Abstract

Phenotypic plasticity is a critical adaptive mechanism across diverse organisms, enabling responses to environmental changes. This inherent flexibility drives adaptation in host-microbe interactions, facilitates invasive species success, and allows plants to cope with salinity, drought, and other stresses. Aquatic organisms and forest trees leverage plasticity, often via epigenetic modifications, for survival in dynamic ecosystems, including facing climate change. While contributing to adaptation and resilience, its impact on disease susceptibility varies. Integrating plasticity into climate change vulnerability assessments is essential for effective conservation, highlighting its broad evolutionary and ecological significance.