The grandiose inventions of the human mind never cease to amaze, there are no limits to imagination. But what nature has created for many centuries surpasses the most creative ideas and plans. Nature has created more than one and a half million species of living individuals, each of which is individual and unique in its forms, physiology, and adaptability to life. Examples of adaptation of organisms to constantly changing living conditions on the planet are examples of the wisdom of the creator and a constant source of problems for biologists to solve.
Adaptation means adaptability or habituation. This is the process of gradual degeneration of the physiological, morphological or psychological functions of a creature in a changed environment. Both individuals and entire populations undergo changes.
A striking example of direct and indirect adaptation is the survival of flora and fauna in the zone of increased radiation around the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. Direct adaptability is characteristic of those individuals that managed to survive, get used to it and begin to reproduce; some did not survive the test and died (indirect adaptation).
Since the conditions of existence on Earth are constantly changing, the processes of evolution and adaptation in living nature are also a continuous process.
A recent example of adaptation is a change in the habitat of a colony of green Mexican aratinga parrots. Recently, they changed their usual habitat and settled in the very mouth of the Masaya volcano, in an environment constantly saturated with highly concentrated sulfur gas. Scientists have not yet provided an explanation for this phenomenon.
Types of adaptation
A change in the entire form of existence of an organism is a functional adaptation. An example of adaptation, when a change in conditions leads to mutual adaptation of living organisms to each other, is a correlative adaptation or co-adaptation.
Adaptation can be passive, when the functions or structure of the subject occur without his participation, or active, when he consciously changes his habits to match the environment (examples of people’s adaptation to natural conditions or society). There are cases when a subject adapts the environment to suit his needs - this is objective adaptation.
Biologists divide types of adaptation according to three criteria:
- Morphological.
- Physiological.
- Behavioral or psychological.
Examples of adaptation of animals or plants in their pure form are rare; most cases of adaptation to new conditions occur in mixed species.
Morphological adaptations: examples
Morphological changes are changes in the shape of the body, individual organs, or the entire structure of a living organism that occurred during the process of evolution.
Below are morphological adaptations, examples from the animal and plant world, which we consider as a matter of course:
- Degeneration of leaves into spines in cacti and other plants of arid regions.
- Turtle shell.
- Streamlined body shapes of inhabitants of reservoirs.
Physiological adaptations: examples
A physiological adaptation is a change in a number of chemical processes occurring inside the body.
- The release of a strong odor by flowers to attract insects contributes to dust.
- The state of suspended animation that simple organisms are capable of entering allows them to maintain vital activity after many years. The oldest bacteria capable of reproducing is 250 years old.
- Accumulation of subcutaneous fat, which is converted into water, in camels.
Behavioral (psychological) adaptations
Examples of human adaptation are more related to the psychological factor. Behavioral characteristics are common to flora and fauna. Thus, in the process of evolution, changes in temperature conditions cause some animals to hibernate, birds to fly south to return in the spring, trees to shed their leaves and slow down the movement of sap. The instinct to choose the most suitable partner for procreation drives the behavior of animals during the mating season. Some northern frogs and turtles freeze completely during the winter and thaw and come to life when the weather gets warmer.
Factors driving the need for change
Any adaptation process is a response to environmental factors that lead to environmental change. Such factors are divided into biotic, abiotic and anthropogenic.
Biotic factors are the influence of living organisms on each other, when, for example, one species disappears, which serves as food for another.
Abiotic factors are changes in the surrounding inanimate nature, when the climate, soil composition, water supply, and solar activity cycles change. Physiological adaptations, examples of the influence of abiotic factors - equatorial fish that can breathe both in water and on land. They have adapted well to conditions where drying up of rivers is a common occurrence.
Anthropogenic factors are the influence of human activity that changes the environment.
Adaptations to the environment
- Illumination. In plants, these are separate groups that differ in their need for sunlight. Light-loving heliophytes live well in open spaces. In contrast to them are sciophytes: plants of forest thickets that feel good in shaded places. Among the animals there are also individuals that are designed for an active lifestyle at night or underground.
- Air temperature. On average, for all living things, including humans, the optimal temperature environment is considered to be from 0 to 50 o C. However, life exists in almost all climatic regions of the Earth.
Contrasting examples of adaptation to abnormal temperatures are described below.
Arctic fish do not freeze thanks to the production of a unique antifreeze protein in the blood, which prevents the blood from freezing.
