Todos os seres vivos devem adaptar-se ou ter algumas qualidades que lhes permitam sobreviver. Diante de mudanças súbitas no ambiente, nem todas as espécies têm essa capacidade e, ao longo da história evolutiva, muitas foram deixadas para trás e desapareceram. Outros, apesar da sua simplicidade, conseguiram chegar aos nossos dias.
Have you ever wondered why there are so many different animal species? In this article by Animal Expert, we will talk about adapting living things to the environment, the types that exist, and show some examples.
- 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 with very specific needs tend to disappear.
Thanks to adaptation, many species have managed to survive throughout the history of the planet. All living beings are inherently adaptable, but many of these adaptations have occurred at random. This means that the appearance or disappearance of genes is due to the fact that, for example, some individuals have not been able to survive, and not because they have not adapted to their environment, but because a disaster may have erased their footprint from the planet. The appearance of certain traits may be due to the random mutation of part of your genome. The different types of accommodations are:
These adaptations are related to changes in the metabolism of organisms. Some organs begin to function differently when certain changes occur in the environment. The two best known physiological adaptations are hibernation and stevedoring.
In both cases, whether the ambient temperature drops well below 0 degrees Celsius or above 40 degrees Celsius, combined with low relative humidity, some beings may decrease their basal metabolism to remain in a state of latency for a short or long time. to survive the most devastating seasons of its ecosystem.
These are external structures of animals that allow them to better adapt to their environment, such as the fins of aquatic animals or the dense hairs of animals that live in cold climates. However, the two most attractive morphological adaptations are cryptia or camouflage and mimicry.
Cryptic animals are those that camouflage perfectly with their surroundings and are almost impossible to detect in a landscape, such as phasm or leaf insect. On the other hand, mimicry is to mimic the appearance of dangerous animals, for example, monarch butterflies are extremely toxic and do not have many predators. The viceroy butterfly has the same physical appearance without being toxic, but because it is similar to the monarch, it is not depreciated either.
These adaptations lead animals to develop certain behaviors that affect the survival of the individual or species. Fleeing a predator, hiding, seeking shelter, or seeking nutritious food are examples of behavioral adaptations, although the two most characteristic of such accommodations are migration or courtship. Animals use migration to escape their surroundings when weather conditions are not ideal. The procession is a set of behavior patterns that aim to find a mate and reproduce.
Here are some examples of accommodations that make some animals adapt to the environment in which they live:
The eggshells of reptiles and birds are an example of adaptation to the terrestrial environment, as they prevent the embryo from drying. Mammal hairs are another adaptation to the terrestrial environment because they are used to protect the skin.
The fins of fish or aquatic mammals allow them to move better in the water. Similarly, the interdigital membranes of amphibians and birds have the same effect.
Night animals have highly developed eyeballs that allow them to see at night. Animals that live underground and do not rely on light to see tend to lack the sense of vision.
The buildup of fat under the skin is an adaptation to cold climates. According to Allen’s rule, animals living in cold areas have shorter limbs, ears, tails or snouts than animals that live in warm areas because they must prevent heat loss.
However, animals living in very hot areas are characterized, for example, by large ears that allow them to lose more body heat and thus cool down more.
If you would like to read articles similar to, we recommend that you visit our Curiosities section of the animal world.