urban-evolution
Urban evolution refers to the heritable genetic changes that plant populations undergo in response to urban development and human activities. This process is significant for plant science because it reveals how plants adapt to novel environmental pressures created by urbanization, such as altered soil conditions, pollution, and habitat fragmentation. Understanding these evolutionary responses helps scientists predict plant community dynamics and develop strategies for preserving plant diversity in human-dominated landscapes.
open_in_new WikipediaPubMed · 2026-02-17
Urban dandelions evolved lead tolerance in just 5 generations by rapidly adapting their metal transport genes.
Heritable tolerance in 5 generations
Parallel selection on HMA4 genes
Decadal-scale adaptive evolution