Unit 5: Topic 5 - Environmental Effects on Phenotype

Question 1

What is the most common/important influencing factor on gene expression?

Answer 1

Environmental factors are the most common/important influencing factor on gene expression and can ultimately lead to phenotypic plasticity.

Question 2

What is phenotypic plasticity, and what is an example of it?

Answer 2

Phenotypic plasticity is the ability of an organism’s genotypes to produce different phenotypes in response to a different/unique environment or stimuli. Some examples include the coloration of mice species and frog species and stomata density (diagram).

Question 3

What evolutionary advantage can arise from phenotypic plasticity?

Answer 3

In changing environmental conditions, the adaptation of a more advantageous phenotype will be chosen and thus increasing the fertility (survival and reproduction) of the organism/population.