BOTA 422: LECTURE 4
Linking natural and artificial
selection to phenotypic adaptions
organisms
DR. BENSON O. NYONGESA
02/18/2024
,Linking natural & Artificial selection phenotypic adaptation
organism
Definition of terms:
• Adaptation: A trans-generational fixed change at populatio
level leading to improved fitness of individuals in environm
• Acclimation: A phenotypic/physiological/metabolic change
during an individual’s lifetime.
• Adaptive evolution: A kind of evolutionary change that is
adaptive to a particular environment, which enables an orga
to cope with the environment.
• Adaptive genetic variation: The variation found in the gen
that has evolved to help an organism to increase its fitness.
02/18/2024
, Definition of terms cont’d
Fitness: Ability of a phenotype to survive and reproduce in an
environment it inhabits.
Divergent selection: Accumulation of differences between clos
related populations within a species, that leads to speciation.
Neutral genetic variation: A gene or locus that has no effect o
fitness or may be subject to various constraints.
Phenotypic plasticity: Ability of one genotype to generate mor
one phenotype when exposed to different environmental condit
modifying phenotypic traits during an individual’s lifetime.
02/18/2024
Linking natural and artificial
selection to phenotypic adaptions
organisms
DR. BENSON O. NYONGESA
02/18/2024
,Linking natural & Artificial selection phenotypic adaptation
organism
Definition of terms:
• Adaptation: A trans-generational fixed change at populatio
level leading to improved fitness of individuals in environm
• Acclimation: A phenotypic/physiological/metabolic change
during an individual’s lifetime.
• Adaptive evolution: A kind of evolutionary change that is
adaptive to a particular environment, which enables an orga
to cope with the environment.
• Adaptive genetic variation: The variation found in the gen
that has evolved to help an organism to increase its fitness.
02/18/2024
, Definition of terms cont’d
Fitness: Ability of a phenotype to survive and reproduce in an
environment it inhabits.
Divergent selection: Accumulation of differences between clos
related populations within a species, that leads to speciation.
Neutral genetic variation: A gene or locus that has no effect o
fitness or may be subject to various constraints.
Phenotypic plasticity: Ability of one genotype to generate mor
one phenotype when exposed to different environmental condit
modifying phenotypic traits during an individual’s lifetime.
02/18/2024
