Hormones, developmental plasticity and adaptation

• Published in: Trends in Ecology & Evolution Vol. 17; no. 4; pp. 190 - 196
• Main Authors: Dufty, Alfred M., Clobert, Jean, Møller, Anders P.
• Format: Book Review Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.04.2002; Elsevier
• Subjects: adaptation; Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; behaviour; Biological and medical sciences; development; environmental effects; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; hormones; maternal effects; phenotype; phenotypic plasticity; phenotype; development; hormones; maternal effects; adaptation; Genetics; Evolution; behaviour; phenotypic plasticity; Ecology; environmental effects; Endocrinology; Hormone; Phenotypic plasticity; Environmental factor; Maternal effect; Adaptation; Endocrine secretion
• ISSN: 0169-5347; 1872-8383
• DOI: 10.1016/S0169-5347(02)02498-9

Phenotypic plasticity is the extent to which an organism can change its physiology, behaviour, morphology and/or development in response to environmental cues. Environmentally induced differences in the endocrine system are among the underlying causes of phenotypic plasticity. For example, maternal and other environmental influences on developing young can affect the range of physiological and behavioural responses available to them as adults. The mechanisms underlying phenotypic plasticity can be elucidated using multidisciplinary approaches, in which the dynamic interactions among developmental, hormonal and environmental factors are considered. Such studies point to the importance of considering the overall developmental trajectory of an organism when assessing the adaptive value of phenotypic variation, rather than simply evaluating the individual at a single point in time. How is offspring development affected by the environment, including influences of maternal, and even grandmaternal, origin? The answer demonstrates that individuals might respond to environmental changes not only during the earliest stages of life, but also well into adulthood.