Ecological epigenetics

Holly J. Kilvitis, Mariano Alvarez, Christy M. Foust, Aaron W. Schrey, Marta Robertson, Christina L. Richards

Research output: Contribution to book or proceedingChapterpeer-review

59 Scopus citations

Abstract

Biologists have assumed that heritable variation due to DNA sequence differences (i.e., genetic variation) allows populations of organisms to be both robust and adaptable to extreme environmental conditions. Natural selection acts on the variation among different genotypes and ultimately changes the genetic composition of the population. While there is compelling evidence about the importance of genetic polymorphisms, evidence is accumulating that epigenetic mechanisms (e.g., chromatin modifications, DNA methylation) can affect ecologically important traits, even in the absence of genetic variation. In this chapter, we review this evidence and discuss the consequences of epigenetic variation in natural populations. We begin by defining the term epigenetics, providing a brief overview of various epigenetic mechanisms, and noting the potential importance of epigenetics in the study of ecology. We continue with a review of the ecological epigenetics literature to demonstrate what is currently known about the amount and distribution of epigenetic variation in natural populations. Then, we consider the various ecological contexts in which epigenetics has proven particularly insightful and discuss the potential evolutionary consequences of epigenetic variation. Finally, we conclude with suggestions for future directions of ecological epigenetics research.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationEcological Genomics
Subtitle of host publicationEcology and the Evolution of Genes and Genomes
PublisherSpringer New York LLC
Pages191-210
Number of pages20
ISBN (Print)9789400773462
DOIs
StatePublished - 2014

Publication series

NameAdvances in Experimental Medicine and Biology
Volume781
ISSN (Print)0065-2598

Scopus Subject Areas

  • General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Keywords

  • Ecology
  • Epigenetics
  • Phenotypic variation

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