Characteristics Adapted to the Organism's Environment

Characteristics Adapted to the Organism’s Environment

• Organisms develop characteristics that are best suited to their specific environment, a process known as adaptation. These adaptations can be physical, behavioural or physiological.

• Physical adaptations are changes to an organism’s physical structure to better survive in its environment. For instance, camels have humps to store fat for energy and long eyelashes to keep out sand.

• Behavioural adaptations are changes to how an organism behaves to improve survival. For example, some birds migrate to warmer climates during the winter while others hibernate.

• Physiological adaptations are changes in an individual’s metabolic process. For instance, brown bears hibernating slow down their metabolism to conserve energy.

• Adaptation can lead to evolution. If the environment changes, organisms with characteristics that favour survival in the new environment will be more likely to reproduce, passing on these beneficial traits to the next generation.

• Over time, these advantageous traits will become more common in the population, leading to evolution of the species.

• The process through which organisms with better adaptations to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce is called natural selection, often referred to as “survival of the fittest”.

• Environment-driven changes in gene frequencies in a population is known as evolutionary adaptation. The concept of a gene pool and genetic drift factor into this.

• Predation, disease, and competition for resources such as food, water, and mates facilitate natural selection.

• Mutations are changes in DNA that can generate new variation in a population. Though many are harmful or neutral, some mutations offer advantages in a particular environment and may lead to evolution through natural selection.

• The effects of selection on variation can be stabilising, disruptive or directional. Stabilizing selection favours average individuals, directional selection favours one extreme, and disruptive selection favours both extremes at the cost of average individuals.

• Evolutionary adaptations lead to increased biodiversity, resulting in the vast variety of species found on Earth today.

• Fossils and the study of anatomy and DNA are evidence to support the theory of evolution.

• Human intervention can also drive changes in organisms’ characteristics through selective breeding or genetic engineering.

Remember, understanding these points requires more than just memorization. Try to visualise real-life examples for better assimilation and retention.