What genomic data can reveal about eco-evolutionary dynamics

• Published in: Nature ecology & evolution Vol. 2; no. 1; pp. 9 - 15
• Main Authors: Rudman, Seth M., Barbour, Matthew A., Csilléry, Katalin, Gienapp, Phillip, Guillaume, Frederic, Hairston Jr, Nelson G., Hendry, Andrew P., Lasky, Jesse R., Rafajlović, Marina, Räsänen, Katja, Schmidt, Paul S., Seehausen, Ole, Therkildsen, Nina O., Turcotte, Martin M., Levine, Jonathan M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 01-01-2018; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: 631/158/2464; 631/158/857; 631/181/2474; Animal behavior; Biological and Physical Anthropology; Biomedical and Life Sciences; community dynamics; drosophila-melanogaster; Dynamics; ecological dynamics; Ecology; ecosystem; Environmental Sciences & Ecology; Evolution; Evolutionary Biology; Evolutionsbiologi; functional genomics; genetic-parameters; Genomics; Life Sciences; local adaptation; natural-populations; Paleontology; Perspective; plant-populations; Predictions; processes; rapid evolution; Zoology
• ISSN: 2397-334X; 2397-334X
• DOI: 10.1038/s41559-017-0385-2

Recognition that evolution operates on the same timescale as ecological processes has motivated growing interest in eco-evolutionary dynamics. Nonetheless, generating sufficient data to test predictions about eco-evolutionary dynamics has proved challenging, particularly in natural contexts. Here we argue that genomic data can be integrated into the study of eco-evolutionary dynamics in ways that deepen our understanding of the interplay between ecology and evolution. Specifically, we outline five major questions in the study of eco-evolutionary dynamics for which genomic data may provide answers. Although genomic data alone will not be sufficient to resolve these challenges, integrating genomic data can provide a more mechanistic understanding of the causes of phenotypic change, help elucidate the mechanisms driving eco-evolutionary dynamics, and lead to more accurate evolutionary predictions of eco-evolutionary dynamics in nature.
Studying eco-evolutionary dynamics in nature is challenging. In this Perspective, the authors discuss how genomic data can be used to understand the mechanisms behind eco-evolutionary dynamics and lead to evolutionary and ecological predictions in nature.