螞蟻的議題討論

我們認為有些特征在某些物種內很穩定是因為物種所在的環境沒有發生很大的變化，這種情況使得物種的性狀發生停滯。
有些特征在某些物種內具有高度的個體變異是因為它們所在的環境不停地在改變。而為了讓自身更好地適應環境的變化，物種的性狀會產生變異。


相關假說：
Stasis is the phenomenon of no phenotypic or genotypic change. Stasis occurs when the environment that the organism lives in doesn't change.

Bjorn Ostman (2008): Stasis Does Not Falsify Evolution. Pleiotrophy. http://pleiotropy.fieldofscience.com/2008/12/stasis-does-not-falsify-evolution.html 

Evolutionary change comes through the production of variation in each generation and differential survival of individuals with different combinations of these variable characters. Variation exists between members of the population and those that possess the most favourable traits will survive best and reproduce more.

Lloyd Spencer Davis(2007): Natural Selection. Looking For Darwin. http://www.lookingfordarwin.com/darwin/naturalselection.html

Stephen Montgomery: Charles Darwin & Evolution 1809-2009. Darwin 200. http://darwin200.christs.cam.ac.uk/pages/index.php?page_id=d3

Phenotypic plasticity is the change in a phenotype as the result of environmental conditions. This allow the organism to adapt to varying conditions in real-time, potentially allowing for an optimal phenotype for every condition.

Marc Srour: Phenotypic Plasticity. Bioteaching. https://bioteaching.wordpress.com/2013/05/02/phenotypic-plasticity-2/ [accessed 2 May 2013]