A team of international researchers, led by Rose Thorogood and Ville Mustonen, has published a landmark study that redefines our understanding of biological resilience. This comprehensive research explores resilience from the most minor genetic level to entire ecosystems, offering a new perspective on how nature withstands and adapts to environmental changes.
The study, titled “Understanding and applying biological resilience from genes to ecosystems,” goes beyond traditional views of resilience, which often focus on the ability of ecosystems to bounce back from disturbances. Instead, it examines resilience at multiple biological levels, including genes, cells, individual organisms, populations, and communities. This approach recognizes that resilience is not just about recovering from changes but also resisting disturbances and adapting to new conditions.
For example, consider trees in a forest frequently affected by seasonal fires. Resilience here can be defined as the ability of these trees to grow back and reproduce rapidly before the subsequent forest fires. The study helps us interpret resilience as an ecological function that can also change the genetic structure. In this case, the trees have adapted for faster growth and reproduction, a trait honed over generations facing similar challenges. Here, genes promoting speedier growth rates were naturally selected, showcasing how resilience operates on a genetic level.
Key to this study is the concept that resilience can be encoded at a genetic level, with evolutionary processes playing a critical role. The researchers argue that understanding past environmental impacts on biological systems can provide vital clues about how they might respond to future challenges. This insight is crucial in facing rapid ecological changes due to climate change, habitat destruction, and other human activities.
The implications of this study are far-reaching. It suggests that conservation and management strategies must consider resilience at multiple levels of biological organization. This could lead to more effective and sustainable approaches to preserving biodiversity and ecosystem services.
This study underscores the complexity and interconnectedness of natural systems. It highlights the importance of considering the full spectrum of biological organization when studying environmental resilience, from the molecular to the ecological.
Delving deeper into the original paper will provide a richer understanding of these concepts. The study is titled “Understanding and applying biological resilience from genes to ecosystems” by Rose Thorogood, Ville Mustonen, and their team and is published in the journal Nature Biodiversity.
Citation: Thorogood, R., Mustonen, V., et al. Understanding and applying biological resilience from genes to ecosystems. Nat. Biodivers. (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s44185-023-00022-6
