annidation

Etymology
From and.

Coined by geneticist Wilhelm Ludwig in 1950 as "a fifth evolutionary factor".

Noun

 * 1)  The adaptation of the various genotypes to different ecological niches, such as where a mutant form of a species is maintained in a population because it can flourish in a way that the parent organisms cannot.
 * 2) * Flax grew more rapidly and matured earlier than linseed and this difference in timing of growth led to annidation.