Evolution to the rescue? Understanding the evolution of plant behaviour in response to climate change

To predict ecological resilience in response to rapid environmental change, we need to understand: (1) how organisms change their behaviour in different environments; (2) how these changes in behaviour compromise other aspects of their phenotype and; (3) How much genetic variation there is in these behaviours, and so how quickly organisms can evolve suitable responses to the novel environments of coming decades.

These questions address two fundamental issues: why there are limits to the range of environments a single genotype (or population) can inhabit; and what limits the flexibility (plasticity) of genotypes during their lifetime? 

We have been addressing these issues using field transplant experiments on Senecio daisies on Mount Etna, Sicily, combined with measurements of changes in gene expression, key phenotypes, and their effects on fitness in the field. 

We have identified key gene networks associated with shifts in plant behaviour, and their effects on phenotypes and fitness, and have found that most adaptive variation in plant behaviour is only visible in novel environments. The project would follow up these interesting discoveries using a combination of (a) conducting field experiments on Mount Etna; (b) crossing and rearing experiments at UCL and (c) analyses of variation in gene expression and its effects on fitness. It will involve collaborations with the Universities of Catania and Napoli, as well as the University of Oxford, and the University of Tasmania.