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Adaptation is a major topic in the philosophy of biology, as it concerns function and purpose . Some biologists try to avoid terms which imply purpose in adaptation, not least because they suggest a deity's intentions, but others note that adaptation is necessarily purposeful.
It has been proven that adaptive behavior is crucial in the process of natural selection, and thus is important in the evolutionary process. Species that possess positive adaptive behaviors will inherently acquire evolutionary advantages. For example, adaptive behavior is a mechanism of population stabilization. [23]
Seminal examples of local adaptation come from plants that adapted to different elevations [10] or to tolerate heavy metals in soils. [11] Interactions among species (e.g. herbivore-plant interactions) can also drive local adaptation, though do not seem to be as important as abiotic factors, at least for plants in temperate ecosystems. [12]
Why a species evolved the structures (adaptations) it has Phylogeny (evolution) The history of the evolution of sequential changes in a species over many generations Function (adaptation) A species trait that solves a reproductive or survival problem in the current environment
Neural adaptation or sensory adaptation is a gradual decrease over time in the responsiveness of the sensory system to a constant stimulus. It is usually experienced as a change in the stimulus. For example, if a hand is rested on a table, the table's surface is immediately felt against the skin.
For example, avoiding situations because you have unrealistic fears may initially reduce your anxiety, but it is non-productive in alleviating the actual problem in the long term. Maladaptive behavior is frequently used as an indicator of abnormality or mental dysfunction , since its assessment is relatively free from subjectivity .
A unique and complex example of plasticity is camouflage, an adaption that allows animals to avoid predators by hiding in plain sight. [14] The mechanisms behind camouflage are not the same in all species - they can be morphological, physiological, behavioral, or even a combination of traits. [ 15 ]
Adaptive value is an essential concept of population genetics. It represents usefulness of a trait that can help an organism to survive in its environment.