Question

Given the warming climate, you are interested in how seed production of a certain plant species is affected by temperature. In particular, you are interested in whether seed production shows a plastic response to temperature, and, if so, whether there is the possibility for adaptive evolution of phenotypic plasticity in response to climate change. Please describe the steps that would be needed to demonstrate there is the capacity for adaptive evolution in the population you are studying.

a) Expose populations to different temperature regimes
b) Measure seed production under varying temperature conditions
c) Assess heritability of plastic responses
d) Repeat experiments across multiple generations

Answer 1

To demonstrate adaptive evolution in plant seed production in response to climate change, one must establish the phenotypic plasticity and heritability of seed production under different temperatures and track changes over multiple generations.

Step-by-step explanation:

To demonstrate the capacity for adaptive evolution in a plant population's seed production in response to temperature changes, follow these steps:

1. Expose populations to different temperature regimes to ascertain if seed production is phenotypically plastic.
2. Measure seed production under varying temperature conditions to quantify the response.
3. Assess the heritability of plastic responses to determine if these responses have a genetic basis.
4. Repeat experiments across multiple generations to observe if evolutionary changes occur.

In addition, the phenotypic plasticity and potential for adaptive evolution could be linked to other factors such as seed bank viability, seedling survival rates, and reproductive success under variable climate conditions.