DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Understanding thermal adaptation to climate change using a globally invasive species

Stanford University, Stanford CA

Investigators

Abstract

Animals adapt to their environments through several processes that act on different time scales, from rapid changes within an individual to longer-term evolution across entire populations. This project investigates the mechanisms behind adaptation to temperature in a widespread invasive species, the European green crab. Green crab populations across Europe, where the species is native, will be studied for the limits of their temperature tolerance, and to determine the genes and pathways involved in this tolerance. These results will be compared with data already collected in the invasive range to determine whether populations from different environments and histories respond to temperature differently, and to examine whether they use the same genes in the same ways to deal with temperature. Invasive species have to adapt to novel environments quickly, and offer a wonderful opportunity to examine the pace and mechanisms of rapid adaptation. The way that animals adapt in nature over short time scales is not well-understood, but is particularly important in predicting and planning for their response to rapid environmental shifts. Understanding how green crabs adapt to novel temperatures will be useful in understanding how many species will react to climate change. In addition, this project will foster collaboration with European researchers, and will provide opportunities for public outreach in the field.