Review
Evolutionary Biology
Zhongqi Chen, Lukas Grossfurthner, Janet L. Loxterman, Jonathan Masingale, Bryce A. Richardson, Travis Seaborn, Brandy Smith, Lisette P. Waits, Shawn R. Narum
Summary: Assisted migration (AM) is a conservation option to improve species' adaptive capacity by managing the movement of climate-adapted individuals. While conservation biologists have used genetic tools to increase diversity of natural populations, genomic techniques offer additional benefits in AM by targeting selectively neutral and adaptive regions of the genome. Limited application of genomic methods in AM, especially in non-plant organisms, has been observed, but there is potential for more successful applications with advancing sequencing technology and accumulating genomic data.
EVOLUTIONARY APPLICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Samuel Prieto-Benitez, Javier Morente-Lopez, Maria Luisa Rubio Teso, Carlos Lara-Romero, Alfredo Garcia-Fernandez, Elena Torres, Jose Maria Iriondo
Summary: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of different gene flow treatments on desired trait changes in marginal populations. The results showed that different gene flow treatments may trigger different responses in critical traits throughout the ontogeny of plant species.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Daniel Crespo, Jose Albiac, Ariel Dinar, Encarna Esteban, Taher Kahil
Summary: The paper emphasizes the importance of considering ecosystem benefits in water management decision-making. By evaluating different water management policies, the study finds that protecting environmental flows can enhance social welfare, but tradeoffs exist between economic and environmental benefits. The study provides insights for the protection of environmental flows in the Ebro Basin, especially considering the imminent impacts of climate change on water availability.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Tomoaki Chubachi, Taichi Oguchi, Kazuki Morita, Nanami Hayashi, Akira Kikuchi, Kazuo N. Watanabe
Summary: This study conducted a 6-year field trial in Japan and found that temperature fluctuations affect the photosynthetic quantum yield levels of Eucalyptus globulus leaves. Using meteorological data from the past 70 years, the researchers simulated that global warming will increase the potential plantation area of E. globulus in Japan by approximately 1.5-fold over the next 70 years.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Review
Biodiversity Conservation
Nathalie Seddon, Alison Smith, Pete Smith, Isabel Key, Alexandre Chausson, Cecile Girardin, Jo House, Shilpi Srivastava, Beth Turner
Summary: Nature-based solutions (NbS) have gained popularity as an integrated approach to address climate change and biodiversity loss, but concerns have been raised about the overemphasis on tree planting for carbon sequestration. NbS should encompass a wide range of ecosystems, engage local communities, and be explicitly designed to benefit biodiversity in order to effectively tackle urgent challenges.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Forestry
Mina Hong, Cholho Song, Moonil Kim, Jiwon Kim, Minwoo Roh, Youngjin Ko, Kijong Cho, Yowhan Son, Seongwoo Jeon, Florian Kraxner, Woo-Kyun Lee
Summary: The IPCC emphasizes the role of forests in sequestering greenhouse gases and highlights the importance of predicting and evaluating changes in forests due to climate change. This study uses the KO-G-Dynamic model to assess risk dynamics in the forest growth sector and finds that current forests in Korea are imbalanced in terms of age class. However, forest management scenarios and policies can help reduce the risk of forest growth in response to climate change.
