clinal Definition
relating to or denoting a gradual change in the characteristics of a population of animals or plants across a geographical gradient.
Using clinal: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "clinal" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
The clinal variation in the size of the beaks of Galapagos finches is an example of adaptation to different food sources.
Example
The distribution of the species shows a clinal pattern along the coast.
clinal Synonyms and Antonyms
Synonyms for clinal
- continuous
- progressive
- gradual
Summary: clinal in Brief
'Clinal' [ˈklʌɪn(ə)l] refers to a gradual change in the characteristics of a population of animals or plants across a geographical gradient. This term is often used to describe the variation in the size, shape, or other features of organisms that are adapted to different environments. Examples of clinal variation include the beak size of Galapagos finches and the distribution of species along a coast.
