Structural and Behavioral Adaptations http://www.nhptv.org/natureworks/nwep1.htm
some examples of adaptation include: giraffes' long necks, birds' wings, and bears hibernating
Summary: all organisms have adaptations to help them survive. some are structural, some behavioral. Adaptations are the result of evolution. It usually occurs when a gene mutates and the resulting change allows the organism to survive better. The gene is passed along through the species as generations pass, which can takes thousands -- sometimes millions -- of years
Opinion/Reflection: I was somewhat startled at how long it takes for an adaptation to spread through an entire species. I think that we should keep a close eye on certain species that might be forced to adapt soon due to pressure caused by humans.
Questions:
Even though the adaptations are mutations, what controls whether the gene for the mutation is dominant or recessive???
Name some of the major causes of adaptation
Describe survival of the fittest
are humans evolving backwards?
It is really cool how a lot of organisms go through this process. Our thumbs are a sort of adaptation that helps us survive.We should definitely put a stop to destroying habitats, which in turn, is speeding up the rate of adaptation. The speeding of adaptation can lead to many undesirable results. Preserving habitats is the first step to getting the rate of adaptation back to normal.
ReplyDeleteQuestions
1. How fast can the rate of adaptation get to?
2. What organisms are being forced to adapt?
3. Are hot spots areas where organisms are forced to adapt faster?
Just by cutting down on the amount of paper I use, I could be saving many habitats,and helping the organisms slow down their rate of adaptation.
DeleteAdaptations are an amazing way for species to survive. I think the coolest structural adaptation is mimicry. Plants and animal's appearances are different from usual and copy other plants or animals. Humans should definitely stop messing with natural habitats.
ReplyDeletehttp://tinyurl.com/7kfgk7d
The link above is a picture of two snake that look almost identical but are entirely different. The Eastern Coral Snake is extremely dangerous and other animals know to stay away from it. The Scarlet King Snake is not venomous but looks like the Eastern Coral Snake, so, other animal stay away from it too.
I think it is very interesting to see the history of life and how it has progressed from the start. With out natural selection life would remain stagnant and unappealing. The survival of the fittest is like a game. The more beneficial the change, the more likely the mutation is to move on to the future generations. This can even be seen in out history. The link below talks about how Homo Sapiens defeated the Neanderthals in passing on genes.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.policymic.com/articles/4634/survival-of-the-fittest-how-homo-sapiens-outlasted-neanderthals-to-become-modern-day-humans
by Ryan Marinelli
Adaptatios are the crown jewel of Earth's biological history, and without them, life simply could not exist. It truly amazes me, some of the adaptations and results of evolution that we see on a daily basis. Even the most mundane aspect of our being had been a lucky mutation, surviving as a gene for many years. Evolution is everywhere, and it doesn't always take as long as one may think, however. Humans three hundred years ago were considerably shorter. One wonders what biological purpose our height serves, but I have witnessed older individuals musing that just in their lifetimes, "those boys just keep getting taller, they must be feeding 'em growth hormones in the milk!"
ReplyDeleteHumans may or may not be evolving backward, it is hard to say. But, based on what I know from experience and science, it seems like nature would not allow such a thing, but man would. For example, reproduction in present human society is often accidental, which, I suppose, would allow for undesirable genes to proliferate. Survival does not seem to be so very difficult, so the physical attractiveness of an individual may win out over certain genetic weaknesses. I would have to say that in humans, there is no longer evolution or anti-evolution, because the system may in fact be nonlinear. Instead of evolving for the better solely, we may be going backward and forward simultaneously.