MOVING PAST THE CHALLENGES AND MISCONCEPTIONS IN URBAN
ADAPTATION RESEARCH
ABSTRACT — Although the field of urban evolutionary ecology is in its
infancy, much progress has been made in identifying adaptations that
arise as a result of selective pressures within these unique
environments. However, as studies within urban environments have rapidly
increased, researchers have recognized there are challenges and
opportunities in characterizing urban adaptation. Some of these
challenges are novel as a consequence of increased direct and indirect
human influence, which compounds long-recognized issues with research on
adaptive evolution more generally. In this perspective, we discuss
several common research challenges to urban adaptation related to: (1)
methodological approaches, (2) trait-environment relationships and the
natural history of organisms, (3) agents and targets of selection, and
(4) habitat heterogeneity. Ignoring these challenges may lead to
misconceptions and further impede our ability to draw conclusions
regarding evolutionary and ecological processes in urban environments.
Our goal is to first shed light on the conceptual challenges of
conducting urban adaptation research to help avoid propagation of these
misconceptions. We further summarize potential strategies to move
forward productively to construct a more comprehensive picture of urban
adaptation, and discuss how urban environments also offer unique
opportunities and applications for adaptation research.
Key-words: urbanization, natural history, natural selection,
evolutionary ecology, interdisciplinary approaches, anthropogenic