Environmental variation does not always promote plasticity : evolutionarily realized reaction norm for costly plasticity

• Question: How does environmental variability influence evolutionarily realized phenotypic plasticity? Mathematical method: Optimization in a spatially fluctuating environment. Key assumptions: Either the maintenance cost of plasticity results from the amount of phenotypic response, or it results from the slope of the reaction norm. And there are two alternative types of state-specific benefit functions: either the benefit is maximal at an intermediate phenotype, or it is a monotonically increasing function of phenotype. Conclusion: Organisms may not respond to rare environmental states. In this case, environmental variability suppresses two indices of phenotypic plasticity, i. e. the range of plasticity and the maximum slope of the reaction norm.

Ämnesord

TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER  -- Naturresursteknik -- Miljöledning (hsv//swe)

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY  -- Environmental Engineering -- Environmental Management (hsv//eng)

TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER  -- Naturresursteknik -- Annan naturresursteknik (hsv//swe)

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY  -- Environmental Engineering -- Other Environmental Engineering (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

environmental fluctuation

model

optimization

phenotypic plasticity

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