Resume:
På Arktisk Station afholdtes i perioden 16/7-23/7-2006 den årlige workshop om
miljømæssig stress i vores NORFA støttede netværk ”Nordic Network for Environmental
Stress Research”. Netværket har deltagere fra alle nordiske lande. Vores tid på stationen
blev brugt på fremlæggelse og diskussion af opnåede resultater af de deltagende
forskningsgrupper indenfor netværket. Desuden blev fremtidige fælles forskningsaktivitet
indenfor området drøftet. Mødet og netværket har til formål at styrke det nordiske
samarbejde og øge interaktionerne mellem nordiske forskningsgrupper med
sammenfaldende interesser. Mødet gav mulighed for grundigt at diskutere og planlægge
kommende forskning og strategier. På mødet blev det besluttet at forsætte netværket via
nye ansøgninger.
Yearly Norfa network Workshop on ”Nordic Network for Environmental Stress
Research” 16/7-23/7-2006 on Arctic Station, Godhavn, Greenland
Prepared by Jesper G. Sørensen, Department of Ecology and Genetics, University of
Aarhus, Denmark
Background
The surrounding environment is harsh and stressful for many populations. Especially
temperatures are believed to be a major determinant of the abundance and distribution of
populations but many other abiotic and biotic factors contribute to the stress level perceived by
organisms. The interactions between organisms and the surrounding environment drive
continued evolution. When external (environmental) or internal (genetic) conditions change,
individuals and populations have to adapt in order to cope with the change. This change can
take place as either fixed genetic changes or as adaptive phenotypic plasticity.
Recent developments in molecular genetics have stimulated even further interest in
physiological and evolutionary responses to environmental challenges, as detailed studies of
stress responses have revealed that most organisms have evolved sophisticated mechanisms to
cope with stress. In this context environmental stress is regarded as an «environmental factor
causing a change in a biological system, which is potentially injurious» (Hoffmann & Parsons,
1991). Adaptation through a balance between different fixed genetic changes and inducible
responses creates a complicated and interesting evolutionary scenario. With a fluctuating
environment at hand and prospects of increased unpredictability, the study of responses to
environmental (and especially climatic) stress from an ecological and evolutionary perspective
(and its potential synergistic interaction with genetic stress), is not only relevant and much
needed in itself, but can also serve as a model for understanding the mechanisms of adaptation
and evolution in general.
In order to investigate stress response mechanisms, an approach combining the fields of
evolutionary biology, eco-physiology and molecular genetics is required. These disciplines are
concerned with the same questions, asking how organisms have adapted and acclimatize to
cope with environmental stress. Traditionally these disciplines are not combined and therefore
there is a considerable potential for major advances in the understanding of stress responses by
bringing these approaches together within the same framework. The Norfa founded Network
aims at strengthen the interactions between researchers in order to yield the multi-disciplinary
competence that is required to further investigate and understand adaptation to the
environment and the roles of environmental and genetic stress.
The meeting
This years meeting took place at the scientific field station, “Artisk Station”, situated on the
beautiful Disco Island.
Researchers from three main laboratories of the network participated in the meeting (Aarhus,
Denmark; Uppsala, Sweden; Helsinki, Finland). The meeting was the final meeting in the
founding period and, thus, functioned as a summing up of the past activities in the laboratories
within the network, status on the current activities and a general discussion on how to proceed
with the scientific interactions.
All involved laboratories are concerned with similar questions regarding environmental and
genetic stress and the evolutionary adaptation to the environment by populations. However, the
organisms used to study these questions are widely different and include both model and nonmodel organisms. Talks included work from the research groups on insects (Drosophila),
turtles, frogs, lizards, snakes, fish (stickleback) and birds. The different laboratories have
different expertise and master different techniques. This exchange of ideas, knowledge of
techniques, results and experiences are the main idea of the network. Several common projects
have been initiated after this and other meetings within the NORFA Network. The status on
already ongoing collaborative projects was discussed and evaluated.
The conclusion of the meeting was that the current network had been a huge success and that
such interactions are both fruitful and much needed to strengthen the positions of the
respective laboratories internationally. The surroundings were a huge inspiration for the minds
of us all and all enjoyed the stay at the station.
Program
Monday 17/07/06
Torsten N. Kristensen Effects of bottlenecks on evolutionary potential
Jesper G. Sørensen Gene expression analysis of selection for environmental stress
resistance
German Orizaola
Adaptability in threatened vertebrate populations: the case of Rana
lessonae in Sweden
Tuesday 18/07/06
Torsten N. Kristensen Associations between fitness components in the laboratory and
nature
Volker Loeschcke
Fitness in the wild
Juha Merilä
Siberian jay – a case study
Gábor Herczeg
Reptilian thermoregulation in the North
Tuomas Leinonen
Understanding rapid evolutionary changes – adaptive divergence
of the threespine stickleback
Wednesday 19/07/06
Jesper G. Sørensen Heat and predator induced heat shock protein expression in Rana
temporaria
Fredrik Söderman
Are moor frogs able to adapt to acidic conditions?
German Orizaola
Population differentiation and genetics of temperature induced
plasticity in an isolated anuran metapopulation
Thursday 20/07/06
Volker Loeschcke
Volker Loeschcke
Juha Merilä
Gábor Herczeg
Saturday 22/07/06
Tuomas Leinonen
Fredrik Söderman
Outi Tervo
Multiple paternity in sea turtles
Identifying candidate genes of the stress response
Sticklebacks EDA gene
Factors affecting thermoregulatory behavior – an experimental
approach
Comparisons of quantitative and neutral marker differentiation
How conditions experienced in early developmental stages affect
later life?
Introduction to the Arctic station and whale research in Disko
Island
Affiliations of participants:
Volker Loeschcke, Department of ecology and genetics, Aarhus University, Denmark
Fredrik Söderman, Population biology and conservation biology, Department of ecology
and evolution, Uppsala University, Sweden
German Orizaola, Population biology and conservation biology, Department of ecology
and evolution, Uppsala University, Sweden
Jesper G. Sørensen, Department of ecology and genetics, Aarhus University, Denmark
Torsten Kristensen, Department of ecology and genetics, Aarhus University, Denmark &
Danish institute of agricultural sciences, Fourum, Denmark
Tuomas Leinonen, Ecological Genetics Research Unit, Department of biological and
environmental sciences, University of Helsinki, Finland
Juha Merilä, Ecological Genetics Research Unit, Department of biological and
environmental sciences, University of Helsinki, Finland
Gábor Herczeg, Ecological Genetics Research Unit, Department of biological and
environmental sciences, University of Helsinki, Finland
Outi Tervo, University of Copenhagen, Denmark (Guide Arctic Station)