What role does niche reconstruction play in the evolution and adaptation of species?
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Niche construction plays a crucial role in the evolution and adaptation of species by influencing trait heritability, response to selection pressures, and the dynamics of populations. Organisms actively participate in shaping their environments through niche construction, leading to inheritable changes that can alter selection pressures and evolutionary pathways. This reciprocal process to natural selection diversifies niches, impacting genomic diversity and dispersal within populations. Niche construction theory emphasizes that organisms are not just passive subjects but active agents in their evolutionary processes, influencing developmental and ecological dynamics. By considering the effects of niche construction on trait heritability and selection responses, a deeper understanding of how species evolve and adapt in complex environments is achieved.
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| Papers (5) | Insight |
|---|---|
| Niche construction theory emphasizes organisms as agents shaping their environment, influencing evolution. It offers a unique perspective on adaptation by focusing on individual change and developmental processes. | |
16 May 2023 | Niche construction influences evolution by diversifying niches, impacting adaptability, genomic diversity, and dispersal, leading to dynamics like mass extinctions, arms races, and oscillations in populations. |
6 Citations | Niche construction involves organisms actively shaping their environment, influencing evolution and adaptation. It distinguishes between agency-driven and non-goal-directed contributions in ecological, developmental, and evolutionary processes. |
| Niche construction influences evolution by diversifying niches, impacting adaptability, genomic diversity, and dispersal patterns, leading to mass extinctions, arms races, and oscillations in populations evolving in diverse environments. | |
01 Jun 2022 | Niche construction can alter trait heritability and the response to selection, impacting the pace of phenotypic change and evolution beyond selection alone, highlighting its significant role in species adaptation. |
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