Molecular regulation of phenotypic plasticity in extreme and fluctuating environments

Abstract

Extreme environments can be lethal to most organisms. However, a select group has evolved a variety of physiological, morphological, life history, and / or behavioral adaptations that allow them to survive under environmental conditions that are challenging for life in general. An example of these extreme systems is rocky intertidal areas in coastal environments. These habitats are highly variable and dynamic at different time scales (e.g., seasons / day-night) and spatial (e.g., vertical zonation). The organisms that live there are continuously exposed to high variations in temperature, oxygen, dehydration, salinity, irradiation, etc., which create natural selection and environmental gradients. Despite this, there are some species that are dominant in these environments because they exhibit a great ability to survive through plastic changes in physiological traits. In this presentation I will discuss the ecological and evolutionary importance of this phenotypic plasticity in the context of climate change. Additionally, I will present examples of the genetic / functional basis of this plasticity and its implications for natural selection and the evolution of physiological adaptations in extreme and highly changing environments.