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BIOLOGY PROJECT

ON

ADAPTATION

OF SPECIES IN THEIR VARIOUS HABITAT

ADAPTATION DEFINITION
In biology and ecology, adaptation refers to the process of adjusting in behavior,
physiology, or structure to become more suited to an environment
...
It may also pertain to the trait that made the species a better fit for the
environment
...
The term adaptation came
from the Latin “adaptō”, meaning “I fit” or “I adjust to”
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The organism tends to undergo changes to
become more suited or fit to its environment
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Both terms are about changes
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For a trait to be considered as an adaptation, it
has to be heritable, functional, and increases fitness
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In the ecosystem, several species co-adapt,
and in so doing they also co-evolve
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The algal and fungal components tend to co-evolve together as the
absence of one implicates death
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Adaptations are essential to the species’ survival
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e
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g
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g
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Another definition of Adaptation is that “it is the ability of an organism to survive in
any given environment or habitat
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Talking about adaptation theory, what is adaptation Theory?
Adaptation theory is also referred to as the theory of survival of the fittest which is
an organism’s ability to adapt to an environment and adjust with time
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Before Darwin, there were many other scientists
such as Empedocles, Aristotle, William Paley, Lamarck and Buffon who accepted
the fact that species change with time but did not understand the underlying cause
for this change or that adaptation was a continuous process which does not have a
final form
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

Habitat Tracking: When an organism which used to live in the environment, finds
another environment which is similar to the previous one to which it has inhabited
before
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

Genetic Change: Genetic change is natural selection that allows the organism with
slight mutations to survive better in an environment when compared to the other
organisms in a given area
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The turtles in one
island ate from the lower ground due to which they had shorter legs and straight
shells
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With time their necks also grew longer, and their shells became round
and these adaptations were passed on to generations for the turtles living on that
island
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Mutation is the sudden
genetic change which could be accidental or random
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Certain mutations are harmful to human beings while certain mutations
could be advantageous to the survival of an organism in the struggle for existence
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This bird is, therefore, able to survive better and breed
more
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Natural selection is the process in which individuals with survival advantages will
survive in an environment and those with less advantageous traits will die due to the
pressure from the environment
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There
is competition among the species of that area to fight for the available resources
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In the struggle for
existence, some individuals show variable variations that have a reproductive
advantage and produce more offspring than other species
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Example - Different species of finches existed on Galapagos island, the variation
among them was in their beak characteristics
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What are the Different Types of Adaptations?
Adaptations could be of various types:
1
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These structural modifications affect an animal at many
different levels and such changes are highly visible adaptations, one can fully
identify these changes with naked eyes
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Plants called
succulents have adapted to the desert conditions by storing water within
themselves to compensate for the lower water availability
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BEHAVIOURAL ADAPTATION:
Behavioural adaptation is the change in the behavior of an organism to survive
better in an environment
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Example - Migration- bird migrates to the south in winter as there is more food
available, but some birds also do migrate for the purpose of reproduction
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PHYSIOLOGICAL ADAPTATIONS:
Physiological

adaptations

are

a

body

process

that

helps

an

organism

survive/reproduce better in an environment
...

These changes are typically based on body chemistry and metabolism, thus usually
can’t be seen from the outside
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Example - An animal which is living in cold regions will have features like thick fur
and short ears to reduce the heat loss
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4
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Example - Humming birds have long beaks which helps the bird capture nectar
from specific plants during which it gets dusted with pollen grains
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Why is Adaptation Important for Species?
Every organism has a natural habitat which is home to the organism
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All organisms need to adapt to their habitats to be able to survive
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This means the organism will have to adapt to the
climatic conditions, predators and compete for the same resources with the other
organisms living in that habitat
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The animal must adapt to all these factors to survive
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One good example is the
ability to camouflage
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Adaptations also help the
organism protect themselves from the harsh weather
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ADAPTATIVE FEATURES OF PLANTS IN AQUATIC ENVIRONMENT
1
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2
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3
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4
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E
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ADAPTATIVE FEATURES OF PLANTS IN TERRESTIAL ENVIRONMENT
1
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2
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3
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4
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g Bryophy – llumpinnata
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Occurrence of air bubbles on their body
2
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Presence of lateral line to detect vibration in water e
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Occurrence of gills
ADAPTATIVE FEATURES OF ANIMALS IN AQUATIC ENVIRONMENT



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