Summary
In biology, adaptation has three related meanings. Firstly, it is the dynamic evolutionary process of natural selection that fits organisms to their environment, enhancing their evolutionary fitness. Secondly, it is a state reached by the population during that process. Thirdly, it is a phenotypic trait or adaptive trait, with a functional role in each individual organism, that is maintained and has evolved through natural selection. Historically, adaptation has been described from the time of the ancient Greek philosophers such as Empedocles and Aristotle. In 18th and 19th century natural theology, adaptation was taken as evidence for the existence of a deity. Charles Darwin proposed instead that it was explained by natural selection. Adaptation is related to biological fitness, which governs the rate of evolution as measured by change in allele frequencies. Often, two or more species co-adapt and co-evolve as they develop adaptations that interlock with those of the other species, such as with flowering plants and pollinating insects. In mimicry, species evolve to resemble other species; in Müllerian mimicry this is a mutually beneficial co-evolution as each of a group of strongly defended species (such as wasps able to sting) come to advertise their defenses in the same way. Features evolved for one purpose may be co-opted for a different one, as when the insulating feathers of dinosaurs were co-opted for bird flight. Adaptation is a major topic in the philosophy of biology, as it concerns function and purpose (teleology). Some biologists try to avoid terms which imply purpose in adaptation, not least because it suggests a deity's intentions, but others note that adaptation is necessarily purposeful. History of evolutionary thought Adaptation is an observable fact of life accepted by philosophers and natural historians from ancient times, independently of their views on evolution, but their explanations differed. Empedocles did not believe that adaptation required a final cause (a purpose), but thought that it "came about naturally, since such things survived.
About this result
This page is automatically generated and may contain information that is not correct, complete, up-to-date, or relevant to your search query. The same applies to every other page on this website. Please make sure to verify the information with EPFL's official sources.
Related courses (8)
BIO-468: Scientific literature analysis in computational molecular biology
The goal of this course is to learn to analyze a scientific paper critically, asking whether the data presented support the conclusions that are drawn. The analysis is presented in the form of a summa
AR-202(o): Studio BA4 (Verschuere)
In the early days of the Anthropocene, the concepts of "Nature and Culture" are being revisited by a number of contemporary thinkers. The studio will take this paradigm shift as an opportunity to addr
MSE-651: Crystallography of structural phase transformations
The microstructure of many alloys and ceramics are constituted of very fine intricate domains (variants) created by diffusive or displacive phase transformations. The course introduces the crystallogr
Show more
Related lectures (23)
Da Vinci Project: Blue Team
Explores the adaptation of Da Vinci's self-propelled cart into a cable car concept for transporting equipment in isolated areas.
The Science of Machines: From Invention to Evolution
Explores the history and evolution of machines, from invention to technical objects, emphasizing the balance between stability and adaptation.
Surviving: Behaviors and Adaptations for Human Survival
Explores human behaviors and adaptations for survival, including food preferences, fear responses, and the evolutionary perspective on morning sickness.
Show more
Related publications (156)

Reproductive isolation arises during laboratory adaptation to a novel hot environment

Ana Marija Jaksic

Background: Reproductive isolation can result from adaptive processes (e.g., ecological speciation and mutation-order speciation) or stochastic processes such as "system drift" model. Ecological speciation predicts barriers to gene flow between populations ...
BMC2024
Show more
Related concepts (77)
Population genetics
Population genetics is a subfield of genetics that deals with genetic differences within and among populations, and is a part of evolutionary biology. Studies in this branch of biology examine such phenomena as adaptation, speciation, and population structure. Population genetics was a vital ingredient in the emergence of the modern evolutionary synthesis. Its primary founders were Sewall Wright, J. B. S. Haldane and Ronald Fisher, who also laid the foundations for the related discipline of quantitative genetics.
Instinct
Instinct is the inherent inclination of a living organism towards a particular complex behaviour, containing innate (inborn) elements. The simplest example of an instinctive behaviour is a fixed action pattern (FAP), in which a very short to medium length sequence of actions, without variation, are carried out in response to a corresponding clearly defined stimulus. Any behaviour is instinctive if it is performed without being based upon prior experience (that is, in the absence of learning), and is therefore an expression of innate biological factors.
Vestigiality
Vestigiality is the retention, during the process of evolution, of genetically determined structures or attributes that have lost some or all of the ancestral function in a given species. Assessment of the vestigiality must generally rely on comparison with homologous features in related species. The emergence of vestigiality occurs by normal evolutionary processes, typically by loss of function of a feature that is no longer subject to positive selection pressures when it loses its value in a changing environment.
Show more
Related MOOCs (32)
Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (part 1)
Organisé en deux parties, ce cours présente les bases théoriques et pratiques des systèmes d’information géographique, ne nécessitant pas de connaissances préalables en informatique. En suivant cette
Geographical Information Systems 1
Organisé en deux parties, ce cours présente les bases théoriques et pratiques des systèmes d’information géographique, ne nécessitant pas de connaissances préalables en informatique. En suivant cette
Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (part 2)
Ce cours constitue la seconde partie d'un enseignement consacré aux bases théoriques et pratiques des systèmes d’information géographique. Il propose une introduction aux systèmes d’information géogra
Show more