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Difficulty: MediumHuman Morphological and Physiological Variations

Continuous variation in human morphological traits, such as adult height and body mass index, produces a smooth spectrum of intermediate phenotypes within a population because these traits are governed by polygenic inheritance and modified by environmental factors.

Answer: Answer

Answer

The statement is True.
Continuous variations in humans involve quantitative traits where phenotypic traits range smoothly from one extreme to another. This occurs because multiple genes (polygenes) contribute additively to the trait, and environmental influences further smooth out differences between genotypes.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the type of variation described for human height and body mass index.
Height and body weight display a spectrum of overlapping phenotypes across a population, which defines continuous variation.
Continuous traits show quantitative variation across a range rather than discrete qualitative classes.
2
Analyze the genetic and environmental basis of continuous human morphological variation.
Continuous traits are polygenic (controlled by many gene loci) and their expression is noticeably influenced by environmental factors such as diet and exercise.
Multiple genes provide an additive genetic foundation, while environmental conditions create fine gradations between genetic potential.
3
Evaluate the accuracy of the statement based on biological principles.
The statement correctly links continuous morphological traits to polygenic control and environmental modification.
The explanation aligns with the established definition and mechanisms of human continuous variation.

Key Concept

Polygenic inheritance and environmental impact on continuous human variations
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Topics

Human Morphological and Physiological Variations

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