Title

Getting Back to Nature: Feralization in Animals and Plants

Authors

Eben Gering, Michigan State University; Nova Southeastern UniversityFollow
Darren Incorvaia, Michigan State University
R. Henriksen, Linkoping University- Sweden
Jeffrey Conner, Michigan State University
Thomas Getty, Michigan State University
Dominic Wright, Linkoping University- Sweden

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

9-3-2019

Publication Title

Trends in Ecology and Evolution

Keywords

Feralization, Domestication, Adaptation, Invasion, Admixture, Evolution

ISSN

0169-5347

First Page

1

Last Page

14

Abstract

Formerly domesticated organisms and artificially selected genes often escape controlled cultivation, but their subsequent evolution is not well studied. In this review, we examine plant and animal feralization through an evolutionary lens, including how natural selection, artificial selection, and gene flow shape feral genomes, traits, and fitness. Available evidence shows that feralization is not a mere reversal of domestication. Instead, it is shaped by the varied and complex histories of feral populations, and by novel selection pressures. To stimulate further insight we outline several future directions. These include testing how ‘domestication genes’ act in wild settings, studying the brains and behaviors of feral animals, and comparative analyses of feral populations and taxa. This work offers feasible and exciting research opportunities with both theoretical and practical applications.

Comments

©2019 Published by Elsevier Ltd. Under a Creative Commons license.

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

NSUWorks Citation

Gering, Eben; Darren Incorvaia; R. Henriksen; Jeffrey Conner; Thomas Getty; and Dominic Wright. 2019. "Getting Back to Nature: Feralization in Animals and Plants." Trends in Ecology and Evolution , (): 1-14. doi:10.1016/j.tree.2019.07.018.

ORCID ID

0000-0002-1270-6727

DOI

10.1016/j.tree.2019.07.018