Weiguo DU,Xiang JI and Richard SHINE.Phenotypic Plasticity in Embryonic Development of Reptiles: Recent Research and Research Opportunities in China[J].Asian Herpetological Research(AHR),2013,4(1):1-8.[doi:10.3724/SP.J.1245.2013.00001]

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Phenotypic Plasticity in Embryonic Development of Reptiles: Recent Research and Research Opportunities in China

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Asian Herpetological Research[ISSN:2095-0357/CN:51-1735/Q]

Issue:

2013 VoI.4 No.1

Page:

1-8

Research Field:

Original Article

Publishing date:

2013-03-25

Info

Title:

Phenotypic Plasticity in Embryonic Development of Reptiles: Recent Research and Research Opportunities in China

Author(s):

Weiguo DU^1*;  Xiang JI² and Richard SHINE³

¹ Key Lab of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
² Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210046, Jiangsu, China
³ Biological Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney 2006, NSW, Australia

Keywords:

developmental plasticity;  embryonic reptile;  ecological adaptation;  environmental change;  China

PACS:

-

DOI:

10.3724/SP.J.1245.2013.00001

Abstract:

Adaptive developmental plasticity can enable an organism to modify its phenotype rapidly, in response to local (and perhaps, unpredictable) conditions, by altering reaction norms during development. Previous studies on this topic have been dominated by western scientists, employing western study systems and approaches. Recently, the expansion of Chinese ecological research has seen a broadening of studies taxonomically (phylogenetically). Here, we briefly summarize research that has been conducted on developmental plasticity in Chinese reptiles over the past two decades, and suggest productive directions for future studies in this field. There are exciting research opportunities in this field in China, and we call for increased collaboration between western and eastern scientists to elucidate the role of developmental plasticity in evolutionary responses of organisms to environmental changes. As human activities increase the intensity and frequency of such changes, the need to understand responses of biological systems becomes an increa-singly urgent priority.

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