What characterizes the Ponto-Caspian region, the ancestral home of *Dreissena polymorpha*?
Answer
Variable salinity, temperature fluctuations, and fluctuating water levels
The ancestral home of the zebra mussel, the Ponto-Caspian region encompassing the Black Sea, Caspian Sea, and connecting freshwater systems, is characterized by significant environmental instability. Specifically, this native environment subjects organisms to variable salinity levels, notable fluctuations in temperature, and constantly changing water levels. This challenging and dynamic condition served as an evolutionary incubator, selecting for species that possessed inherent physiological flexibility, which later proved crucial for surviving dispersal into diverse new global environments.
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