Article
Environmental Sciences
M. D. M. Kadiyala, Swamikannu Nedumaran, Jyosthnaa Padmanabhan, Murali Krishna Gumma, Sridhar Gummadi, Srinivas Reddy Srigiri, Richard Robertson, Anthony Whitbread
Summary: This study examines the biophysical and socio-economic impacts of climate change on groundnut production in India, highlighting the importance of a holistic assessment of these factors. Modelled projections show the sensitivity of climate change impacts to differences in socioeconomic factors, emphasizing the need to consider market effects to gain a comprehensive understanding of how economic and environmental factors impact agricultural food systems and economies.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ewelina A. Klupczynska, Tomasz A. Pawlowski
Summary: Environmental conditions play a crucial role in plant reproduction, as changes in climate can disrupt seed germination and dormancy, affecting plant diversity and suitable habitats. The adaptive mechanism of seed dormancy can help buffer against the negative impacts of environmental changes, highlighting the need to understand how temperature and humidity influence seed germination patterns. Integrating research techniques from different biology disciplines, such as transcriptomics and proteomics, can aid in understanding the processes controlling seed germination.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Urban Studies
Elisa Sainz de Murieta, Ibon Galarraga, Marta Olazabal
Summary: Many cities are facing uncertainty in adapting to climate risks, with current policies failing to fully incorporate risk-related information. It is crucial to understand how policies address current and future risks to effectively reduce vulnerability and increase resilience. The study presents an Adaptation-Risk Policy Alignment framework to assess the integration of risk knowledge in climate change adaptation policies.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Anson T. H. Ma, Gwendolyn K. L. Wong, Lewis T. O. Cheung, Alex Y. Lo, C. Y. Jim
Summary: This study examines the impacts of risk perception and perceived adaptive capacity on sustainable adaptation attitudes and behaviors in individuals, revealing interesting relationships such as inconsistencies between the regression analysis results of PAC as a single construct and factors of PAC obtained from exploratory factor analysis.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Matthias Garschagen, Deepal Doshi
Summary: The architecture of global climate change adaptation finance is evolving towards fund mechanisms with competitive application and allocation principles. Prioritizing the most vulnerable countries is a key goal in this emerging architecture. However, the current allocation process has resulted in some countries with the highest climate vulnerability but weak government institutions being unable to access project funding.
GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE-HUMAN AND POLICY DIMENSIONS
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Emilie Boulanger, Laura Benestan, Pierre-Edouard Guerin, Alicia Dalongeville, David Mouillot, Stephanie Manel
Summary: By studying the genomic patterns of two sympatric fish species in the Mediterranean Sea, it was found that there are contrasting patterns of gene flow and adaptive genetic variation between the two species. The white seabream exhibited panmixia across the Mediterranean Sea, while the striped red mullet showed additional differentiation within the Mediterranean Sea that was correlated to summer and winter temperatures, as well as marine primary productivity.
JOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Kumar Bahadur Darjee, Prem Raj Neupane, Michael Koehl
Summary: This study explores the proactive responses of local communities in Nepal to climate change impacts. Through interviews and data analysis, it found that over 83% of households implemented both proactive and reactive measures, with over 50 proactive adaptation measures being implemented. Factors such as livelihood options and spatial factors were found to be decisive factors in choosing proactive adaptation.
Article
Forestry
Mirjam Kurz, Adrian Koelz, Jonas Gorges, Beatriz Pablo Carmona, Peter Brang, Yann Vitasse, Martin Kohler, Fabio Rezzonico, Theo H. M. Smits, Juergen Bauhus, Andreas Rudow, Ole Kim Hansen, Mohammad Vatanparast, Hakan Sevik, Petar Zhelev, Dusan Gomory, Ladislav Paule, Christoph Sperisen, Katalin Csillery
Summary: In this study, the benefits and risks of human-aided translocation of Oriental beech into European beech populations were explored. It was found that Oriental beech had a certain genetic divergence from European beech and also possessed variants adapted to future climatic conditions. Therefore, the introduction of Oriental beech could increase the genetic diversity and promote the evolution of variants adapted to future climatic conditions in European beech stands.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Studies
Ricardo Pelai, Shannon M. Hagerman, Robert Kozak
Summary: The study finds that while policymakers and government scientists recognize the need to engage industry, Indigenous Peoples, and the general public, these groups are often seen as knowledge receivers. Beliefs about what counts as credible expertise (and who can produce it) have led to other forms of knowledge being excluded from decision-making, limiting possibilities for transformative change.
