The “plasticity” of this factor allows adaptation much faster than evolution by natural selection, which is useful for species to adapt to changing global temperatures. For 10 points each:
[10e] Name this term for the outward observed characteristics of an organism that are caused by genetic variation.
ANSWER: phenotype [or phenotypic plasticity]
[10h] Phenotypic plasticity explains how the pulex and magna model species in this crustacean genus of water fleas have adapted to warmer seawater.
ANSWER: Daphnia [or Daphnia pulex or Daphnia magna]
[10m] Description acceptable. This population-level metric is a temperature-dependent plastic trait in reptiles like crocodiles and turtles. Wolbachia (“woll-BOCK-ee-uh”) infection skews this measurement away from one in insect populations.
ANSWER: sex ratio [or the relative number of males and females; accept obvious equivalents]
<Adam Silverman, Science - Biology> ~20898~ <Editor: Adam Silverman>