{"id":1662,"date":"2014-02-08T09:36:01","date_gmt":"2014-02-08T09:36:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sciences-unamur.be\/bio\/system-ecotox\/?page_id=1662"},"modified":"2025-11-05T16:08:30","modified_gmt":"2025-11-05T16:08:30","slug":"environmental-and-adaptive-physiology","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/sciences-unamur.be\/bio\/system-ecotox\/","title":{"rendered":""},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"pl-1662\"  class=\"panel-layout\" ><div id=\"pg-1662-0\"  class=\"panel-grid panel-no-style\" ><div id=\"pgc-1662-0-0\"  class=\"panel-grid-cell\" ><div id=\"panel-1662-0-0-0\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-editor panel-first-child\" data-index=\"0\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-editor so-widget-sow-editor-base\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t>\n<div class=\"siteorigin-widget-tinymce textwidget\">\n\t<div style=\"background-color: #f0f4f8; padding: 20px; border-radius: 10px; text-align: justify;\">\n<div style=\"text-align: left;\"><i>Our<\/i> research bridges genomics, physiology, ecotoxicology, behavioral ecology, and evolutionary biology to understand\u00a0<b>how organisms respond, adapt, and evolve under environmental change<\/b>.<\/div>\n<p>\n<div style=\"text-align: left;\">Our work focuses on three interconnected areas:<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Adaptive and evolutionary epigenetics<\/b>\u00a0\u2014 investigating how epigenetic mechanisms drive adaptation and evolution in populations with low genetic diversity, providing insight into resilience and conservation under genetic bottlenecks.<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Long-term and transgenerational effects of environmental stress<\/b>\u00a0\u2014 exploring how pollutants and other stressors trigger delayed and inherited effects on physiology, behavior, neurodegeneration, and aging, shedding light on the environmental origins of health and disease.<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Epigenetics in conservation biology and aquaculture<\/b>\u00a0\u2014 applying epigenomic tools to monitor population health, guide management strategies, and enhance sustainability in both wild and cultured species.<\/div>\n<ul style=\"text-align: left;\">\n \t<li><\/li>\n<p>\n<\/p><\/ul>\n<div style=\"text-align: left;\">Using fish models such as the mangrove rivulus (Kryptolebias marmoratus)\u00a0- the only vertebrate that self-fertilize - and the turquoise killifish (Nothobranchius furzeri)\u00a0- a short-lived vertebrate ideal for studying aging -\u00a0<b>we integrates molecular, physiological, and behavioral analyses with field ecology and bioinformatics<\/b>.<\/div>\n<\/p><p>\n<div style=\"text-align: left;\">We recently developed an epigenetic clock in the mangrove rivulus, a biomarker linking environmental history, stress, and biological aging. This approach is now being extended to conservation contexts, including endangered species such as the beluga whale and endemic fish from Ecuador, to better understand how environment and time shape life\u2019s resilience.<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: left;\"><\/div>\n<\/p><p>\n<div style=\"text-align: left;\">The Laboratory of Evolutionary and Adaptive Physiology LEAP (Silvestre Lab) from the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.unamur.be\/en\">University of Namur<\/a>, Belgium, is one of the 4 laboratories belonging to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.unamur.be\/en\/science\/biology\/research\/urbe\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Research Unit in Environmental and Evolutionary Biology (URBE)<\/a> within the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.unamur.be\/en\/sciences\/biology\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Department of Biology<\/a>. It is also a member of the <a href=\"https:\/\/ilee.unamur.be\/\">Institute of Life, Earth and Environment (ILEE)<\/a>.<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: left;\"><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><div id=\"panel-1662-0-0-1\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_media_video\" data-index=\"1\" ><h3 class=\"widget-title\">Watch our documentary on the mangrove rivulus<\/h3><div style=\"width:100%;\" class=\"wp-video\"><!