Adaptations to the Environment

Adaptations

Any trait that helps an organism survive in its environment.

Variations

Physical differences in species due to sexual reproduction.

Ex: fur color, size, height, etc.

This provides diversity between members of the same species in a population.

Environmental Changes

Climate

Habitat

Food source

Predators

Adapting to the Changing Environment

Variations in a population cause some individuals to survive an environmental change and reproduce.

The good traits are passed down to their offspring, changing the appearance of the overall population.

Several Generations!

Populations in Isolation

Members of the same species isolated in a different environment will appear much differently.

Natural Selection

Organisms with the best traits for an environment survive and reproduce.

Survival of the fittest.

(1) Overproduction

More offspring are born than can survive.

(2) Competition

Limited resources.

(3) Variations

Sexual reproduction-everyone is different.

(4) Selection

Only the fittest survive to reproduce.

Evidence for Adaptations

Fossils are the preserved remains of an organism.

The fossil record is all of the fossils that have ever been discovered world wide.

The Fossil Record

The fossil record provides evidence for how a species adapted to changing environments.

The fossil record also provides evidence of how environments changed throughout Earth.