Question

What is the role of plasticity in development of the individual? How can two individuals with identical genotypes exhibit different phenotypes?

Answer 1

A) The role of plasticity in development of the individual

Plasticity in development of the individual occurs to any level of complexity that may be molecular, cellular, systemic and behavioural. It states that the ability of living organisms to change their state in response to any stimuli and gain most adaptive response.

As individual organisms can alter their development, physiology according to their environmental conditions. Environmental responses can be trait and resource specific that represent evolved characteristics in genotypes, populations and species.

B) Two individuals with identical genotypes exhibit different phenotypes because phenotypic expression is a combination of:

- The genotype of the individual environment.

- The interaction of genotype and environment.

So individuals with similar genotypes, such as identical twins when given on different environments then they can differ in their appearance, behavior.