By: Sophia S.
Warming temperatures, rising sea levels, and increased storm intensity are wreaking havoc on plants, animals, and humans alike. As climate change speeds up, habitats and homes are being destroyed and we are all forced to adjust. Luckily for humans, we have the powers of modern technology. As temperatures increase, we simply crank up the air conditioning and if our homes get destroyed we can easily move using cars, planes, and more. Unfortunately, other species aren’t afforded this same luxury and are forced to try and stay ahead of climate change using rapid adaptation. This is when species change their behavior or even physical characteristics at a much faster pace than normal. Though scientists have observed rapid adaptation before with native and invasive species adapting to each other’s presence, it was still something that scientists were shocked to see with climate change.
The easiest and most common form of adaptation is called phenotypic plasticity, which involves the ability to adapt without any changes in genes, meaning these adaptations are not inheritable. There are many examples of phenotypic plasticity around us and you may have even noticed some. If you have thought that spring appears to be coming earlier, you would be correct. While the spring equinox, which marks the official first day of spring, is staying mostly the same, the accompanying spring weather is coming significantly earlier. Because of this, species that rely on environmental cues to determine when they bloom, breed, or migrate, are adapting and doing those things much earlier. As another way of responding to the earth’s warming temperatures, some animals are moving to higher altitudes or latitudes to maintain the same temperatures that they are used to. While a change in location may not seem that dramatic to humans, because of it, animals such as the quino checkerspot butterfly are now forced to lay their eggs on a new host plant and generally adapt to their new community. Scientists are continuing to find more evidence of phenotypic plasticity in the world, including some corals that are learning not to spit out their algae, or bleach, at such high rates when in warmer pools.
Climate-driven natural selection is now favoring brown tawny owls over grey ones.
Photo from: Science News
What scientists are really hoping to find though, are more examples of genetic evolution. Genetic evolution differs from phenotypic plasticity in that it leads to changes in genes, making traits inheritable. This process occurs through natural selection, where individuals with the most favorable traits are more likely to survive and produce offspring, resulting in a population's genes favoring one characteristic over another. Examples of rapid genetic evolution include the tawny owl, which originally favored a pale grey plumage in order to blend in with its snowy habitat. As the snow began to disappear, the owl began favoring a more brown plumage to blend in better with the woodsier habitat. Another example is two spot ladybugs, who used to have similar amounts of non-melanic (red with back dots) and melanic (black with red dots) individuals. These ladybugs now favor the non-melanic combo, as the lighter coloring helps to keep them cooler. Similarly, the larger banded snail has begun favoring a lighter shell coloring over a darker one for the same reason. Even plants are undergoing genetic evolution and wild thyme have begun producing more pungent oils to ward off the herbivores that are becoming more common with increased temperatures.
Many of the species that are evolving actually have an advantage in rapid genetic evolution. Species with short lives, such as insects, have significantly more generations for the natural selection process to occur than long longer living species. Species that have more gene variants are also at an advantage because of their larger range for adaptability. While these advantages are great for those who have them, longer living species with low genetic variance are at a significant disadvantage when it comes to rapid genetic evolution.
Learning about how animals are adapting to climate change is wildly important for scientists, as it would enable them to identify the species most in need of human help. Taking the time to conduct studies and provide human help would allow us to start taking steps to rectify the damage we have done to the natural world. While some species are adapting fantastically, many are not nearly as lucky. These species are still dealing with the full force of climate change, and for those that are adapting, it’s only a matter of time before climate change moves too fast for them to keep up.
Discussion Questions:
What do you think your favorite animal could do to adapt to climate change?
In what ways could humans help the species that aren’t adapting to climate change?