Curiously, then, HPAT mutations can have developmental consequences in both the simple moss (see accompanying image # 2) and the more
evolved mustard plant — enhancing growth in the one, impairing it in the other.
Researchers have found that a Rocky Mountain
mustard plant alters its physical appearance and flowering time in response to different environmental conditions, suggesting some species can quickly shape - shift to cope with climate change without having to migrate or
evolve.