Consider the following passage:
In evolutionary biology, the rapid adaptation of urban-dwelling wildlife to anthropogenic stressors has sparked intense debate over the underlying mechanisms. Classical neo-Darwinian theory posits that such adaptation relies exclusively on the selection of pre-existing genetic variants or novel beneficial mutations over successive generations. However, a growing cohort of epigeneticists contends that environmentally induced DNA methylation and histone modifications allow organisms to dynamically alter gene expression within a single generation, offering a far more rapid adaptive response to urban pollution and habitat fragmentation. Critics of the epigenetic framework push back strongly against this assertion. They argue that most environmentally induced epigenetic marks are developmentally transient or erased during germline reprogramming, rendering them incapable of serving as stable units of transgenerational inheritance. Furthermore, skepticism deepens because phenotypic plasticity driven by transient epigenetic changes can shield deleterious genetic variants from natural selection, potentially relaxing selective pressure and compromising long-term population fitness. Nevertheless, recent studies on urban populations of the white-footed mouse (Peromyscus leucopus) provide a nuanced rebuttal to these skepticism-driven critiques. Researchers demonstrated that specific methylation patterns in metabolic genes persist across multiple unexposed generations in laboratory settings, directly counteracting the germline-erasure argument. Moreover, modeling indicates that initial non-genetic epigenetic shifts can buy time for populations, facilitating survival in novel toxic environments until hardwired genetic adaptations catch up—a phenomenon known as the Baldwin effect. Thus, while epigenetic inheritance may not supersede traditional genetic mechanisms, discounting its role as an immediate evolutionary buffer oversimplifies the dynamics of urban adaptation.
Evaluate the following statement based on the passage above:
Statement: According to the passage, the empirical research on the white-footed mouse serves exclusively to refute the critics' claim regarding germline erasure, without offering any logical counter to the objection that epigenetic plasticity shields deleterious mutations from natural selection.
Answer: Answer