What is a cline in biology?
Q: What is a cline in biology?
A: A cline, or 'ecocline', describes a series of connected populations in a species with a continuous gradient of traits and genetics.
Q: Who coined the term cline?
A: The term cline was coined by the English evolutionary biologist Julian Huxley in 1938.
Q: How does Julian Huxley define cline?
A: Julian Huxley defines a cline as a species whose members fall into a series of sub-species with continuous change in characters over a geographical area.
Q: What is the significance of continuous change in characters in a cline?
A: The continuous change in characters in a cline signifies that there is no clear-cut boundary between populations, but rather a gradual transition of traits and genetics.
Q: Why is it important to study clines in biology?
A: Studying clines in biology can provide insight into the mechanisms of evolution and adaptation in changing environments.
Q: Can different species have clines?
A: While the term cline is typically used in reference to populations within a single species, it is possible for different species to also show patterns of continuous variation across geographic areas.
Q: Is cline the same as subspecies?
A: A cline is similar to a subspecies in that it describes a population with distinct characteristics, but differs in that there is no clear-cut boundary between populations in a cline, as there would be in a subspecies.
