Biological reduction (from the Latin. Reductio - return, move back) - reducing, simplifying the structure or the disappearance of organs due to the loss of their functions in the process of evolution .
For example, representatives of the Chlorant family are distinguished by a strong reduction of flowers : petals , and sometimes sepals , they are absent; for some species, male flowers have only one stamen .
Often, organs lose their inherent function in the course of individual ( ontogenesis ) or historical ( phylogenesis ) development of organisms. Usually, biological reduction leads to the prosperity of the species ( biological progress ).
See also
- Degeneration
- Involution
Literature
- Biological encyclopedic dictionary / chapters. ed. M. S. Gilyarov. - M .: Soviet Encyclopedia, 1986. - P. 534.
- Dictionary of foreign words. - M .: "Sirin", 1996. - p. 423.