The simplest microorganisms have been found in hydrothermal vents, where the water temperature exceeds boiling degrees.
Hydrophyte plants, that is, those that live in or near water, die even with a slight loss of moisture. Xerophytes, on the contrary, are adapted to live in arid regions and die in high humidity. Among animals, nature has also worked to adapt to aquatic and non-aquatic environments.
Human adaptation
Man's ability to adapt is truly enormous. The secrets of human thinking are far from fully revealed, and the secrets of people's adaptive ability will remain a mysterious topic for scientists for a long time. The superiority of Homo sapiens over other living beings lies in the ability to consciously change their behavior to suit the demands of the environment or, conversely, the world around them to suit their needs.
The flexibility of human behavior manifests itself every day. If you give the task: “give examples of people’s adaptation,” the majority begins to remember exceptional cases of survival in these rare cases, and in new circumstances it is typical for a person every day. We try on a new environment at the moment of birth, in kindergarten, school, in a team, or when moving to another country. It is this state of acceptance of new sensations by the body that is called stress. Stress is a psychological factor, but nevertheless, many physiological functions change under its influence. In the case when a person accepts a new environment as positive for himself, the new state becomes habitual, otherwise stress threatens to become protracted and lead to a number of serious diseases.
Human coping mechanisms
There are three types of human adaptation:
- Physiological. The simplest examples are acclimatization and adaptation to changes in time zones or daily work patterns. In the process of evolution, different types of people were formed, depending on the territorial place of residence. Arctic, alpine, continental, desert, equatorial types differ significantly in physiological indicators.
- Psychological adaptation. This is a person’s ability to find moments of understanding with people of different psychotypes, in a country with a different level of mentality. Homo sapiens tend to change their established stereotypes under the influence of new information, special occasions, and stress.
- Social adaptation. A type of addiction that is unique to humans.
All adaptive types are closely related to each other; as a rule, any change in habitual existence causes in a person the need for social and psychological adaptation. Under their influence, mechanisms of physiological changes come into play, which also adapt to new conditions.
This mobilization of all body reactions is called adaptation syndrome. New reactions of the body appear in response to sudden changes in the environment. At the first stage - anxiety - there is a change in physiological functions, changes in the functioning of metabolism and systems. Next, protective functions and organs (including the brain) are activated and begin to turn on their protective functions and hidden capabilities. The third stage of adaptation depends on individual characteristics: a person either joins a new life and returns to normal (in medicine, recovery occurs during this period), or the body does not accept stress, and the consequences take a negative form.
Phenomena of the human body
A person has a huge reserve of safety inherent in nature, which is used in everyday life only to a small extent. It manifests itself in extreme situations and is perceived as a miracle. In fact, the miracle lies within us. Example of adaptation: the ability of people to adapt to normal life after the removal of a significant part of their internal organs.
Natural innate immunity throughout life can be strengthened by a number of factors or, conversely, weakened due to an incorrect lifestyle. Unfortunately, addiction to bad habits is also a difference between humans and other living organisms.
To the teacher Sample test questions for the subject Olympiad for schoolchildren in physical education 1. The standards that are the basis for assigning sports categories are contained in a document designated as “sports classification”. 2. Free movement of the body relative to the axis of rotation is called swing. 3. In volleyball, a player who is in zone 1 during the “transition” moves to zone 6. 4. The position of those practicing on bent legs is called a squat. 5. The entry of a substitute player onto the court instead of a main player in volleyball is designated as a substitution. 6. The position of the student on the apparatus, in which his shoulders are below the grip points, is referred to in gymnastics as hanging. 7. Victory in volleyball is awarded to the team that wins 3 games. 8. A quick transition from an emphasis to a hanging position is called a decline. 9. The person recognized to ensure that the competition is carried out in accordance with the rules of the sport and has the authority to do so is the competition judge. 10. The transition from hanging to point-blank range or from a lower to a high position in gymnastics is referred to as a rise. 11. A temporary decrease in performance is usually called fatigue. 12. A system of physical exercises associated with performing body rotations in different planes with and without support and maintaining balance by one athlete, two or in groups is called acrobatics. 13. The movement of the legs over the apparatus in gymnastics is called the swing. 14. In athletics, the projectile that is thrown after the “jump” is called the core. 15. The pedagogical process aimed at teaching movements, nurturing physical qualities, mastering special physical education knowledge and nurturing moral and volitional qualities is usually called physical education. 16. A sports projectile for throwing, which is a solid metal ball attached to a handle by a cable, is called a hammer. 17. The process of formation and change in the biological forms and functions of the body, which occurs under the influence of living conditions and upbringing, is called physical development. 18. Bending the supporting leg before pushing off in skiing is referred to as a sit-down. 19. The most significant result of the full functioning of physical culture in society is associated with the concept of “physical perfection”. 