未来創成学国際研究ユニット
AFS-Seminar
京都大学未来創成学国際研究ユニットセミナー
【開催日時 Date:】 2018年5月17日（木） 16:30～18:00
May 17, 2018 16:30-18:00
【会 場 Venue:】 京都大学北部総合教育研究棟、１階 小林・益川セミナー室
Kobayashi-Maskawa Seminar Room (1st floor of Maskawa Building), Kyoto University
【演 題 Title:】 "The evolution of life in cities"
【講演者 Speaker:】 Marc T. J. Johnson (Associate Professor,University of Toronto, Canada)
Distinguished Visiting Associate Professor
International Research Unit of Advanced Future Studies, Kyoto University
(From April 15 to June 15,2018)
【主 催 Hosted by:】 未来創成学国際研究ユニット
The International Research Unit of Advanced Future Studies
【要 旨 Abstract:】
The study of evolution in urban areas provides insights into both fundamental
and applied problems in biology. The thousands of cities throughout the world
share some features while differing in other aspects related to their age,
historical context, governmental policies, and local climate. Thus, the
phenomenon of global urbanization represents an unintended but highly
replicated global study of experimental evolution. We can harness this global
urban experiment to understand the repeatability and pace of evolution in
response to human activity. Among the most important unresolved questions is,
how often do native and exotic species adapt to the particular environmental challenges
found in cities? Such adaptations could be the difference as to whether a
species persists or vanishes from urban areas. In this way, the study of urban
evolution can help us understand how evolution in populations may contribute to
conservation of rare species, and how populations can be managed to facilitate
the establishment of resilient and sustainable urban ecosystems. In a similar
way, understanding evolution in urban areas can lead to improved human health.
For example, human pests frequently adapt to pesticides and evade control
efforts because of our limited understanding of the size of populations and movement
of individuals. Applied evolutionary studies could lead to more effective
mitigation of pests and disease agents. The study of urban evolution has
rapidly become an important frontier in biology, with implications for healthy
and sustainable human populations in urban ecosystems.
Science 03 Nov 2017:
