Evolutionary biologists are uncovering genomic mechanisms that allow populations to adapt quickly to different, hyperlocal habitats without splitting into new species.

The action of natural selection across heterogeneous natural landscapes drives local adaptation and the formation of plant ecotypes, the precursors to new species. Plant ecotypes typically differ sig...

Abstract. Replicated hybrid zones between ecotypes established over environmental gradients provide an opportunity to study the genomic architecture of bar

A century after Turesson introduced ecotypes as locally adapted subunits of species, their origins and nature remain debated. Recent advances in molecular ecology have breathed new life into the ecoty...

The upland and lowland rice ecotypes were adapted to agroecosystems with contrasting soil-nitrogen conditions. Upland and lowland ecotypes are independently differentiated within japonica and indica ...

Podcast Episode · The Quanta Podcast · June 9 · 27m

Podcast Episode · The Quanta Podcast · June 9 · 27m

Evolutionary biologists are uncovering genomic mechanisms that allow populations to adapt quickly to different, hyperlocal habitats without splitting into new species.

Evolutionary biologists are uncovering genomic mechanisms that allow populations to adapt quickly to different, hyperlocal habitats without splitting into new species.

Multimodal machine learning reveals that tumour microenvironments can be decomposed into spatially organized multicellular ecosystems, termed spatial ecotypes, that can be accessed non-invasively via liquid biopsy and used to profile individual cancers and target treatments.

Treatment data for triple-negative breast cancer show the importance of macrophage subtypes and cancer-cell metaprograms for interferon signalling, HLA expression and cell cycle activity that are associated with a good response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

Determinants of soil microbial community structure are less well studied. Here, Riddley et al. profile nationwide bacterial biogeographic patterns, and identify key environmental factors and distinct ...

A century after Turesson introduced ecotypes as locally adapted subunits of species, their origins and nature remain debated. Recent advances in molecular ecology have breathed new life into the ecotype concept and significantly expanded our understanding of how ecotypes form. Here, we clarify how ecotypes can be distinguished from other forms of local adaptation, outline criteria for their recognition, and synthesise evidence on the ecological and evolutionary processes that give rise to them. We then evaluate what genomics has uncovered about the origin of ecotypes, revealing pronounced roles of pre-existing variation, large-effect loci, structural variants, gene regulation, and complex demographic histories. Our framework refines Turesson’s concept and highlights outstanding questions about the predictability, persistence, and evolutionary significance of ecotypes.