Evolution on ecological time‐scales

Summary Ecologically significant evolutionary change, occurring over tens of generations or fewer, is now widely documented in nature. These findings counter the long‐standing assumption that ecological and evolutionary processes occur on different time‐scales, and thus that the study of ecological processes can safely assume evolutionary stasis. Recognition that substantial evolution occurs on ecological time‐scales dissolves this dichotomy and provides new opportunities for integrative approaches to pressing questions in many fields of biology. The goals of this special feature are twofold: to consider the factors that influence evolution on ecological time‐scales – phenotypic plasticity, maternal effects,…