Over the last few decades, the role of adaptive plasticity in facilitating the colonisation of novel environments has become clearer. Concurrently, our understanding of the role of epigenetic markers in up- or down-regulating organismal functions has also vastly progressed. Using a uniquely powerful case of rapid evolution in geographically isolated populations of the Australian Tiger snake, a team of researchers including Vicki Thomson (University of Adelaïde), Christoph Grunau (Université de Perpignan), Benoit Pujol (Criobe) and Fabien Aubret (SETE, CNRS) will attempt to link plasticity levels (high in recently introduced island populations; eroded by means of genetic assimilation in long isolated island populations) with epigenetic marker profiles in a mosaic of island and mainland snake populations. Very exciting project!
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