UNC Ecology Seminar: Eric Palkovacs

Contemporary evolution as an agent of ecological change

Traits determine how species interact and, in turn, how communities and ecosystems function. Ecological theories typically assume that traits are static on so-called ecological time scales. However, recent evidence for contemporary evolution raises the question of whether rapid trait changes can impact ecological dynamics. I examined the effects of contemporary evolution in fishes on ecological processes in two aquatic ecosystems - New England lakes and Trinidadian streams. In both cases, contemporary evolution caused significant community and ecosystem changes. These results suggest that contemporary evolution deserves more attention as a potential agent of ecological change.