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In evolutionary theory, adaptations are the biological mechanisms by which organisms adjust to new environments or to changes in their current environment.
In evolutionary theory, adaptations are the biological mechanisms by which organisms adjust to new environments or to changes in their current environment.
What is adaptation?
What is adaptation?
An adaptation is a modification of an organism or its parts that makes it more fit for existence.
An adaptation is a modification of an organism or its parts that makes it more fit for existence.
Adaptations are an evolutionary process.
Adaptations are an evolutionary process.
Adaptations are an evolutionary process whereby an organism becomes increasingly well suited to living in a particular habitat. These are changes that occur over many, many generations. It is definitely not a quick process!
Adaptations occur through natural selection. Organisms that have features better suited to their habitat will survive over successive generations, while those that are not well suited to the environment will not survive. Surviving species will then reproduce, producing more individuals within the population that have the same, favourable features for survival. Over many generations, more and more of the individuals within the species will have the favoured features until eventually all individuals will have them. Charles Darwin originally documented natural selection as a function of evolution in 1854 in his book On the Origin of Species.
Structural
Structural
Structural (or morphological) adaptations are changes to the physical features of the organism. These include things you can see, like its shape or body covering, as well as its internal organisation. These can occur in populations over many generations.
Behavioural
Behavioural
A behavioural adaptation is the way an organism acts in order to survive or thrive in its environment.
Behavioural adaptations are learned or inherited behaviours that help organisms to survive. These can occur in populations within one or a few generations.
Physiological
Physiological
Physiological adaptations relate to how an organism’s metabolism works. These adaptations enable the organism to regulate their bodily functions, such as breathing and temperature, and perform special functions like excreting chemicals as a defense mechanism. These can occur in populations over many generations.
Leafy Sea Dragon Fish
Leafy Sea Dragon Fish
Some creatures, such as this leafy sea dragon fish (Phycodurus eques) have evolved adaptations that allow them to blend in with their environment (in this case, seaweed) to avoid the attention of hungry predators.
Emperor Penguins
Emperor Penguins
Emperor penguins (Aptenodytes forsteri) in Antarctica crowd together to share their warmth in the middle of winter.
Tibetan Plateau
Tibetan Plateau
Tibetans thrive at altitudes where oxygen levels are up to 40 percent lower than at sea level. Breathing air that thin would cause most people to get sick, but Tibetans’ bodies have evolved changes in their body chemistry.
Native Birds
Native Birds
New Zealand separated from Gondwana around 65 million years ago. Due to the geographical isolation and a lack of ground-dwelling predators, our birds evolved unique characteristics. Get to know your native birds here.
New Zealand separated from Gondwana around 65 million years ago. Due to the geographical isolation and a lack of ground-dwelling predators, our birds evolved unique characteristics. Get to know your native birds here.
Creature Closeups
Creature Closeups
Click here and get to know some of the 1,000 species on exhibit—or behind the scenes—at the California Academy of Sciences' Steinhart Aquarium.
Click here and get to know some of the 1,000 species on exhibit—or behind the scenes—at the California Academy of Sciences' Steinhart Aquarium.
The Curious Case of the Takahē
The Curious Case of the Takahē
Adaptations in Takahē
Adaptations in Takahē
Takahē have adapted to living on the forest edge and in the open tussock plains. They have vestigial wings and cannot fly. They have evolved a larger body size with short, thick-set legs. Takahē have strong beaks that can strip the high nutrient food off the tussock grasses and not create lasting damage to the plant. They have a large range and are territorial.
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