Genomic and Evolutionary Perspectives on Invertebrate Responses to Environmental Change

Invertebrate evolutionary and ecological research stands at the forefront of efforts to understand biological responses to rapid environmental change. As invertebrates form the bulk of global biodiversity and drive key ecosystem functions, elucidating their adaptation and resilience is critical amidst accelerating threats from climate change, habitat alteration, pollution, and other anthropogenic impacts. While significant research has addressed phenotypic and life-history variation, fundamental questions remain regarding the genetic and evolutionary processes facilitating adaptation in natural populations. Recent advances in evolutionary genomics and population genetics, including studies involving both model and non-model species, are starting to unravel the mechanisms of adaptation, population structure, gene flow, and genetic diversity in the context of dynamic and changing environments. Yet, there remain pronounced gaps in integrating genetic, ecological, and experimental approaches, especially in the face of multiple, interacting stressors.This Research Topic aims to gather studies illuminating how invertebrate populations and communities adapt and respond to environmental change through evolutionary, population, and conservation genetics perspectives. The primary objective is to advance our knowledge of genetic processes—such as selection, drift, migration, and hybridization—that underpin resilience and adaptation in invertebrates. We invite contributions that investigate molecular and physiological responses, local adaptation, connectivity, and the evolutionary and demographic consequences of global change. Interdisciplinary work that combines genomic approaches with field experiments, ecotoxicology, and landscape genetics, as well as work addressing the conservation implications of genetic findings, is especially encouraged. Overall, this Research Topic seeks to bridge existing gaps and foster a holistic understanding of invertebrate responses, enhancing both scientific knowledge and conservation strategies.This Research Topic encompasses studies on invertebrate populations from the molecular through to the ecosystem scale, provided that genetic and evolutionary processes are central. We do not consider work focusing exclusively on vertebrates or lacking a population genetic, evolutionary, or genomic component. To gather further insights within these boundaries, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:-Population and landscape genomics of invertebrates: adaptation, gene flow, and connectivity-Molecular and physiological responses to single or multiple environmental stressors-Evolution of life-history strategies, behavioral traits, and phenotypic plasticity under environmental change-Hybridization, speciation, and phylogeography in dynamic and disturbed landscapes-Conservation genetics and management of invertebrate biodiversity in changing environments-Experimental integration: field, laboratory, and genomic approaches to uncover evolutionary processes-Theoretical and methodological advances in evolutionary and population genetics of invertebrates Topic editors: Parth Pandya, Wenjie Jin, Adam M. Simpson Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/81600/genomic-and-evolutionary-perspectives-on-invertebrate-responses-to-environmental-change