Evolutionary considerations about climate change adaptation strategies

"Considerações evolutivas sobre estratégias adaptativas em função das mudanças climáticas"

 

Karsten Schonrogge

Centre for Ecology & Hydrology

Oxfordshire, UK

 

Environmental change in general and Climate Change in particular is happening at an unprecedented rate and indications are that the species and communities around us are changing. Organisations dedicated to conservation, but also businesses with interests in natural systems consider strategies allowing natural systems to adapt or be adapted to future conditions. I am using examples from forestry in temperate regions, but also from other study systems to illustrate particularly the role of local adaptation in relation to adaptation strategies that are currently being tested and implemented. Trees planted today will experience future climates and in the development from idea to implementation forest management might be particularly advanced. I will consider the sources of adaptive potential, timing and lessons that can be learned from natural experiments.