Changes

In 1971, scientists introduced 5 pairs of Italian Wall Lizards to a small island off the coast of Croatia. However, the Croatian War of Independence prevented the scientists from returning to the island for more than 30 years. When the war ended, tourism finally began again in 2004, allowing them to return. The researchers were unsure if the lizards would still be alive. Instead, they found the island swarming with lizards, which genetic testing showed to be descendants of their original 5. The new lizards had wiped out native lizard populations by evolving cecal valves, muscles between the large and small intestines, with which to digest native vegetation, an expanded gut structure, as well as a harder bite. {{cquote|Italian wall lizards introduced to a tiny island off the coast of Croatia are evolving in ways that would normally take millions of years to play out, new research shows. In just a few decades the 5-inch-long (13-centimeter-long) lizards have developed a completely new gut structure, larger heads, and a harder bite, researchers say... Such physical transformation in just 30 lizard generations takes evolution to a whole new level, Irschick said. It would be akin to humans evolving and growing a new appendix in several hundred years, he said. 'That's unparalleled. What's most important is how fast this is,' he said.<ref>Johnson, Kimberly (2008, April 21). "[http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/04/080421-lizard-evolution.html Lizards Rapidly Evolve After Introduction to Island]." ''National Geographic''.</ref>}}

In 1971, scientists introduced 5 pairs of Italian Wall Lizards to a small island off the coast of Croatia. However, the Croatian War of Independence prevented the scientists from returning to the island for more than 30 years. When the war ended, tourism finally began again in 2004, allowing them to return. The researchers were unsure if the lizards would still be alive. Instead, they found the island swarming with lizards, which genetic testing showed to be descendants of their original 5. The new lizards had wiped out native lizard populations by evolving cecal valves, muscles between the large and small intestines, with which to digest native vegetation, an expanded gut structure, as well as a harder bite. {{cquote|Italian wall lizards introduced to a tiny island off the coast of Croatia are evolving in ways that would normally take millions of years to play out, new research shows. In just a few decades the 5-inch-long (13-centimeter-long) lizards have developed a completely new gut structure, larger heads, and a harder bite, researchers say... Such physical transformation in just 30 lizard generations takes evolution to a whole new level, Irschick said. It would be akin to humans evolving and growing a new appendix in several hundred years, he said. 'That's unparalleled. What's most important is how fast this is,' he said.<ref>Johnson, Kimberly (2008, April 21). "[http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/04/080421-lizard-evolution.html Lizards Rapidly Evolve After Introduction to Island]." ''National Geographic''.</ref>}}

====Plant Evolution====

====Plant Evolution====

Contrary to theoretical predictions based on evolutionary theory, genomes for the Angiosperm ''Silene'' (a flowering plant) evolved far more rapidly than was expected, as reported in the January 2012 issue of ''PLoS Biology''. Researchers are now trying to find an explanation for why such rapid Microevolution is occurring, and a new model that will avoid such surprises in the future. {{cquote|Contrary to theoretical predictions, these genomes have experienced a massive proliferation of noncoding content... The evolution of mutation rate, genome size, and chromosome structure can therefore be extremely rapid and interrelated in ways not predicted by current evolutionary theories... We discuss the implications of the unprecedented mitochondrial genome diversity found within Silene and possible alternative explanations for the rapid genome evolution in this genus.<ref>Sloan, D.B., Alverson, A.J., Chuckalovcak, J.P., et. al. (2012, January). "[http://www.plosbiology.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pbio.1001241 Rapid Evolution of Enormous, Multichromosomal Genomes in Flowering Plant Mitochondria with Exceptionally High Mutation Rates]." In ''PLoS Biology''. Public Library of Science.</ref>}}

Contrary to theoretical predictions based on evolutionary theory, genomes for the Angiosperm ''Silene'' (a flowering plant) evolved far more rapidly than was expected, as reported in the January 2012 issue of ''PLoS Biology''. Researchers are now trying to find an explanation for why such rapid microevolution is occurring, and a new model that will avoid such surprises in the future. {{cquote|Contrary to theoretical predictions, these genomes have experienced a massive proliferation of noncoding content... The evolution of mutation rate, genome size, and chromosome structure can therefore be extremely rapid and interrelated in ways not predicted by current evolutionary theories... We discuss the implications of the unprecedented mitochondrial genome diversity found within Silene and possible alternative explanations for the rapid genome evolution in this genus.<ref>Sloan, D.B., Alverson, A.J., Chuckalovcak, J.P., et. al. (2012, January). "[http://www.plosbiology.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pbio.1001241 Rapid Evolution of Enormous, Multichromosomal Genomes in Flowering Plant Mitochondria with Exceptionally High Mutation Rates]." In ''PLoS Biology''. Public Library of Science.</ref>}}

 

====Rodent Evolution====

====Rodent Evolution====

A 2009 study observed that rodents evolve at "unprecedented rates" given climate change and population growth, and that rapid evolutionary change in rodents has been occurring for over a century. The article also notes research on rapid Micrevolution has previously been "infrequently documented", but that despite this, more and more evidence is cropping up for it. {{cquote|Our results indicate that over the last 100+ years, rapid morphological change in rodents has occurred quite frequently, and that these changes have taken place on the mainland as well as on islands. Our results also suggest that these changes may be driven, at least in part, by human population growth and climate change.<ref>Pergams ORW, Lawler JJ (2009, April 21). "[http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0006452 Recent and Widespread Rapid Morphological Change in Rodents]." PLoS ONE 4(7): e6452. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0006452.</ref>}}

A 2009 study observed that rodents evolve at "unprecedented rates" given climate change and population growth, and that rapid evolutionary change in rodents has been occurring for over a century. The article also notes research on rapid Micrevolution has previously been "infrequently documented", but that despite this, more and more evidence is cropping up for it. {{cquote|Our results indicate that over the last 100+ years, rapid morphological change in rodents has occurred quite frequently, and that these changes have taken place on the mainland as well as on islands. Our results also suggest that these changes may be driven, at least in part, by human population growth and climate change.<ref>Pergams ORW, Lawler JJ (2009, April 21). "[http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0006452 Recent and Widespread Rapid Morphological Change in Rodents]." PLoS ONE 4(7): e6452. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0006452.</ref>}}