Combining observations and models to enhance coastal resilience and adaptation.

International audienc

Past domestication of T. cacao in Latin America revealed by paleo-genomics and methylxanthines analysis

<p>Understanding the diversity of a species and its history, in order to better exploit it, is a challenge that breeders often face when creating new varieties adapted to the current environment. Many questions still remain about the first phases of cocoa domestication in Latin America. Using a multidisciplinary approach, associating archaeologists with genomics and biochemistry scientists, we tried to retrace the history of the past domestication of cocoa trees, and their migrations in South America and Central America. Plant paleo-genomics is a new field of research, that traces the evolution of cultivated plants in response to human domestication and natural selection since very ancient times. It is based on the analysis of ancient DNA (aDNA) from archaeological remains and can provide direct access to plant varieties consumed several thousand years ago. The oldest traces of cocoa consumption date back 5,500 years and have been identified in the southern Ecuadorian Amazon. New studies, reported in this paper, have been carried out from 382 archaeological samples collected mainly all along the Pacific coast of Ecuador and Colombia as well as in Central America and from diverse civilizations, the oldest of which dates back to more than 5000 years before present. Analyzes have revealed traces of ancient cocoa DNA and methylxanthines (theobromine, theophylline and caffeine) in the ceramic residues of many pre-Columbian cultures. They show a wide use of cocoa throughout the Latin America continent and at very varied times which can go back more than 5000 years. The genetic origin of varieties consumed several thousand years ago could have sometimes been identified by comparison with a large collection of modern genetic resources representing the diversity of the <i>T. cacao</i> species. These results provide new keys to unraveling the past domestication of <i>T. cacao</i> in Latin and Central America.</p><p><strong>Keywords</strong>: <i>T. cacao</i>, ancient DNA, paleo-genomics, methylxanthines, domestication</p&gt

Anticipating and Adapting to the Future Impacts of Climate Change on the Health, Security and Welfare of Low Elevation Coastal Zone (LECZ) Communities in Southeastern USA

Low elevation coastal zones (LECZ) are extensive throughout the southeastern United States. LECZ communities are threatened by inundation from sea level rise, storm surge, wetland degradation, land subsidence, and hydrological flooding. Communication among scientists, stakeholders, policy makers and minority and poor residents must improve. We must predict processes spanning the ecological, physical, social, and health sciences. Communities need to address linkages of (1) human and socioeconomic vulnerabilities; (2) public health and safety; (3) economic concerns; (4) land loss; (5) wetland threats; and (6) coastal inundation. Essential capabilities must include a network to assemble and distribute data and model code to assess risk and its causes, support adaptive management, and improve the resiliency of communities. Better communication of information and understanding among residents and officials is essential. Here we review recent background literature on these matters and offer recommendations for integrating natural and social sciences. We advocate for a cyber-network of scientists, modelers, engineers, educators, and stakeholders from academia, federal state and local agencies, non-governmental organizations, residents, and the private sector. Our vision is to enhance future resilience of LECZ communities by offering approaches to mitigate hazards to human health, safety and welfare and reduce impacts to coastal residents and industries