20. The method of holding a sports equipment or object during exercises is designated as a grip. 21. The level of physical development and preparedness of a person that meets the requirements of life is usually designated as physical perfection. 22. A completed cycle of movements repeated many times in running, walking, skating, skiing and other sports is designated as a step. 23. In the dynamics of performance, the phase of fatigue caused by physical activity is followed by a recovery phase. 24. The ultimate goal of a chess game is checkmate. 25. The subjective feeling of the state of one’s health, physical and spiritual strength is designated as well-being. 26. Moving a person’s body by extending one leg and transferring weight to it is referred to as a step. 27. The adaptation of an organism to the conditions of existence is designated by the concept of adaptation. 28. A soft mat that protects against bruises when falling and softens the landing during dismounts and various jumps is designated as a mat. 29. The main form of training for an athlete is sports training. 30. The position of the student, in which the legs bent at the knees are pulled up by the arms to the chest and the hands grab the knees, is referred to in gymnastics as a tuck. 31. A qualitative characteristic of physical activity is the level of physical activity. 32. The combination of several sports, united by one common criterion - martial arts of athletes in a grip, is designated as wrestling. 33. The method of sports swimming, which arose as a type of breaststroke, is called dolphin. (A method of sports swimming. It arose as a type of breaststroke. Swimmers extended the stroke with their arms to the hips and began to carry their arms forward above the water. Leg movements were performed as in breaststroke. A high-speed variety of the butterfly technique is the dolphin.) 34. The level of well-being of the body, determined by biofunctional, adaptive, immune capabilities and development trends of an individual characterizes his health. 35. The position in which the line of the athlete’s shoulder girdle passes above the grip points is designated as an emphasis. 36. The tasks of forming the personal qualities of an athlete and managing his operational state are solved in the section designated as psychological training - preparation of the athlete. 37. Cross-country running is referred to as cross-country. 38. The subjective feeling of the state of one’s health, physical and spiritual strength is referred to as well-being. 39. Physical culture is a type of culture of a person and society. 40. The adaptation of an organism to the conditions of existence is denoted by the concept of adaptation, adaptation. 41. The joint activity of people to use and increase the values of physical culture is usually designated as a physical culture movement. 42. The state of the body, characterized by perfect self-regulation of organs and systems, a harmonious combination of physical, moral and social well-being is called health. 43. The impact on the human body of an external factor that disrupts the structure and integrity of tissues and the normal course of physiological processes is called trauma. 44. The maximum amplitude of movements achieved by the application of both internal and external forces is characterized by passive flexibility. 45. The method of organizing the activities of students, when everyone performs the same task, is called frontal. 46. The periods of ontogenesis, within which the most significant rates of development of certain human abilities are ensured, especially favorable preconditions for the formation of certain abilities and skills are called sensitive feelings. 47. The method of organizing the activities of students, which involves the simultaneous performance of different tasks by several groups, is called group. 48. A rotational movement through the head with sequential touching of the supporting surface by individual parts of the body in gymnastics is designated as a somersault. 49. The method of organizing the activities of students, which involves the sequential completion of a series of tasks, dosed individually on the basis of the maximum test, is called circular. 50. Increasing the body's resistance to the influence of external factors occurs when using the natural forces of nature in the hardening process. 51. In the dynamics of performance, after achieving supercompensation in the absence of repetition of the load, a decrease in performance is observed. 52. Accented mastery of the elements of any sports discipline is designated as specialization. 53. Restoring body functions after illnesses or injuries is usually called the rehabilitation process. 54. Speed, as a physical quality, is characterized by 3 elementary forms. 55. A qualitative characteristic of the load is the intensity of the motor load. 56. In honor of the Athenian warrior Filipidis, who brought the news of victory over the Persians to Athens in ancient times, marathon competitions are held during the modern Olympic Games. 57. The process of a person mastering a system of knowledge, norms and values of physical culture that contributes to his functioning as a full member of society is referred to as socialization. 58. Increasing the body's resistance to the influence of external factors occurs when using the natural forces of nature in the hardening process. 59. Periods of biological development, within which the most favorable conditions for improving individual properties of the body and human abilities are formed, are usually designated as sensitive. 60. In the dynamics of performance, the phase of fatigue caused by physical activity is followed by a recovery phase. 61. In the dynamics of performance, after achieving supercompensation in the absence of repetition of the load, a decrease in performance is observed. 62. Restoring body functions after suffering illnesses or injuries is usually called the rehabilitation process. 63. To define the state of mental tension that arises under the influence of strong stimuli, Hans Selye used the term stress. 64. A measurement or test carried out to determine the condition, processes, properties or abilities of a person is referred to as a test. 65. Adaptive physical culture is a type (area) of physical culture for a person with health problems, including a disabled person, and society. 