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Aki Jarl Laruson, Matthew C. Fitzpatrick, Stephen R. Keller, Benjamin C. Haller, Katie E. Lotterhos
Summary: This study explores the relationship between GF Offset and fitness in the Gradient Forest algorithm, and finds that GF Offset is correlated with fitness offsets under both single locus and polygenic architectures. However, neutral demography, genomic architecture, and the nature of the adaptive environment can confound this relationship.
EVOLUTIONARY APPLICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Biology
Manisha Munasinghe, Benjamin C. Haller, Andrew G. Clark
Summary: In this study, the consequences of sexually antagonistic mitochondrial-nuclear interactions in a subdivided population were investigated using computer simulations. Disrupting these interactions resulted in less-fit males, but the strength of these interactions was not enough to drive population isolation.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Groves Dixon, Mikhail Matz
Summary: This study does not support the direct involvement of GBM in regulating dynamic transcriptional responses in invertebrates and suggests the involvement of additional factors or regulatory influences.
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Rodrigo Pracana, Richard Burns, Robert L. Hammond, Benjamin C. Haller, Yannick Wurm
Summary: This study uses the SLiM simulation environment to create a new model for simulating genetic evolution in haplodiploid species. The researchers find that selection on recessive mutations is more effective in haplodiploids than in diploids. The open-source model developed in this study enhances our understanding of social evolution and the response of ecologically important haplodiploid species to environmental changes.
GENOME BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Robert van Woesik, Tom Shlesinger, Andrea G. Grottoli, Rob J. Toonen, Rebecca Vega Thurber, Mark E. Warner, Ann Marie Hulver, Leila Chapron, Rowan H. McLachlan, Rebecca Albright, Eric Crandall, Thomas M. DeCarlo, Mary K. Donovan, Jose Eirin-Lopez, Hugo B. Harrison, Scott F. Heron, Danwei Huang, Adriana Humanes, Thomas Krueger, Joshua S. Madin, Derek Manzello, Lisa C. McManus, Mikhail Matz, Erinn M. Muller, Mauricio Rodriguez-Lanetty, Maria Vega-Rodriguez, Christian R. Voolstra, Jesse Zaneveld
Summary: The global impacts of climate change are evident in every marine ecosystem, particularly on coral reefs where mass coral bleaching and mortality are common responses. Linking information across scientific disciplines and scales is a major challenge, but adopting an integrative approach can advance coral-reef science and guide conservation efforts. Establishing networks of protected reefs across national boundaries may be the best chance for corals to persist through climate change.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Elissa S. Sorojsrisom, Benjamin C. Haller, Barbara A. Ambrose, Deren A. R. Eaton
Summary: Plant life cycle models and sexual systems variation can affect genetic diversity and linkage disequilibrium. The shadie program allows for simulations and analysis of biphasic life cycles, helping plant researchers investigate the role of gametophyte life stage and the effects of variation in plant life cycles on plant genome evolution.
APPLICATIONS IN PLANT SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Louis Schlecker, Christopher Page, Mikhail Matz, Rachel M. Wright
Summary: Microfragmentation is a technique to accelerate coral growth rates by cutting corals into small pieces. It has been successful in restoring Caribbean reefs, but the biological processes and tradeoffs involved are not well understood.
Article
Biology
Sara M. Schaal, Benjamin C. Haller, Katie E. Lotterhos
Summary: Inversions play an important role in local adaptation and can accumulate many small-effect loci over time, even without large-effect genes. The characteristics of inversions found in empirical studies are consistent with a highly polygenic architecture.
PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2022)
Review
Ecology
Maria Beger, Anna Metaxas, Arieanna C. Balbar, Jennifer A. McGowan, Remi Daigle, Caitlin D. Kuempel, Eric A. Treml, Hugh P. Possingham
Summary: This study explores the inclusion of connectivity in conservation planning objectives and proposes methods to design spatial management areas that benefit from biodiversity resulting from connectivity.
