Ecological Epigenetics

Ecological epigenetics studies how environmental factors—like stress, diet, or climate—affect gene activity without changing DNA itself. These influences can turn genes on or off, impacting an organism’s traits and health. Importantly, some epigenetic changes can be inherited across generations, allowing species to adapt to their surroundings more quickly than through genetic mutations alone. This field helps us understand how ecosystems and environments shape the biology of living organisms, revealing a dynamic relationship between environment, gene regulation, and evolution.