Question

< Question 14 of 14 > Classify examples of evolution or phenotypic plasticity. Evolution Phenotypic plasticity Answer Bank A species of trees in a forest has both large and small leaves, but over generations trees with larger leaves begin to become more abundant. A human community living at a high altitude begins to show a narrower range of red blood cell counts over generations, even when individuals move to another elevation. The leaves growing at the top of a tree are smaller than those growing lower on the tree. The coat color of a snowshoe hare lightens with shortening periods of light exposure. Snowshoe hares that do not molt before first snowfall are more easily spotted by predators, causing the population to begin to molt earlier each season. A man moving from a low to a high altitude undergoes an increase in red blood cell count.

Answer 1

1) trees with larger leaves begin to become more abundant is evolution.

It is evolution by natural selection

2) narrower range of red blood cells over generation is also example of evolution .

As we are talking of the change generation to generation

3) leaves at top of tree are smaller than those at leaves

It is an example of phenotypic plasticity.

As it is the phenotypic change in the same tree for adaptation to environment.

4) lightening of coat color with shortening period of light exposure is a phenotypic plasticity as it is also an adaptation to environmental changes

5) beginning of molting earlier is an evolution as it has gradually evolved by time.

6)increase in RBC on high altitude is phenotypic plasticity..it is an ex of acclimatization