Phenotypic plasticity is the ability of a single genotype to produce different behaviors and body forms (phenotypes) when exposed to different environmental conditions. Phenotypic plasticity is rapidly gaining traction as a driver of evolutionary change. This symposium, to take place at the 2012 Animal Behavior Society meeting, has two major goals. The first is to bring together senior scientists studying the role of behavioral plasticity in evolution, with younger scientists taking new approaches to the field. A second goal is to begin a major discussion about the role of behavioral plasticity in the early responses of populations to Human Induced Rapid Environmental Change (HIREC). The symposium therefore includes those interested in basic, theoretical approaches to understanding the role of behavioral plasticity in evolution and those interested in applications and should facilitate advances in understanding of the roles of plasticity in evolution from both theoretical and applied perspectives. Among the broader impacts stemming from this funding will be the inclusion (and funding) of doctoral and post-doctoral scholars conducting research on behavioral plasticity in a linked poster session to be attended by symposium participants, and related keynote and plenary address speakers. Turner Scholars (undergraduate participants at the ABS meeting supported by NSF) will also shadow the speakers during the linked poster session, including them in discussions. The symposium should also result in the generation of new ideas that will enhance our ability to predict and understand the ways in which HIREC is likely to force the evolution or extinction of species - with a particular focus on the role of behavioral plasticity in this process. The goal is to be able to anticipate situations in which intervention is essential to prevent the extinction of vulnerable species, and to avoid/prevent evolutionary transitions that result in loss of unique population phenotypes without extinction.
Phenotypic plasticity is the ability of a genotype to produce different features (phenotypes) in response to differing environmental conditions. For example, identical human twins raised apart in households in which families speak different languages will in turn speak different languages. Similarly, if one of a pair of twins experiences a traumatic event he or she may experience Post-traumatic stress disorder, whereas the twin without the experience will not. Often, the physical expression of a characteristic (the phenotype) is influenced by both environment and genes; this is phenotypic plasticity. The ability of animals (and organisms in general) to respond to the environment in this way can affect the ability of the organism to persist in its environment and can influence the course of evolutionary change. Animal behavior is often especially plastic, responding strongly to natural or social environments to which the animal is exposed. The examples above are for humans, but we also find that animals with particular experiences may be more or less aggressive based on the experience, may be more or less likely to explore new environments or may be more or less effective in finding food or attracting mates. This is because of both differences in genotypes among the individuals and differences in experience. The funding provided by this award provided partial support for a symposium on the topic of Behavioral Plasticity and Evolution at the 2012 meeting of the Animal Behavior Society in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The funding provided partial support for the invited symposium speakers, and provided $500 awards to 11 graduate students and two post-doctoral scientists, all from different institutions, to present posters in an associated poster session. Smaller awards were made to three undergraduate students who also presented posters. A number of undergraduate students who were part of the Animal Behavior Society Turner Scholarship program also had the opportunity to shadow speakers during the poster session as they spoke with the students and post-doctoral scientists presenting posters. The idea of the symposium and the 12 papers that resulted from this symposium was to enable students of behavior to learn about the ways in which phenotypic plasticity can influence evolution, and about the ways plasticity can evolve. This is important to understand for many reasons. For example, if we are to understand genetic predispositions for mental illnesses including autism and PTSD we must understand the interactions between genes and environment. Additionally, this symposium, particularly during the second day, has major implications for the way we manage conservation issues related to rapid, human-induced environmental change. The audiences were large and included many young people interested in conservation and environmental change. We fully anticipate that these students will employ what they learned as they move into careers that will help us manage population responses to the environmental changes we are causing and that also will help society come to grips with the nature of our influence upon wild populations, and the earth which is our home.
