Local adaptation is characterized by natural selection for traits that improve fitness under local conditions, irrespective of consequences of these traits in other habitats. Scientists have studied local adaptation via reciprocal transplant experiments: planting individuals of the same species from two different locations together, then assessing if individuals grown at their home site show higher survival and reproduction. However, the extent to which underlying genetic changes contribute to local adaptation remains poorly understood. This research aims to illuminate the genomic basis of local adaptation by pairing reciprocal transplant experiments with genome-wide genetic analysis, using Arabidopsis thaliana plants from different habitats in Sweden.
The novelty of this study lies in two areas: the application of cutting-edge genomic resources to plant populations growing in native habitats, and the ability to pinpoint specific regions of the genome associated with survival and reproduction in the field. The researchers will disseminate results, information on rare and isolated populations of A. thaliana, and seed stocks widely to the scientific community. Finally, the value of this research becomes clear when considering the challenges of global climate change, conservation, and habitat restoration in the modern world, all of which touch on the issue of adaptation to specific environmental conditions.
