Biology Stack Exchange
Biology Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [adaptation]

Adaptation refers to both the current state of being adapted and to the dynamic evolutionary process that leads to the adaptation.

Trait adaptations contribute to the fitness and survival of individuals and develop in response to the current environment an individual finds itself within. It is important to remember that not all traits are adaptive. Users may wish to see the question Why do some bad traits evolve, and good ones don't? and meta before asking their question.

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Why do some bad traits evolve, and good ones don't?

If a trait would be advantageous to an organism then why hasn't it evolved yet? Conversely, if a trait is not advantageous or mildly disadvantageous, why does it exist? In other words why does evolution not make the organism more "perfect"? This is…
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Why does my room suddenly look 'reddish'? My eyes seem to adapt to color

To get the context of this question clear, I would like you to walk through some parts of my house. We'll start with one of my rooms as it appears normally - As evident, this part of my house has a creamish tinge to it, also the balcony door is…
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Why is green fur not a thing?

In most biomes on earth, and certainly in the most densely-populated, the best camouflage color or pattern for an animal would be a variant of green, so as to blend in with the leaves and grasses of the surrounding environment. Whether predator or…
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Are there animals that have evolved a resistance to human activity or encroachment?

There are countless sources, both peer-reviewed and popular, explaining how overuse and misuse of antibiotics is breeding a new generation of antibiotic-resistant "superbugs" such as MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) and MDR-TB…
Robert Columbia
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Genetic Diversity and Adaptation

I am somewhat new to evolutionary biology, having studied it on my free time as a computer science student. There is one particular thing that has always bothered me for which I have not seen a good treatment, relating to adaptations to the…
mellamokb
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What specific membrane adaptations do cells have for saline-rich environs?

Are the cells of marine animals and flora equipped with special ion exchange pumps to mitigate the effects of a saline-rich environment? Or have the cell's membranes adapted through structural changes to counter the osmotic forces?
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Why do humans grow taller than their ancestors?

I'm taking the Introduction to Genetics And Evolution course and in the first lecture it was said that: Evolution in a biological sense is simply a change through time. And very importantly, that is change through time over generations. So for…
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Do any terrestrial herbivores use auditory crypsis for predator avoidance?

Some terrestrial predators "stalk" their prey: they sneak up on it slowly, maintaining a low profile, while keeping as close to silent as possible. This makes sense from an evolutionary perspective: silent predators catch more prey. However, the…
John Walthour
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Is Batesian mimicry more important for females?

Myrmarachne plataleoides is a jumping spider that mimics the Kerengga or weaver ant (Oecophylla smaragdina) in both morphology and behaviour. However, the two sexes appear different: Myrmarachne plataleoides (Female) Myrmarachne plataleoides…
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How do individual plants adapt to changes in temperature?

If you grow a plant from seed in your nice warm house, then plant it out in your temperate garden, it will stop growing for a while, possibly die, and if not, subsequently resume growth. Standard gardening practice is to 'harden off' plants, moving…
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Is there such thing as Animal non-verbal body language?

Have there been any studies done on the animal use of their bodies to signal, communicate or express their emotions, particularly to members of other species (ex: humans)? I've been observing a very intelligent indoor-outdoor cat who has been doing…
Alex Stone
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Why do rabbits often have white hindquarters?

There are several species of herbivores that have a very visible white hindquarters: several kinds of deer, rabbits, antelopes, etc. Does the white fur serve a functional purpose, or is it purely random? Is it defensive enabling them to escape…
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What exactly does adaptive mean?

This is a quote from Dey et al 2014: Hatching asynchrony is thought to be adaptive because... What exactly does adaptive mean here? Does it mean hatching asynchrony has fitness benefits? Or does it mean hatching asynchrony is likely to be selected…
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What is the standing genetic variation?

I am reading this review. In the first part, the author introduces Standing Genetic Variation, described as: STANDING GENETIC VARIATION Allelic variation that is currently segregating within a population; as opposed to alleles that appear by …
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Empirical evidence for Group Selection?

A controversial concept in Biology "Group Selection", has caused confusion and conflict amongst scientists since the since the mid 1990s. The more general realm of study is termed the "unit of selection" discussion. Definition A simple working…
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