Wissenschaftskolloquium

14.04.
Racing evolution: How populations rapidly adapt and repeatedly evolve colour
Dr. Niloofar Alaei Kakhki, Naturkundemuseum Stuttgart 

Climate change is transforming our environment at a rapid pace, and many species are struggling to keep up. Whether they can adapt to new conditions depends on one key factor: genetic diversity. The more varied a species’ genetic makeup is, the better its chances of survival.

A recent study on the evolutionary history of plumage colouration in songbirds highlights just how important genetic exchange between species can be. Researchers examined several species of wheatears and discovered that closely related species were able to quickly adapt to new environmental conditions by exchanging genes responsible for feather colouration.

In the Eastern black-eared wheatear, changes in a single colour gene led to the development of white plumage on the throat and back. These genetic traits were later passed on to the closely related Western black-eared wheatear through hybridization. In both species, the white back colouration eventually replaced the original black. Today, both species show a mix of black and white throat colouration — a phenomenon known as polymorphism — which is linked to the birds’ preferred food sources.

This genetic exchange between species enabled rapid adaptation in these closely related birds. In contrast, the long-term evolution of plumage colouration in more distantly related wheatears was driven by the emergence of entirely new genetic traits. The study clearly shows that species make use of all available genetic diversity — both within and between species — to adapt to their environment.

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