Under the fast-changing conditions of the Anthropocene, species must disperse, adapt, or face extinction.

However, the extent to which wild populations can adapt to rapidly shifting environmental conditions remains controversial, as evolution is typically considered to be a slow, incremental process. While the biological effects of some anthropogenic pressures – such as pollution and overfishing – have been well studied, the potential evolutionary impacts of human-driven forest loss are largely unknown.

My research group uses genomic tools to understand the evolutionary impacts of deforestation on the endemic insect fauna of Aotearoa.

In this seminar, I will highlight how deforestation has driven dramatic shifts in both insect wing length and colour and discuss the key genomic mechanisms underpinning these changes. Our research illustrates how selection on standing genetic variation can facilitate rapid adaptation and highlights the amazing capacity of our endemic species to respond to environmental change.