TRENDS IN ECOLOGY & EVOLUTION
(2022)
Editorial Material
Biochemical Research Methods
Benjamin C. Haller
PLOS COMPUTATIONAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Benjamin C. Haller, Philipp W. Messer
Summary: The SLiM software framework, widely used in population genetics, has been restricted to modeling only a single species, limiting its broader application in evolutionary biology. The lack of a general-purpose, flexible modeling framework that supports simulating multiple species with explicit genetics and continuous space has hindered our ability to model higher biological levels, such as communities, ecosystems, coevolutionary and eco-evolutionary processes, and biodiversity. The release of SLiM 4 addresses this significant gap by adding support for multiple species and ecological interactions, and provides examples to showcase its new features.
AMERICAN NATURALIST
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Mary A. Young, Kay Critchell, Adam D. Miller, Eric A. Treml, Michael Sams, Rafael Carvalho, Daniel Ierodiaconou
Summary: This research examines the decline of kelp forests in southeast Australia, finding that multiple environmental factors, including increasing temperatures and intensifying wave energy, contribute to the decrease in kelp coverage. Using predictive models, the study also projects a further decline in the distribution of kelp species by 2090. The understanding of these environmental factors can guide restoration efforts and management strategies for the preservation of kelp populations.
DIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Sarah Barfield, Sarah W. Davies, Mikhail V. Matz
Summary: This study investigated the possibility of sweepstakes reproductive success (SRS) in Acropora hyacinthus at Yap Island, Micronesia. The genetic diversity of adults and juveniles at different sites was compared, and a dip in genetic diversity was observed in juveniles compared to adults at two sites. However, there was no detectable genetic structure among juveniles. Nonetheless, a pair of juvenile siblings was identified at the site with the lowest genetic diversity, suggesting the existence of SRS.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Bea Angelica Andersson, Wei Zhao, Benjamin C. Haller, Ake Braennstrom, Xiao-Ru Wang
Summary: The distribution of fitness effects (DFE) of new mutations has been a topic of interest for evolutionary biologists. However, little is known about how data processing, sample size, and population structure impact the accuracy of DFE inference. This study demonstrates that the choice of missing-data treatment, sample size, SNP quantity, and population structure can affect DFE estimation accuracy and variance. Downsampling proves to be the most effective method, while small samples and limited SNPs can lead to unreliable DFE estimates. Moreover, population structure may bias the inferred DFE towards more deleterious mutations.
MOLECULAR ECOLOGY RESOURCES
(2023)
Article
Biology
M. Elise Lauterbur, Maria Izabel A. Cavassim, Ariella L. Gladstein, Graham Gower, Nathaniel S. Pope, Georgia Tsambos, Jeffrey Adrion, Saurabh Belsare, Arjun Biddanda, Victoria Caudill, Jean Cury, Ignacio Echevarria, Benjamin C. Haller, Ahmed R. Hasan, Xin Huang, Leonardo Nicola Martin Iasi, Ekaterina Noskova, Jana Obsteter, Vitor Antonio Correa Pavinato, Alice Pearson, David Peede, Manolo F. Perez, Murillo F. Rodrigues, Chris C. R. Smith, Jeffrey P. Spence, Anastasia Teterina, Silas Tittes, Per Unneberg, Juan Manuel Vazquez, Ryan K. Waples, Anthony Wilder Wohns, Yan Wong, Franz Baumdicker, Reed A. Cartwright, Gregor Gorjanc, Ryan N. Gutenkunst, Jerome Kelleher, Andrew D. Kern, Aaron P. Ragsdale, Peter L. Ralph, Daniel R. Schrider, Ilan Gronau
Summary: Simulation is crucial for population genetics research, but it remains a challenge to produce simulations that accurately represent genomic datasets. The development of more realistic simulations has become possible with advances in genetic data and simulation software. However, it still requires significant time and specialized knowledge.