phenotypic plasticity Flashcards
weather
short term variation in temperature and precipitation
-hours or days
climate
long term typical atmospheric conditions through the year
-measured over many years
large scale spatial variation
impacted by factors like climate, land topography, and soil type
small scale variation
impacted by factors like plant structure and animal behavior
phenotypic plasticity
ability of genotypes to produce different phenotypes when exposed to different environmental conditions
reaction norm
the observed relationship between the phenotype of a genotype and the environment
plasticity can be adaptive when:
-organisms experience different environments (spatially or temporally)
-different environment factor different phenotypes
-the environmental cue provides reliable information about selective conditions
for plasticity to evolve:
-plasticity must be heritable
-there must be variation in plasticity
hermaphrodites
individuals that produce both male and female gametes; individuals are able to fertilize their eggs with their own sperm
inbreeding depression
the decrease in fitness caused by matings between close relative due to offspring inheriting deleterious alleles from both the eggs and the sperm
microhabitats
locations within a habitat that differ in environmental conditions from the rest of the habitats
thermal optima
the range of temperatures in which an organism best performs
ectothermy
body temp depends on heat energy from the environment
endothermy
depends on heat from metabolism
dormancy
a condition in which organisms dramatically reduce their metabolic processes
-diapause, hibernation, torpor, and aestivation
diapause
involves a partial or complete physiological shutdown in response to unfavorable conditions (common in insects)
hibernation
individuals reduce the energetic costs of being active by lowering heart rate and decreasing body temperatures (common in mammals)
torpor
a brief period of dormancy in which individuals reduce activity and body temperature (common in birds and mammals)
aestivation
the shutting down of metabolic processes during the summer in response to hot or dry conditions (well known examples include snails, desert tortoises, and crocodiles)
