maternal dietary effects are not just seen in humans, but throughout many taxa in the animal kingdom. these maternal dietary effects can result in ecological changes on a larger scale throughout populations and from generation to generation. the plasticity involved in these epigenetic changes due to maternal diet represents the environment into which the offspring will be born. many times, epigenetic effects on offspring from the maternal diet during development will genetically prepare the offspring to be better adapted for the environment in which they will first encounter. the epigenetic effects of maternal diet can be seen in many species, utilizing different ecological cues and epigenetic mechanisms to provide an adaptive advantage to future generations.