66. The formation of a person in the process of physical education and sports as an individual is called socialization. 67. A state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not just the absence of illnesses and physical disabilities, is usually called health. 68. The features of people’s everyday life in specific socio-economic conditions are characterized by the concept of lifestyle. 69. The rational use of natural forces of nature to increase the body’s resistance to the harmful influences of various meteorological factors is called hardening. 70. The process of morphofunctional, physiological and biochemical transformations that the body successively undergoes throughout life from inception to the end of life is called ontogenesis. 71. Regular observations of one’s health, physical development, physical fitness, and their changes under the influence of regular exercise and sports are called self-monitoring. 72. Periods of ontogenesis, within which, on the basis of natural patterns of development, the most significant rates of development of certain human abilities are ensured, increased adaptive capabilities are revealed; Particularly favorable preconditions for the formation of certain skills and abilities are called sensitive. 73. The emotional state that arises in response to various extreme influences is called stress. 74. The result of achieving compliance of the morphofunctional state of an organism with the conditions of activity that the environment creates for it is called adaptation. 75. The body’s immunity to the action of a pathogenic microbe is called immunity. 76. Motor actions aimed at implementing the tasks of physical education, formed and organized according to its laws, are called physical exercises. 77. The ability to overcome muscular resistance or counteract it with the help of muscular efforts is called strength. 78. A person’s ability to perform prolonged and effective work of moderate intensity is called endurance. 79. A person’s ability to perform motor actions in a minimum period of time is called speed. 80. The ability to carry out movements over large amplitudes due to mobility in the joints and spine is called flexibility. 81. The process aimed at developing physical qualities in accordance with the requirements of the specifics of a particular sport and the characteristics of competitive activity is called special physical training. 82. The process of combining all types of athlete training into a single system to implement the strategic objectives of individual or team sports wrestling is presented in integral training. 83. A specialized type of physical education, carried out in accordance with the requirements and characteristics of the profession, is called professionally applied physical training. 84. Prohibited pharmacological drugs and procedures used to stimulate physical and mental performance are designated as doping. 85. The property of the musculoskeletal system that makes it possible to perform movements with a large amplitude is referred to as flexibility. 86. The method in which the duration of rest intervals between repetitions of exercises depends on the operational state of the athlete is designated as repeated. 87. In complex coordination sports, a sequential combination of elements in a compositionally justified order is designated as a combination. 88. During adolescence, strength exercises can serve as an obstacle to increasing height. 89. The process that occurs in the human body after stopping work and consists of a gradual transition of physiological and biochemical functions not only to the original state, but also to an increase in performance, is usually referred to as recovery. 90. An achievement ratified as the highest indicator in the activity on the basis of which the competition is organized is designated as a record. 91. The subject of training in the field of physical education is motor actions, acts, movements. 92. In-depth learning of the technique of motor actions is characteristic of the 2nd stage of training. 93. The most commonly used indicator of the body’s response to physical activity is the heart rate (heart rate, pulse) 94. The main means of physical education: physical exercise, natural forces and hygienic factors. 95. In 2004, in Athens, Yuri Borzakovsky became the Champion of the 27 Games in athletics in the 800m run. 96. Over the course of 29 modern Olympics, 26 Games have been held. 97. In the sixties of the 19th century, the Sokol gymnastics system arose in the Czech Republic. 98. Maintaining body balance by changing the position of the body and its individual parts is referred to as balancing. 99. The state of a stable position of a body in space is designated as equilibrium. 100. The intensity of exercises performed without a break for 5 to 30 minutes, according to physiological criteria, is classified as a zone of high power work. 101. The volitional quality that determines the activity of actions in dangerous and difficult situations with the awareness of the possibility of serious consequences for oneself is designated as courage. 102. The line along the short sides of the football field is called the goal lines. 103. The technique of attack, which consists of hitting the ball with one hand to the opponent’s side above the top edge of the net in volleyball, is called an attacking blow. 104. In basketball, a technique for hiding the ball from an opponent and quickly changing its location in relation to it (moving away, approaching) is called a turn. 105. The process of breakdown of nutrients that occurs without access to oxygen is called anaerobic metabolism. 106. A long-term decrease in the motor activity of the body is called hypokinesia. 107. An anatomical formation, an organ of the human body, consisting of striated or smooth tissue capable of contraction under the influence of nerve impulses is called a muscle. 108. A double step, but only with a flight phase at the end of the movement, is designated as a jump in volleyball. 109. The active removal of the general center of mass of the body or its individual links from the support is called repulsion. 1
Question 1. Give examples of the adaptability of organisms to living conditions.
