The ‘other’ hardwood: Growth, physiology, and dynamics of hickories in the Central Hardwood Region, USA

A single genotype can produce different phenotypes in different environments. This fundamental property of organisms is known as phenotypic plasticity. Recently, intensive study has shown that plants are plastic for a remarkable array of ecologically important traits, ranging from diverse aspects of morphology and physiology to anatomy, developmental and reproductive timing, breeding system, and offspring developmental patterns. Comparative, quantitative genetics and molecular approaches are leading to new insights into the adaptive nature of plasticity, its underlying mechanisms and its role in the ecological distribution and evolutionary diversification of plants.