[MCN] NREPA/Connectivity/Sprawl-related report

[Lance Olsen]

Biology Letters Published 21 June 2016

Evolutionary traps and range shifts in a rapidly changing world
Robin Hale, John R. Morrongiello, Stephen E. Swearer

Abstract
http://rsbl.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/12/6/20160003

Humans are altering the environment at an 
unprecedented rate. Although behavioural 
plasticity has allowed many species to respond by 
shifting their ranges to more favourable 
conditions, these rapid environmental changes may 
cause 'evolutionary traps', whereby animals 
mistakenly prefer resources that reduce their 
fitness. The role of evolutionary traps in 
influencing the fitness consequences of range 
shifts remains largely unexplored. Here, we 
review these interactions by considering how 
climate change may trigger maladaptive 
developmental pathways or increase the 
probability of animals encountering traps. We 
highlight how traps could selectively remove some 
phenotypes and compromise population persistence. 
We conclude by highlighting emerging areas of 
research that would improve our understanding of 
when interactions between evolutionary traps and 
range shifts are likely to be most detrimental to 
animals.




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"Congress offers change without change -- a green 
economy built on cheap coal and petrol; a 
healthcare transformation that asks nobody to pay 
more taxes or behave any differently -- because 
that is what voters want. Is it too much to ask 
that Mr Obama should tell voters the truth? I 
think he could do it. He has everything it takes 
to be a strong president. He is choosing to be a 
weak one."

Clive Crook. "Obama is choosing to be a weak 
president." Financial Times, June 28, 2009

============================================================

" One can quibble with some assumptions or tweak 
Smil's calculations, but the bottom line will not 
change, only the time it may take humanity to 
reach a crisis point."

Stephen Running. "Approaching the Limits" Science 15 March 2013.

Book review. Harvesting the Biosphere: What we 
have taken from Nature. by Vaclav Smil .  MIT 
Press, Cambridge, MA, 2012. 315 pp. $29, £19.95. 
ISBN 9780262018562.

I have the full review as pdf. Lance
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