New News Biology #60

Adaptation

In order for any organism to survive, it has to be adapted to its environment.

e.g. polar bears have thick fur to withstand the extreme cold, or the big eyes of owls which allow them to see in the dark.

Scientists class adaptations into three different kinds:

Structural; these are physical features like shape and colors - e.g. seals and walruses have a rounded shape which allows them to live in the cold (a store of fat), and they also have a low surface area to volume ratio, and these two features allow them to conserve body heat.

Behavioral; the way an organism behaves or acts in response to their environment - e.g. elephants flap their ears and spray themselves with water to cool them down and survive the hot environment.

Functional; processes inside an organism - e.g. their metabolism, reproductive system, etc.

Lastly, there are extremophiles, which have adapted to extreme conditions. These are organisms that can survive extreme environments like high temps or high salt concentration or high pressures that no other organisms can.