--[if lt IE 9]><script>document.createElement('video');<\/script><![endif]-->\n<video class=\"wp-video-shortcode\" id=\"video-1662-1\" preload=\"metadata\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"video\/youtube\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=FsDtWwm-XoI&#038;t=37s&#038;_=1\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=FsDtWwm-XoI&#038;t=37s\">https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=FsDtWwm-XoI&#038;t=37s<\/a><\/video><\/div><\/div><div id=\"panel-1662-0-0-2\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_media_audio\" data-index=\"2\" ><h3 class=\"widget-title\">Podast RTBF &#8211; Les \u00e9claireurs &#8211; Le rivulus des mangroves<\/h3><!--[if lt IE 9]><script>document.createElement('audio');<\/script><![endif]-->\n<audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-1662-1\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/sciences-unamur.be\/bio\/system-ecotox\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/LP-ECL-030623-RIVULUS-OK-VANDE-MEERSSCHE-Fabienne.mp3?_=1\" \/><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/sciences-unamur.be\/bio\/system-ecotox\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/LP-ECL-030623-RIVULUS-OK-VANDE-MEERSSCHE-Fabienne.mp3?_=1\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/sciences-unamur.be\/bio\/system-ecotox\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/LP-ECL-030623-RIVULUS-OK-VANDE-MEERSSCHE-Fabienne.mp3\">https:\/\/sciences-unamur.be\/bio\/system-ecotox\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/LP-ECL-030623-RIVULUS-OK-VANDE-MEERSSCHE-Fabienne.mp3<\/a><\/audio><\/div><div id=\"panel-1662-0-0-3\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_recent-posts-widget-with-thumbnails recent-posts-widget-with-thumbnails\" data-index=\"3\" >\n<div id=\"rpwwt-widget-0-0-3\" class=\"rpwwt-widget\">\r\n<h3 class=\"widget-title\">Recent articles<\/h3>\n\t<ul>\r\n\t\t<li><a href=\"https:\/\/sciences-unamur.be\/bio\/system-ecotox\/unamur-x-uc-davis-cooperation-mobility\/\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"75\" height=\"75\" src=\"https:\/\/sciences-unamur.be\/bio\/system-ecotox\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/UCDavis-150x150.png\" class=\"attachment-75x75 size-75x75 wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sciences-unamur.be\/bio\/system-ecotox\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/UCDavis-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/sciences-unamur.be\/bio\/system-ecotox\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/UCDavis.png 252w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 75px) 100vw, 75px\" \/><span class=\"rpwwt-post-title\">UNamur \u00d7 UC Davis \u2014 Cooperation &#038; Mobility<\/span><\/a><div class=\"rpwwt-post-date\">October 14, 2025<\/div><div class=\"rpwwt-post-excerpt\">Since 2022, the University of Namur (UNamur) and the University of California, Davis (UC Davis) have a formal <span class=\"rpwwt-post-excerpt-more\"> [\u2026]<\/span><\/div><\/li>\r\n\t\t<li><a href=\"https:\/\/sciences-unamur.be\/bio\/system-ecotox\/field-trip-in-south-florida-in-july-2025\/\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"75\" height=\"75\" src=\"https:\/\/sciences-unamur.be\/bio\/system-ecotox\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Mangrove-EPP196-150x150.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-75x75 size-75x75 wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/><span class=\"rpwwt-post-title\">Field trip in South Florida in July 2025<\/span><\/a><div class=\"rpwwt-post-date\">October 2, 2025<\/div><div class=\"rpwwt-post-excerpt\">Scientific Mission to South Florida &#8211; Epigenetics and Environmental Stress in Mangrove Rivulus and <span class=\"rpwwt-post-excerpt-more\"> [\u2026]<\/span><\/div><\/li>\r\n\t\t<li><a href=\"https:\/\/sciences-unamur.be\/bio\/system-ecotox\/the-first-epigenetic-clock-on-the-mangrove-rivulus-is-in-preprint\/\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"75\" height=\"75\" src=\"https:\/\/sciences-unamur.be\/bio\/system-ecotox\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Screenshot-2025-09-21-at-17.02.40-150x150.png\" class=\"attachment-75x75 size-75x75 wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/><span class=\"rpwwt-post-title\">The first epigenetic clock on the mangrove rivulus is in preprint !