Research area B is dedicated to the plasticity of genomes and phenotypes. Darwin's theory of evolution critically relies on the concept of heritable variation. While Darwin was unaware of the basis of such variation, we nowadays have the tools in hand to study sources of genetic variation in depth. All forms of genetic variation might resemble a double-edged sword. While they have the potential to contribute to evolutionary novelty, they may also cause diseases. Plasticity of genomes and phenotypes is studied within EvoPAD in the following projects: