Such changes mean species threatened by climate change may find ways to adapt far quicker than through changes in DNA, which come with evolution.
Researchers studied the Winter Skate (Leucoraja ocellata), in waters that are around 7000 years old and significantly warmer than those where the rest of the species range is found. They observed many physical and functional adaptations which allow the species to cope with the significantly different set of environmental conditions observed in this shallow, warm habitat.
Dr Jack Lighten from UEA’s School of Environmental Sciences says this type of adaptation is due to epigenetic changes – caused by modification of gene expression where instructions in DNA are converted into a functional product, i.e. protein.
These adaptations are particularly important for species with long maturation times and low reproductive potential, as typically these life-history characteristics result in slow evolution. Rapid changes in gene expression, irrespective of changes in the DNA sequence, can allow rapid modification of an organisms biological characteristics and fuel a form of rapid adaptation.
Continue reading at University of East Anglia
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