How do animals adapt to their environments?

Answer 1

All animals must maintain homeostasis, which means a normal body temperature, normal heart rate, pulse, blood oxygenation, and normal functioning of organs. This means in hot environments they must keep cool; in cold they must keep warm.Most animals have adapted over thousands of years to adapt to temperature changes. Fur, foot pads, and even how animals find food have each undergone adaptations over the years.
God protects those fish, kid. Don't you worry about those fish.
Animals do not consciously adapt to their environment. Adaptations come about through mutant variations, most of which are detrimental. However, occasionally a mutation will be beneficial and allow the creature to survive more easily. Such a creature has more chances to procreate and pass on the successful mutation or gene.

Answer 2

Animals adapt to their environments through many many years of natural selection. In a changing environment or a new environment, the individual animals of a species with the best genetic variation suited to the environment survive, where as the ones who don't die, this is survival of the fittest. The survivors of a population therefore are the ones who breed, produce offspring, and pass on their DNA. The cycle happens again and again, and therefore the species gradually adapts their genetic properties to best suit their environments.

Answer 3

Adaptation occurs via evolution which occurs via natural selection.


For example:

A population of rabbits are breeding and having baby rabbits. Foxes are new to the area in which those rabbits live, and eat the rabbits.

When a new baby rabbit is born, its DNA is a mix of DNA from both its parents. And genetic mutation may occur because of problems mixing this DNA, which means some rabbits have bad genes and some have good genes. One example of good genes are those which give a rabbit a body that can run faster than other rabbits. The rabbits with these genes can outrun the foxes, living longer than normal rabbits and breeding more.

Because they breed more, the fast rabbit genes become more common. Eventually, most of the slow rabbits have been eaten, and there are lots of fast rabbits instead. These rabbits have 'adapted' to outrun the fox.

REMEMBER: natural selection happens here! ie. it all depends on survival probabilities. Also, remember that no genetic mutation is intentional. DNA errors are 'mistakes', and you cannot say that "the rabbits adapted SO THAT they could outrun the foxes."

Answer 4

Animals do not consciously adapt to their environment. Adaptations come about through mutant variations, most of which are detrimental. However, occasionally a mutation will be beneficial and allow the creature to survive more easily. Such a creature has more chances to procreate and pass on the successful mutation or gene.