Content
- What is the adaptation of living beings to the environment
- Types of adaptation of living beings to the environment
- Physiological adaptations
- morphological adaptations
- behavioral adaptations
- Examples of adaptation of living beings to the environment
- Examples of terrestrial adaptation
- Examples of adaptation to the aquatic environment
- Examples of adaptation to light or its absence
- Temperature adaptation examples
All living beings must adapt or have some qualities that allow them to survive. Faced with sudden changes in the environment, not all species have this ability and, throughout evolutionary history, many have been left behind and disappeared. Others, despite their simplicity, managed to reach our days.
Ever wonder why there are so many different species of animals? In this article by PeritoAnimal we will talk about the adaptation of living beings to the environment, the types that exist and show some examples.
What is the adaptation of living beings to the environment
The adaptation of living beings to the environment is a set of physiological processes, morphological characteristics or behavioral changes that allow the survival of living beings in different ecosystems. Adaptation is one of the reasons why there is a wide variety of life forms on our planet.
When powerful changes occur in the environment, less generalistic beings who have very specific needs tend to disappear.
Types of adaptation of living beings to the environment
Thanks to adaptation, many species have managed to survive throughout the planet's history. all living beings are intrinsically adaptable, but many of these adaptations occurred by chance. This means that the appearance or disappearance of genes is due, for example, to the fact that certain individuals were unable to survive, and not because they did not adapt to their environment, but because a catastrophe was able to make their trail of the planet disappear. The appearance of certain characters may have happened due to random mutation part of its genome. The different types of adaptations are:
Physiological adaptations
These adaptations are related to changes in metabolism of organisms. Certain organs start to function differently when certain changes in the environment occur. The two best known physiological adaptations are the hibernation and the aestivation.
In both cases, whether the ambient temperature drops well below 0°C or well above 40°C, combined with low relative humidity, certain beings are capable of decrease yourbasal metabolism in such a way that they remain in latency for short or long periods of time in order to survive the most devastating seasons in their ecosystem.
morphological adaptations
Are external structures of animals that allow them to adapt better to their environment, for example, the fins of aquatic animals or the dense coat of animals that live in cold climates. However, the two most attractive morphological adaptations are the crips or camouflage it's the mimicry.
Cryptic animals are those that camouflage themselves perfectly with their environment and are almost impossible to detect in a landscape, such as the stick insect or the leaf insect. On the other hand, mimicry consists in imitating the appearance of dangerous animals, for example, monarch butterflies are extremely poisonous and don't have many predators. The viceroy butterfly has the same physical appearance without being poisonous, but because it is similar to the monarch, it is also not preyed upon.
behavioral adaptations
These adaptations lead animals to develop certain behaviors that affect the survival of the individual or species. Running away from a predator, hiding, looking for shelter or looking for nutritious food are examples of behavioral adaptations, although the two most characteristic of this type of adaptation are the migration or the procession. Migration is used by animals to escape their environment when weather conditions are not ideal. Courting is a set of behavior patterns that aim to find a partner and reproduce.
Examples of adaptation of living beings to the environment
Below we will cite some examples of adaptations that make certain animals suitable for the environment in which they live:
Examples of terrestrial adaptation
At reptile egg shells and birds are an example of adaptation to the terrestrial environment, as they prevent the embryo from drying out. O fur in mammals it is another adaptation to the terrestrial environment, as it serves to protect the skin.
Examples of adaptation to the aquatic environment
At fins in fish or aquatic mammals allow them to move better in the water. Likewise, the interdigital membranes amphibians and birds have the same effect.
Examples of adaptation to light or its absence
The nocturnal animals have eye cells highly developed that allow them to see at night. Animals that live underground and do not depend on light to see often lack a sense of sight.
Temperature adaptation examples
THE fat accumulation under the skin is an adaptation to cold climates. According to Allen's rule, animals that live in cold areas have shorter limbs, ears, tails, or snouts than animals that live in warm areas, as they must avoid heat loss.
However, animals that live in very hot areas are characterized, for example, by big ears that allow them to lose more body heat and thus cool more.
If you want to read more articles similar to Adaptation of living beings to the environment, we recommend that you enter our Curiosities section of the animal world.