应

• 批准号: RGPIN-2015-03922
• 负责人: Simons, Andrew
• 金额: $ 2.33万
• 依托单位: Carleton University
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2015
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2015-01-01 至 2016-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=589472
• 关键词: Evolutionary; response; environmental; uncertainty

Natural environments are constantly changing; changes can be of any magnitude and occur over all time scales. Over 99% of species that have inhabited this planet are now extinct, and the remaining species are representatives of evolving lineages that have survived all change. Study of adaptation to change has broad applicability; for example, evolution of infectious disease-causing microbes is a story of rapid adaptation to new (host) environments. Despite its importance, much remains to be learned about how organisms evolve to cope with change. We do know that adaptation takes three main forms: 1) evolutionary “tracking” of the environment as it changes, 2) the evolution of the ability to make plastic adjustments to suit the circumstances within an organism’s lifetime, and 3) the evolution of safe or “bet-hedging” characteristics to avert risk during hard times (analogous to purchasing insurance). Little is known about the relative importance of these three forms of adaptation, or how they interact to influence survival through future change. The research supported by this NSERC Discovery Grant will lead to progress in the understanding of organismal response to environmental variation by using novel experimental laboratory and field approaches.

自然环境是不断变化的；变化可以是任何大小，发生在所有时间尺度上。居住在这个星球上的超过99%的物种现在已经灭绝，剩下的物种是进化血统的代表，它们在所有变化中幸存下来。适应变化的研究具有广泛的适用性；例如，传染病致病微生物的进化是一个快速适应新(宿主)环境的故事。尽管它很重要，但关于有机体如何进化以应对变化，仍有许多需要了解。我们知道，适应有三种主要形式：1)在环境变化时对环境进行进化“跟踪”；2)进行可塑性调整以适应生物体一生中的环境的能力的进化；3)在困难时期为避免风险而进化的安全或“避险”特征(类似于购买保险)。关于这三种适应形式的相对重要性，或者它们如何相互作用，通过未来的变化影响生存，人们知之甚少。这项由NSERC发现基金支持的研究将通过使用新颖的实验实验室和野外方法，在理解生物对环境变化的反应方面取得进展。