Developmental plasticity

Abstract

Developmental plasticity is the ability of an organism to tailor its phenotype (i.e., its observable traits) to environmental conditions and to its somatic condition. This ability is widespread in nature: It exists in all life forms, including mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, amphibians, invertebrates, and plants. This entry discusses developmental plasticity, its evolutionary origins and function, the physiological mechanisms that mediate it, individual differences, and sensitive periods.