Rethinking phenotypic plasticity and its consequences for individuals, populations and species.

摘要: Much research has been devoted to identify the conditions under which selection favours flexible individuals or genotypes that are able modify their growth, development and behaviour in response environmental cues, unravel mechanisms of plasticity explore its influence on patterns diversity among individuals, populations species. The consequences developmental phenotypic flexibility for performance ecological success species have attracted a comparatively limited but currently growing interest. Here, I re-emphasize an increased understanding roles these contexts requires ‘whole organism’ (rather than ‘single trait’) approach, taking into consideration organisms integrated complex phenotypes. further argue genetic polymorphism should be analysed discussed within common framework. summarize predictions from theory how variation stemming may affect different aspects population-level performance. it is important distinguish between effects associated with greater interindividual resulting plasticity, mediated by capacity express as such. Finally, claim rigorous testing methods allow quantifying comparing whole organism well ability experimentally manipulate level independent variation.