cline

 

in biology, any gradual change in a particular characteristic of a population of organisms from one end of the geographical range of the population to the other. Gradients of characteristics usually accompany, and are responses to, environmental gradients; for example, a mountain range features gradients from top to bottom such as a temperature gradient (colder to warmer) and a humidity gradient (wetter to drier). They may also reflect patterns of individual migration or gene flow. In species of birds and mammals, there is usually a cline in body size, with smaller individuals in warm climates and larger individuals tending to be found in colder climates.

Cline can refer to:

• Term meaning "gradual change" (from the Greek [klīnein], "to lean")
  • Cline (population genetics), a gradual change of a character or feature (phenotype) in a species over a geographical area.
  • "Cultural cline" is a gradual change of a cultural characteristic or feature over a geographical area.
  • Thermocline, a layer within a body of water or air where the temperature changes with depth.
  • In linguistics, the term cline refers to a list of words dealing with the same concept, arranged in order of intensity. For example a list could be made with words like "freezing", "cold", "cool", "tepid", "warm", "hot", and "scorching".
• Antonov An-32, NATO reporting name of Cline

People

Of various etymology, primarily from German Klein, "small, insignificant".

• Adrian Cline, American runner
• Dylan and Jordan Cline (b. 2003), twin American child actors
• Edward Cline, American screenwriter and director
• Eric Cline (b. 1955), Canadian politician
• Ernest Cline (b. 1972), American comedian and screenwriter
• Gene Clines (b. 1946), American baseball player
• Hoyt Franklin Clines (d. 1994), American murderer
• Isaac Cline (1861-1955), American meteorologist
• Kristi Cline (b. 1980), Playboy playmate
• Leticia Cline (b. 1978), American model and wrestling personality
• Martin Cline (b. 1934), American geneticist
• Melanie Cline (b. 1975), American BMX racer
• Nels Cline (b. 1956), American guitarist and composer
• Ollie Cline (1925-2001), American football player
• Patsy Cline (1932-1963), country music star
• Reginald Cline-Cole, Sierra Leonean professor of developmental geography
• Russell Cline, American currency trader and conman
• Sperry Cline (d. 1964), Canadian frontier policeman
• Ty Cline (b. 1939), American baseball player
• Victor Cline, prominent American psychoanalyst

See also

• Kline
• Klein (disambiguation)

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