Event:

Under unprecedented environmental change, organisms depend on rapid and flexible responses achieved through phenotypic plasticity, in contrast to slower genetic adaptation. However, the mechanisms underlying plasticity - and how it can be quantified, predicted, and preserved - remain largely unresolved. This uncertainty fuels ongoing debate about the adaptive value and evolutionary relevance of phenotypic plasticity. Yet, phenotypic plasticity is a critical determinant of species persistence and coping capacity in the Anthropocene.
In this talk I will present the main research lines I have pursued to address these questions. First, I will outline key physiological and molecular mechanisms that mediate coping abilities in birds - from the reinterpretation of "stress hormones" to the long-lasting impact of early-life conditions. Second, I will discuss how epigenetic mechanisms act as upstream regulators of these processes, facilitating rapid and adaptive responses to environmental change. Finally, I will share recent findings supporting the role of "epigenetic potential for DNA methylation" as a heritable trait associated to phenotypic plasticity and coping capacities.