Adaptation types and Examples – Imaluop

Hi, now we will discuss adaptation types and examples how adaptation helps organisms to survive in adverse conditions. We will understand one by one about following topics:

What Do You Mean by Adaptation:  

Now we will try to understand adaptation in a very simple way. An organism shows some changes to fit in environmental conditions which are known as adaptation. All the regions of the earth are not equal in all aspects. 

 So organisms must have to update according to their environmental changes otherwise they will become extinct. Organisms present in the Sahara desert do not face a similar environment as a polar bear. So for sustain in adverse conditions they must have to show some special features which helps them to encounter the adverse environmental conditions. 

 All the organisms are not able to show adaptation in proper time so they become extinct with time. If they were able to change them with the changing environment they would present today. Adaptation enables the organism to live in very adverse conditions of the environment. 

 The Sahara desert where most of the organisms feel very uncomfortable to live, some organisms live there without any problems. How is it possible for the organism who lives those adverse conditions? It is only possible due to their special adaptation which helps them to bypass such critical environmental conditions.  

Different Types of Adaptation: 

To cope with the changing environment different organisms show different types of adaptation. Sometimes they show structural adaptation to fight with adverse conditions. Sometimes they show some behavioral adaptation and sometimes they show physiological adaptation. 

Structural Adaptation: 

Adaptation when occurs in the structure or shape of an organism is categorized under structural adaptation. Organisms can show change in shape, size or colour for fighting against adverse environmental conditions. For example blubber of a whale, different types of beaks in different species of Finches in Galapagos islands, beak of a woodpecker, beak of duck, mouth parts of mosquito, different types of teeth in carnivores and herbivores all are structural adaptations. 

Behavioural Adaptation: 

Do you know migratory birds why migrating is also a type of adaptation. When home location of the migratory birds become very difficult to tolerate for them they easily start to migrate to a region where they feel comfortable. They come back to their home region when the adverse conditions are tolerable by them.

It is a change in behaviour to sustain in adverse conditions which is known as behavioural adaptation. You also know that cold blooded animals go to an inactive stage during very cold conditions; it is also an example of behavioral adaptation.

Behavioural adaptation during the very cold conditions is known as Hibernation. On the opposite side during summer time they show Aestivation which is again a behavioral adaptation. 

Physiological Adaptation: 

Now you can gauge that this is adaptation in physiology of an organism. For example mammals can maintain constant body temperature now isn’t it an adaptation. Uric acid excretion in the animals where water availability is very poor is also an adaptation for the unusual environmental conditions which is again an example of physiological adaptation. 

Examples of Adaptation: 

Now we will show some examples of adaptation in various organisms. 

Adaptation in Human at High Altitude: 

When we reach at high altitude we face difficulty in breathing because atmospheric pressure in high altitude is low. As a result we can not get the sufficient amount of oxygen we need normally.

Then our body shows an adaptation to compensate for this low oxygen availability. Our body increases the rate of red blood cells production to utilise the low amount of oxygen in an efficient way. Yes it does not occur instantly but it occurs after some time. This adaptation helps us to sustain such oxygen deficient conditions. 

Protection Against Ultraviolet Radiation and Heat: 

Our skin has melanocytes which produce a pigment melanin which is also an adaptation against heat and ultraviolet radiation present in sunlight. Melanin absorbs the ultraviolet radiation and heat which protects our body cells nucleus from damage. 

Adaptation in Cold Region Animals: 

The animals who live in cold regions have some special adaptation which makes them suitable for this adverse condition. They have thick fur which acts as a sweater and a thick layer of fat is also adapted for cold conditions. 

Reference: Adaptation types and Examples

Read More: How Organisms Response to Abiotic Factors