Galápagos giant daisies show repeated trait evolution through different genetic pathways
Updated
Updated · SciTechDaily · May 4
Galápagos giant daisies show repeated trait evolution through different genetic pathways
3 articles · Updated · SciTechDaily · May 4
A Nature Communications study sequenced the full genomes of all known Scalesia species, finding lobed leaves evolved independently multiple times across the Galápagos plants.
Researchers said similar leaf forms arose via different genes within the same developmental system, offering a clear example of parallel evolution rather than control by one master gene.
The work also suggests some populations have been isolated long enough to be forming new species, supporting calls to treat each lineage as a separate conservation unit.
Why is evolution creative in Galápagos plants but highly predictable and constrained in butterflies?
If traits can evolve via different genes, how can we predict how species will adapt to climate change?
Parallel Evolution and Conservation Crisis: The Genomic Secrets and Survival of Galápagos’ 15 Scalesia Species
Overview
A groundbreaking 2026 study revealed that the diverse leaf shapes of the Galápagos' Scalesia plants evolved independently through different genetic pathways, enabled by their unique allopolyploid origin 3.7 to 4 million years ago. This doubled genome gave Scalesia a flexible genetic toolkit, accelerating rapid adaptation and diversification into 15 species. Today, isolated populations continue evolving, but face severe threats from invasive plants and climate change, which hinder regeneration and push lineages toward extinction. Conservation efforts like the Galapagos Verde 2050 Project focus on habitat restoration and invasive removal to protect these distinct populations, preserving Scalesia's ongoing evolutionary potential and the island ecosystem it supports.