Outstanding Questions
How can the effect of plasticity on evolution be quantified? We suggest
that manipulating the rate of mean change, variability, or
autocorrelation with appropriate controls could elucidate the interplay
between plasticity and selection. Importantly, focusing on how the
chosen environmental parameter influences heritability, selection, life
history, or population size can clarify the mechanism of influence. In
order to test these hypotheses, one must first define the types of
environmental change that may be experimentally manipulated, the genetic
mechanisms that affect the trait(s) of interest (section 2), and type of
plasticity in the population (section 3).
Can knowledge about the context-dependent role of plasticity in adaptive
evolution aid in land management and determine conservation priorities?
We suggest that simultaneously estimating the environmental change
components reviewed in this article and measuring both the evolutionary
and phenotypic plastic responses in the relevant system will unlock new
insights into the ability of populations to persist under climate
change.
Which hypotheses of the potential role of plasticity are most robust and
accurate? This question cannot yet be answered, for the hypotheses we
have put forth, which are stimulated by both eco-evolutionary theory and
evidence, are thus far untested with respect to relative prevalence or
accuracy. New information about the mechanisms underlying ecological and
evolutionary response to different types of environmental change will
raise new questions regarding when plasticity’s potential role in
adaptive responses might be greatest.