The importance of phenotypic plasticity and local adaptation in driving intraspecific variability in thermal niches of marine macrophytes

摘要: Climate change is driving the redistribution of species at a global scale and documenting predicting species' responses to warming principal focus contemporary ecology. When interpreting their warming, are generally treated as single homogenous physiological units. However, local adaptation phenotypic plasticity can result in intraspecific differences thermal niche. Therefore, population loss may also not only occur from trailing edges. In with low dispersal capacity this will have profound impacts for whole, be offset by immigration warm tolerant individuals. Recent evidence terrestrial forests has shown that incorporation variation niche vital accurately warming. marine macrophytes (i.e. seagrasses seaweeds) form some world's most productive diverse ecosystems been examined same context. We conducted literature review determine how common physiology macrophytes. find 90% studies identified (n = 42) found clear between geographically separated populations. non-trailing edge populations vulnerable future trends given limited capacity, such immigration. explore next generation sequencing (NGS) allowing unprecedented mechanistic insight into adaptation. conclude ‘genomic era’ it possible link understanding genetic level through changes providing novel insights on under climate change.