Hybrid future? Interbreeding can make heat-averse species more resilient to climate change

As the climate heats up rapidly, many species will struggle to avoid extinction. If they had time, they could evolve to the new environmental conditions. But they don’t. That’s where hybridisation could help. When related species interbreed, the flow of new genetic diversity could help them adapt to warmer environments.

Hybridisation can often be a cause for concern for species conservation. Our new research suggests genetic mixing across species may, in fact, offer better chances of survival for some species – especially those that don’t tolerate much environmental variation and are likely to be the worst hit by a hotter climate.

Some species won’t have to face a very uncertain future wholly alone. Related species may well be able to help...