Evolutionary Dynamics of Wild Populations

Delphine Legrand (1) , Simon Blanchet (1)

1 SETE - Station d'Ecologie Théorique et Expérimentale

Wild populations are facing rapid and sometimes extreme environmental changes that are currently exacerbated by pressing human activities. A major scientific endeavor is to reveal the evolutionary processes allowing wild populations to generate adaptive responses to these rapid and drastic environmental changes. In the recent decades, the accumulation of empirical data as well as the development of new theories and molecular tools have largely improved our ability to tackle such a major question. In particular, there is now growing evidence that evolutionary processes (gene flow, drift, mutation, and natural selection) interact in sometimes complex ways to shape the rapid responses of organisms to changing environments, and this can lead to unexpected feedback between evolutionary and ecological dynamics. These rapid responses are sustained by genetic determinants in addition to alternative inheritance systems, including those that are epigenetically controlled. Revealing these underlying molecular mechanisms of adaptation may change the way wild populations are managed and conserved.

Domaines: Biodiversité et Ecologie; Milieux et Changements globaux; Environnement et Société

Delphine Legrand, Simon Blanchet. Evolutionary Dynamics of Wild Populations. Genes, 2021, 12 (5), pp.778. ⟨10.3390/genes12050778⟩. ⟨hal-03446696⟩