Oct 30
Tom Reed
UW—SAFS
Adapting to climate change: eco-evolutionary insights from seabirds and salmon
Abstract
Climate change is imposing strong selection on traits that influence the demographic performance of individuals in variable environments. Whether populations can keep demographic pace with rapid environmental change depends largely on their intrinsic capacity to respond by genetic change (evolution) or phenotypic plasticity. The relative importance of these interacting mechanisms depends on the life history, ecological and genetic particulars of the species in question. I explore these issues drawing on insights from previous work conducted with long-lived iteroparous seabirds, and current work on semelparous Pacific salmon. Both groups are experiencing major environmental perturbations linked to climate change, but rely on very different life history strategies to cope with environmental variability. Late age at maturity, low fecundity and reduced effective population sizes conspire to restrict the potential for rapid evolutionary responses in seabirds, and adaptive plasticity may be crucial to their persistence. Pacific salmon, on the other hand, are characterized by shorter generation times and high fecundity and likely harbor great potential for contemporary evolutionary responses, as testified by documented instances of rapid evolution in introduced stocks. The role that plasticity will play in shaping phenotypic adaptation in salmon is, however, unclear. An eco-evolutionary perspective on these issues suggests the need for greater focus on feedbacks between demography, ecology and genetics.
Bio
Tom Reed was an undergraduate at the National University of Ireland, Galway, and completed a B.Sc. in Environmental Science there in 2002. He received his PhD from the University of Edinburgh, UK, in 2007, where he worked on the evolutionary ecology of seabird populations experiencing dramatic environmental changes. After a brief stint working with desert birds in the Kalahari of South Africa, he moved to Seattle in March 2008 to begin a post-doc with Daniel Schindler and Robin Waples (NMFS), looking at potential evolutionary responses of salmon to climate change.
Aquatic & Fishery Sciences Home
The University of Washington is committed to providing access, equal opportunity and reasonable accommodation in its services, programs, activities, education and employment for individuals with disabilities. To request disability accommodation, contact the Disability Services Office at least 10 days in advance at 206-543-6450/V, 206-543-6452/TTY, 206-685-7264 (FAX); dso@u.washington.edu.
webmaster@fish.washington.edu
Updated