Environmental changes affect how living things adapt through different interactions between their genes and surroundings. Here’s how it happens:
Selective Pressure: Different places provide different challenges. For example, in forests, animals with darker fur can hide better from predators. But in snowy places, animals with lighter fur can blend in and stay safe.
Phenotypic Plasticity: Some organisms can show different traits depending on where they live. For instance, a plant might grow tall if it’s in rich soil with lots of nutrients. But in poor soil, the same plant might stay short.
Gene Frequency Shifts: When environments change, the common gene types (or alleles) in a population can change too. A well-known example is the peppered moth. During the Industrial Revolution, its color changed quickly because of the pollution around it.
These interactions keep changing the genetic makeup of groups of living things, showing how closely linked genetics and the environment really are.
Environmental changes affect how living things adapt through different interactions between their genes and surroundings. Here’s how it happens:
Selective Pressure: Different places provide different challenges. For example, in forests, animals with darker fur can hide better from predators. But in snowy places, animals with lighter fur can blend in and stay safe.
Phenotypic Plasticity: Some organisms can show different traits depending on where they live. For instance, a plant might grow tall if it’s in rich soil with lots of nutrients. But in poor soil, the same plant might stay short.
Gene Frequency Shifts: When environments change, the common gene types (or alleles) in a population can change too. A well-known example is the peppered moth. During the Industrial Revolution, its color changed quickly because of the pollution around it.
These interactions keep changing the genetic makeup of groups of living things, showing how closely linked genetics and the environment really are.