Global climate change and other anthropogenic influences are rapidly transforming the habitats of many species. A species’ ability to cope will depend on its capacity to tolerate these changes in situ or migrate to more suitable conditions. In this essay, we will briefly discuss how adaptive variation within managed species can be assessed and how this information might be used to maximize the possibility of in situ adaptation to climate change. We also make recommendations to improve ecological restoration outcomes and discuss how restoration projects could provide invaluable insight into general ecological and evolutionary processes.

Hodgins, K.A. & Moore, J.L. 2016. Am J Bot.103: 590-592 http://www.amjbot.org/content/103/4/590.full