<\/span><\/a><div class=\"rpwwt-post-date\">September 21, 2025<\/div><div class=\"rpwwt-post-excerpt\">Justine B\u00e9lik has published as a preprint the first epigenetic clock in the mangrove rivulus, and the first <span class=\"rpwwt-post-excerpt-more\"> [\u2026]<\/span><\/div><\/li>\r\n\t\t<li><a href=\"https:\/\/sciences-unamur.be\/bio\/system-ecotox\/new-phd-position-to-work-on-the-beluga-whale\/\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"75\" height=\"75\" src=\"https:\/\/sciences-unamur.be\/bio\/system-ecotox\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Screenshot-2025-07-29-at-02.10.56-150x150.png\" class=\"attachment-75x75 size-75x75 wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/><span class=\"rpwwt-post-title\">New PhD position to work on the Beluga whale<\/span><\/a><div class=\"rpwwt-post-date\">July 29, 2025<\/div><div class=\"rpwwt-post-excerpt\">We are pleased to announce two fully funded PhD positions within our new research project on the St. Lawrence <span class=\"rpwwt-post-excerpt-more\"> [\u2026]<\/span><\/div><\/li>\r\n\t\t<li><a href=\"https:\/\/sciences-unamur.be\/bio\/system-ecotox\/new-research-project-on-the-beluga-whale\/\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"75\" height=\"75\" src=\"https:\/\/sciences-unamur.be\/bio\/system-ecotox\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Screenshot-2025-07-29-at-02.10.56-150x150.png\" class=\"attachment-75x75 size-75x75 wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/><span class=\"rpwwt-post-title\">New research project on the Beluga whale !<\/span><\/a><div class=\"rpwwt-post-date\">July 15, 2025<\/div><div class=\"rpwwt-post-excerpt\">LEAP has been ranked among the 6 best research projects funded by FNRS and FRQ for a scientific collaboration <span class=\"rpwwt-post-excerpt-more\"> [\u2026]<\/span><\/div><\/li>\r\n\t<\/ul>\r\n<\/div><!-- .rpwwt-widget -->\r\n<\/div><div id=\"panel-1662-0-0-4\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_text panel-last-child\" data-index=\"4\" >\t\t\t<div class=\"textwidget\"><h1 style=\"color: red;\" align=\"center\" data-pm-slice=\"1 1 []\" data-en-clipboard=\"true\">&#8220;It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is most adaptable to change.&#8221; Charles Darwin<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Our research bridges genomics, physiology, ecotoxicology, behavioral ecology, and evolutionary biology to understand\u00a0how organisms respond, adapt, and evolve under environmental change. Our work focuses on three interconnected areas: Adaptive and evolutionary epigenetics\u00a0\u2014 investigating how epigenetic mechanisms drive adaptation and evolution in populations with low genetic diversity, providing insight into resilience and conservation under genetic bottlenecks&#8230;.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1662","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sciences-unamur.be\/bio\/system-ecotox\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1662","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sciences-unamur.be\/bio\/system-ecotox\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sciences-unamur.be\/bio\/system-ecotox\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sciences-unamur.be\/bio\/system-ecotox\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sciences-unamur.be\/bio\/system-ecotox\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1662"}],"version-history":[{"count":61,"href":"https:\/\/sciences-unamur.be\/bio\/system-ecotox\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1662\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4097,"href":"https:\/\/sciences-unamur.be\/bio\/system-ecotox\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1662\/revisions\/4097"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sciences-unamur.be\/bio\/system-ecotox\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1662"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}