Final answer:
Adaptations are heritable traits shaped by evolution through natural selection that enhance an organism's survival and reproductive success in its environment. They range from physical characteristics like heat-resistant enzymes or webbed feet, to behavioral traits that help maintain homeostasis, and they can change as environments evolve.
Step-by-step explanation:
- An adaptation is a heritable trait that improves an organism's ability to survive and reproduce in a particular environment.
- Biologists understand these characteristics as a result of evolution by natural selection, which tailors the traits of organisms to their surroundings.
- Examples of adaptations include the heat-resistant enzymes of Archaea that live in boiling hot springs, the long tongue of a nectar-feeding moth that matches the depth of the flowers it feeds from, and the webbed feet of a platypus which aid in swimming.
- These traits do not only contribute to the survival of the organism but also enhance its reproductive success.
- Moreover, as environments change over time, natural selection dynamically adjusts the traits within a population to maintain or increase its ecological 'fit'.
- This ongoing process can lead to a wide range of adaptations that enable organisms to maintain homeostasis and thrive under various conditions such as extreme temperatures, aridity, and different types of terrain or climate.