Evolution of species plays major role in ecosystem stability: Australian research

SYDNEY, Sept. 19 (Xinhua) — The evolution of species plays a major role in the stability of ecosystems, Australian research has found.
In a study published on Thursday, a team from Melbourne’s Monash University discovered that evolutionary processes can influence ecosystem tipping points, potentially causing their early collapse or aiding recovery.
According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), a tipping point is a critical threshold in an ecosystem that, when exceeded, can lead to a significant change in the state of the system.
The new study involved guiding the evolution of yeast and E. coli for 4,000 generations.
By tracking ecological stability before and after the co-evolution of the microbial communities, researchers found that increased competition among evolved community members can lead to earlier ecosystem collapse.
Conversely, when the microbes were evolved to withstand environmental stress, they adapted quickly and delayed the tipping point.
Researchers said the findings suggest that evolutionary strategies could be used to strengthen the resistance of microbial ecosystems against human-induced environmental changes.
“Many ecosystems, like coral reefs, are nearing critical thresholds where even minor environmental shifts can lead to dramatic changes and biodiversity loss,” Mike McDonald, co-author of the study from the Monash University School of Biological Sciences, said in a media release.
“Our research shows that these tipping points are not static; they can evolve, which means ecosystems might collapse sooner or resist longer than expected.”
To build resilience effectively, co-author Chris Blake said that directed evolution or genetic engineering efforts should focus on enhancing tolerance to environmental change while maintaining population growth. ■