Figure 2.

(a) Path model of the fitness consequences of phenotypic plasticity to some aspect of the environment (adapted from Scheiner [80]). (b) Potential mechanisms by which neighbour phenotype and identity could affect an individual's fitness. Circled numbers on the figure indicate the following processes: (1) phenotypic plasticity to the environment; (2) natural selection on a trait can differ between environments; (3) kin recognition, as phenotypic plasticity to relatedness; (4) phenotypic plasticity to the presence and phenotype of neighbours; (5) effect of neighbour traits on focal plant fitness (selection on group-level traits); and (6) effects of neighbour traits on natural selection for the focal plant trait (frequency-dependent disruptive selection induced by competition for a limiting resource).