Define each of the following terms:

phenotype

Key Concepts

Phenotype

Phenotype refers to the observable physical and physiological traits of an organism, which result from the interaction of its genotype with the environment. This includes characteristics such as height, eye color, and behavior. While the genotype is the genetic makeup, the phenotype is the expression of those genes influenced by environmental factors.

Genotype

Genotype is the genetic constitution of an organism, representing the specific alleles inherited from its parents. It serves as the blueprint for the organism's traits, but it does not directly dictate the phenotype. Understanding the genotype is crucial for predicting potential phenotypic outcomes, as different genotypes can lead to similar phenotypes due to environmental influences.

Environmental Influence

Environmental influence encompasses all external factors that can affect the expression of an organism's phenotype. These factors include nutrition, climate, and exposure to toxins, among others. The interaction between genotype and environment is essential for understanding how traits are expressed, as the same genotype can produce different phenotypes under varying environmental conditions.