In animals, body shape, coloring, and behavior can be adaptive. So, for example, the hooves of a horse are the most convenient for quickly moving through open spaces, the retractable claws of cats ensure silent movement, aquatic mammals have formed a fish-like body for the most efficient movement in water, birds with different speeds and flight patterns develop one or another wing shape . Among insects that do not have active means of defense, a body shape that imitates background objects, for example, a praying mantis, stick insects, and butterfly caterpillars, is widespread. Some organisms are capable of taking on colors that match the background in which they live (chameleon, flounder).
Question 2. Why do some animal species have bright unmasking colors?
Bright coloring is usually characteristic of poisonous animals and warns predators about the inedibility of the object of their attack; it is characteristic of poisonous, stinging or burning insects (bees, wasps, blister beetles, etc.). The ladybug, which is very noticeable, is never pecked by birds because of the poisonous secretion secreted by the insect. Inedible caterpillars, many poisonous frogs, and snakes have bright warning colors. This coloring warns the predator in advance about the futility and danger of an attack. Through trial and error, predators quickly learn to avoid attacking prey with warning colors.
Question 3. What is the essence of the phenomenon of mimicry?
Mimicry is the resemblance of a defenseless and edible species to one or more unrelated species that are well protected and have warning colors. The phenomenon of mimicry is common in butterflies and other insects. Many insects imitate stinging insects. Beetles, flies, and butterflies are known to copy wasps, bees, and bumblebees. Mimicry also occurs in vertebrates - snakes. In all cases, the similarity is purely external and is aimed at forming a certain visual impression among potential enemies.
Question 4. How is the low abundance of the copycat species maintained?
The imitation of one species by another is justified: a significantly smaller proportion of individuals of both the species that served as the model and the imitator species are exterminated. It is necessary, however, that the number of the imitator species be significantly less than the number of the model species. Otherwise, enemies will not develop a stable negative reflex to the warning coloring. The fact that the gene pool of these species is saturated with lethal mutations makes it possible to maintain the number of the simulator species at the required level. In the homozygous state, these mutations cause the death of the organism, resulting in a high percentage of individuals not reaching sexual maturity.
Question 5. Does natural selection apply to animal behavior? Give examples.
For the survival of organisms in the struggle for existence, adaptive behavior is of great importance. The effectiveness of adaptive coloration and body shape increases sharply in combination with behavior. For example, the ability of cats to sit in ambush for a long time and make lightning-fast jumps ensures the success of the ambush predator's hunt. The wolf's ability to come downwind and hunt in a pack are useful qualities for this hunter. Undoubtedly, it is justified for some animals to stockpile food for the unfavorable season of the year. For example, the root vole stores up to 10 kg of cereals, grains, roots and dry grass. Hiding in case of danger for organisms that do not have active methods of defense allows them to save life.
Question 6. Why do the number of offspring decrease in animal species that care for offspring? Give examples.
In low-organized organisms, the offspring are most often left to the mercy of fate. This is what explains such a high fertility of invertebrates and lower vertebrates. A large number of descendants in conditions of high extermination of juveniles serves as a means of struggle for the existence of the species. With developed care for the offspring, the number of surviving and reaching sexual maturity offspring increases sharply, which makes it possible to reduce their initial number.
Question 7. What is the relative nature of adaptive traits in organisms? Give examples typical for plants and animals.
