The role of phenotypic plasticity in the establishment of range margins.

ABSTRACT: It has been argued that adaptive phenotypic plasticity may facilitate range expansions over spatially and temporally variable environments. However, plasticity may induce fitness costs. This may hinder the evolution of plasticity. Earlier modelling studies examined the role of plasticity during range expansions of populations with fixed genetic variance. However, genetic variance evolves in natural populations. This may critically alter model outcomes. We ask: how does the capacity for plasticity in populations with evolving genetic variance alter range margins that populations without the capacity for plasticity are expected to attain? We answered this question using computer simulations and analytical approximations. We found a critical plasticity cost above which the capacity for plasti

SUBMITTER: Eriksson M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8784930 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature