Washington, Jan. 30 -- : Genetic diversity is the building block that allows populations to vary in response to environmental changes, hence the more diversity, the better.
Rapid climate warming is challenging many species to evolve and adapt quickly enough to avoid extinction, particularly species that don't tolerate much environmental variation, such as those from cooler high-elevation habitats, which may lack genetic diversity important for adapting to climate change.
Hybridization, the process of mixing different species, can potentially help the vulnerable adopt and rapidly exploit novel genetic diversity from species that might already be adapted to warmer environments. However, hybrid populations have traditionally been considered ...