Home to the skylark - The Velux Foundations

Evolution and
climate change
BY BODIL K. EHLERS, MARTIN HOLMSTRUP AND JESPER GIVSKOV SØRENSEN
Bodil K. Ehlers (born 1971) holds
a PhD from Aarhus University
and was appointed frontline assis-
tant professor at the Department
of Biology, University of South-
ern Denmark in January 2010.
Her principal field of research is
the evolutionary ecology of plants,
with particular emphasis on the
importance of the interplay be-
tween biotic and abiotic factors in
adaptation and coexistence.
Martin Holmstrup (born 1961)
holds a PhD and DSc in biology
from Aarhus University and is a
professor at the Department of Ter-
restrial Ecology (TERI), Aarhus
University. He has investigated
soil dwelling animals’ adaptation
to extreme climate conditions and
the potential impacts of climate
change on terrestrial ecosystems.
Jesper Givskov Sørensen (born
1972) holds a PhD in biology from
Aarhus University, and since
2009 he has held an appoint-
ment as Senior Scientist in the
Department of Terrestrial Ecology
(TERI), Aarhus University. JGS
is a Sapere Aude DFF-research
director (2011-2015) and has
primarily conducted research in
molecular aspects of invertebrates’
physiological and evolutionary ad-
aptation to the environment.
In 2010, the VILLUM FOUNDATION granted DKK 4,100,000 over
4 years to a research project aimed at studying evolutionary responses to
climate change. The research project is a collaboration between scientists
from the University of Southern Denmark (SDU) and Aarhus University
(AU). The grant was awarded to Bodil Ehlers (BI, SDU), Thomas Batail-
lon (BiRC, AU), Martin Holmstrup and Jesper Givskov Sørensen (TERI,
AU). The aim of the project is to study whether, and if so how and how
quickly, animals and plants respond to evolutionary climate change. The
project employs an existing climate project – INCREASE – which simulates
future climate change in Europe. INCREASE is a climate change experi-
ment in which an area of nature in each European country is subjected to
temperatures slightly above average or increased drought. The project aims
to study whether evolutionary changes have in fact occurred in species that
have been subjected to future climate scenarios for generations.
Polar bear in trouble. Global
warming poses a threat
to many current animal and
plant habitats. The project
studies the ability of plants
and animals to adapt evolutionarily
to ongoing climate
change. Photodesign: Mikael
Rex og Sisse Bay
48 EVOLUTION AND CLIMATE CHANGE VILLUM FOUNDATION 49
TECHNICAL AND NATURAL SCIENCES