Department of Population Ecology - The Institute of Botany of the Czech Academy of Sciences

Department of Population Ecology > 03. Ecological epigenetics

Department of Population Ecology

03. Ecological epigenetics

Ecological epigenetics

The phenotype and behaviour of plants can be significantly influenced by the environmental conditions encountered by their antecedent generations. These influences, known as transgenerational effects, could potentially be mediated by epigenetic mechanisms. Through these mechanisms, gene expression and consequently, phenotype, are altered by heritable changes such as histone modification or cytosine methylation, rather than changes to the DNA sequence itself. Our research aims to elucidate the role of these transgenerational effects in the ecology, evolution, and behaviour of plants. We have a particular interest in clonal plants, a subject area where transgenerational effects have been minimally explored. This provides a rich ground for pioneering research, where we anticipate uncovering novel insights into the world of clonal plant biology. Furthermore, we are investigating whether "epigenetic memory" and inter-ramet communication could enable a form of associative learning in clonal plants. The term "epigenetic memory" refers to the capability of an organism to remember past environmental stimuli and use this information to adjust its development or behaviour. Inter-ramet communication, in the context of clonal plants, refers to the exchange of information or resources between different parts of the same organism. If such a system of 'learning' and communication exists, it would represent a profound and novel understanding of plant behaviour and adaptation. In this respect, our research seeks not only to fill gaps in our understanding of transgenerational effects but also strives to challenge the boundaries of current scientific knowledge about plant behaviour and adaptation.