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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Dec 10, 2025

Author Spotlight: Exploring Microglial Interactions with Stress-Response Circuitry Using the Limited Bedding and Nesting Model

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Published on: July 12, 2024

Reduced phenotypic plasticity evolves in less predictable environments.

Christelle Leung¹, Marie Rescan¹, Daphné Grulois¹

¹CEFE, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Université Paul Valéry Montpellier 3, Montpellier, France.

Ecology Letters

|September 2, 2020

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Phenotypic plasticity evolved to lower levels in less predictable environments, challenging evolutionary theory. This study highlights the need for long-term experiments to understand adaptation to environmental change.

Keywords:

Dunaliella salina Phenotypic plasticity environmental stochasticity experimental evolution fluctuating environment predictability

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Last Updated: Dec 10, 2025

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Following the Dynamics of Structural Variants in Experimentally Evolved Populations

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Published on: February 3, 2023

Area of Science:

Evolutionary biology
Ecology
Microbiology

Background:

Phenotypic plasticity is crucial for organisms adapting to environmental variability and influences extinction risk.
Evolutionary theory suggests plasticity decreases with environmental unpredictability to avoid maladaptive responses.

Purpose of the Study:

To experimentally test the evolutionary theory of phenotypic plasticity under varying environmental predictability.
To investigate the long-term adaptive responses of a microalgal species to fluctuating salinity.

Main Methods:

Exposed 32 lines of Dunaliella salina to controlled, fluctuating salinity environments with different predictability levels for 500 generations.
Monitored morphological plasticity evolution, focusing on slow growth phases.

Main Results:

Lines in less predictable environments evolved reduced morphological plasticity.
Plasticity evolution primarily occurred during slow population growth phases, not exponential growth phases.

Conclusions:

Experimental results support the hypothesis that phenotypic plasticity decreases under less predictable environmental conditions.
Long-term experiments are essential for understanding population dynamics and adaptation to environmental unpredictability, relevant to climate change impacts.