Real-Time Evolution: How Marine Snails Rapidly Adapted to a New Environment After Ecological Disaster

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Real-Time Evolution: How Marine Snails Rapidly Adapted to a New Environment After Ecological Disaster




In 1988, a toxic algal bloom devastated populations of the marine snail Littorina saxatilis along Sweden’s Koster Archipelago, particularly impacting “wave type” snails known for their small size and adaptability to rocky, wave-exposed environments. Four years later, biologist Kerstin Johannesson reintroduced a different variety, the “crab type” snails, to one of these islands. Unlike the wave type, crab-type snails are larger, with thicker shells suited for predator-heavy areas rather than wave-battered rocks.

This reintroduction set the stage for an extraordinary real-time evolutionary experiment. By observing the geographically isolated island population, researchers noted that within a decade, the crab-type snails began evolving to suit their new wave-heavy environment, changing in shape and behavior. This adaptation was made possible by pre-existing genetic diversity within the snails, allowing specific traits to be amplified in response to environmental demands. Chromosomal inversions—genetic segments that flip within chromosomes to enable rapid trait selection—also played a role in this rapid adaptation process.

The experiment demonstrates evolution in real time, as significant adaptations were observed in just a few decades. The study’s insights are timely, given the need for species to adapt to fast-paced environmental changes, such as climate shifts and pollution. Preserving genetic diversity within natural habitats could be essential for species’ resilience and survival in the face of these pressures.




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