Digests: Plasticity responses help in coping with predation in nature

Phenotypic plasticity is a widespread phenomenon in which one genotype produces different phenotypes under different environmental conditions. Whether plasticity is adaptive or not depends on the optimal phenotypic value in each environment (Via 1993). Adaptive plasticity is expected to align with the direction of selective gradients, moving traits closer to the optima (Fig. 1A). Likewise, if the optimal values are similar in both environments, plasticity may be non-adaptive, opposing the directions of selective gradients (Fig. 1B). Plasticity as a trait is also subject to selective pressures and can itself evolve. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved