October 15- Phenotypic Plasticity

  Phenotypic Plasticity is the ability of an organism to change their phenotype when moved to a different environment to better suit itself. This does not change its genome. 

"The Genetic Basis of Adaptation following Plastic Changes in Coloration in a Novel Environment", is about a species of lizard that a group studies. Some of the lizards they study live in lava rock with darker color, and others live in sand with lighter color. This is what they found due to phenotypic plasticity. These changes allowed for better camouflage depending on their environment. This is connected to melanin production regulators, and the process happens really quickly and it is really spectacular. 

For more explanation, the researchers took a few lizards from the lava rock environment and then put them into the sand environment. They found that after only 4 months, the lizard's color had changed. It became lighter to match the sand. This change of pigmentation is from phenotypic plasticity and also positive selection.