EndeNiche

ENDENICHE. Intraspecific variation and the response of endemic species to global changes

Environmental change is rapidly accelerating, and many species will need to adapt or migrate to survive. Genetic variation is crucial to the persistence of populations as it affects their fitness and their adaptive capacity to tolerate global changes. Potential mechanisms include: genetically-depleted populations might be less tolerant to stressors and occupy narrow niches; local evolutionary adaptations might allow populations to exploit different niches. Despite progress in understanding how species can respond to global changes, little is known about the effects of intra-specific diversity on species adaptive potential, and genetic variation is rarely integrated into analyses of species response to environmental change. EndeNiche aims to develop eco-evolutionary models integrating local adaptation and genetic diversity with eco-physiology across representative endemic and non-endemic reptiles. EndeNiche will provide a novel understanding of the response of endemic species to global changes, delivering key indications for conservation.