The structure of living organisms is very finely adapted to the conditions of existence. Any species characteristic or property is of an adaptive nature, appropriate in a given environment, in given living conditions, only in the usual environment for the species. When environmental conditions change, they become useless or even harmful to the body. Thanks to mimicry, most birds leave wasps and bees alone, but there are species that eat both wasps and bees and their imitators. The hedgehog and the secretary bird eat poisonous snakes without harm. The shell of land turtles reliably protects them from enemies, but birds of prey lift them into the air and smash them to the ground.
Any adaptations are advisable only in the usual environment for the species. When environmental conditions change, they turn out to be useless or harmful to the body. The constant growth of the incisors of rodents is a very important feature, but only when feeding on solid food. If a rat is kept on soft food, the incisors, without wearing out, grow to such a size that feeding becomes impossible. Thus, all the features of the structure and behavior of cats are appropriate for a predator ambushing prey: soft pads on the fingers, retractable claws, the ability to see in the dark. At the same time, in open spaces all these devices are useless.
The deep root system of desert plants is not beneficial in humid habitats. The transformation of limbs into flippers in aquatic mammals is useful for living in water, but on land cetaceans are motionless, and pinnipeds move very clumsily.
Thus, any structure and any function are an adaptation to specific environmental conditions, i.e. adaptations are relative. None of the adaptive characteristics provides absolute safety for their owners.
Question 1. What is physiological adaptation? How does it arise and what underlies it?
Physiological adaptation is a set of physiological reactions that underlie the body’s adaptation to changes in environmental conditions and aimed at maintaining the relative constancy of its internal environment - homeostasis.
Adaptation of the organism is distinguished between genotypic and phenotypic. The genotypic is based on the conditions of natural selection and mutations that led to changes in organisms of an entire species or population. It was in the process of this type of adaptation that modern species of animals, birds and humans were formed. The genotypic form of adaptation is hereditary. The phenotypic form of adaptation is due to individual changes in a particular organism for a comfortable stay in certain climatic conditions. It can also develop due to constant exposure to an aggressive environment. As a result, the body acquires resistance to its conditions.
Question 2. Give examples of functional adaptive changes in animals.
Birds and mammals have developed various mechanisms of physiological adaptation to unfavorable conditions. A person's salt metabolism is poorly regulated, and therefore he cannot do without fresh water for a long time. But reptiles and birds, which spend most of their lives in the sea and drink sea water, have acquired special glands that allow them to quickly get rid of excess salts.
Question 3. How do desert inhabitants adapt to the lack of water?
Many desert animals accumulate a lot of fat before the onset of the dry season: when it oxidizes, a large amount of water is formed. Birds and mammals are able to regulate water loss from the surface of the respiratory tract. For example, a camel, when deprived of water, sharply reduces evaporation both from the respiratory tract and through the sweat glands.
Question 4. Using the knowledge gained from studying the course “Man and His Health,” give examples of physiological adaptations in humans.
Urgent physiological adaptation first of all triggers redundant structures. For example, the vital functions of the human body may well be provided by one lung. In a state of relaxation and rest, the lungs work at exactly half their capacity, but when exposed to an unusual factor, air consumption increases significantly. At the same time, the circulatory system is ready for work, pumping and enriching with oxygen six times more blood volume than usual.
Long-term physiological adaptation occurs most often with systematic exposure to a stimulus, its periodic occurrence. This happens to climbers, athletes, etc. As a result of such permanent exposure, the body develops the necessary adaptive mechanisms, the action of which does not fade away, but is activated in the presence of a stimulating factor. In this case, there is no need to trigger adaptation on an urgent basis - the body perceives the stimulus quite adequately, it already has an active reserve of the necessary indicators that do not allow the body to experience stress. That is why fast running is the norm for an athlete-runner, maintaining his physical shape, but for an untrained person it is an enormous stress that can lead to serious consequences during adaptation.
Question 5. Do you think an individual or population is a unit of adaptation? Explain why you reached this conclusion.
The unit of adaptation is the individual, and the unit of evolution is the population. The reason for this is that the diversity of genotypes, from which the selection of the most successful ones can occur, is possible only in a group of individuals of the same species, among which there is panmixia and in which the selected genotypes can persist and spread, i.e. in the population.
Question 6. Do you agree with the statement that all adaptive characteristics are relative? Prove your point of view and give examples.
This statement is correct. Any devices “work” only in the usual environment for the species. When environmental conditions change, they turn out to be useless or even harmful to the body. The constant growth of rodent incisors is a very important feature, but only when feeding on solid food. If a rat is kept on soft food, its incisors, without wearing out, grow to such a size that they interfere with eating, and the animal may die of starvation.
