May 07, 2021 02:11 AM EDT
(Photo : Dr. Guojie Zhang from the University of Copenhagen)
Adapting to Changes
(Photo : Pixabay)
Adapting to new environments would be crucial for the long-term survival of most ecosystems as climate change tends to raise temperatures, increase drier conditions, and alter precipitation patterns. According to researchers at the University of New Hampshire, more than one genetic pathway allows animals to adapt to survive in colder, desert-like environments and exist without water. This is critical not only for their survival but also for developing gene therapies to treat dehydration-related illnesses in humans, such as kidney disease. It teaches us that there is more than one way to bake a cake, Jocelyn Colella, a postdoctoral researcher in evolutionary biology, said. In other words, animals will respond to desert conditions in a variety of ways, and learning this genetic diversity is a silver lining for all creatures that would be required to accli
UNH Research: More Than One Way for Animals to Survive Climate Change
Newswise DURHAM, N.H. As climate change continues to trigger the rise in temperature, increase drier conditions and shift precipitation patterns, adapting to new conditions will be critical for the long-term survival of most species. Researchers at the University of New Hampshire found that to live in hotter more desert-like surroundings, and exist without water, there is more than one genetic mechanism allowing animals to adapt. This is important not only for their survival but may also provide important biomedical groundwork to develop gene therapies to treat human dehydration related illnesses, like kidney disease.