adaptation (redirected from phenotypic adaptation)

ad·ap·ta·tion  (dp-tshn)

n.

1.

a. The act or process of adapting.

b. The state of being adapted.

2.

a. Something, such as a device or mechanism, that is changed or changes so as to become suitable to a new or special application or situation.

b. A composition that has been recast into a new form: The play is an adaptation of a short novel.

3. Biology An alteration or adjustment in structure or habits, often hereditary, by which a species or individual improves its condition in relationship to its environment.

4. Physiology The responsive adjustment of a sense organ, such as the eye, to varying conditions, such as light intensity.

5. Change in behavior of a person or group in response to new or modified surroundings.

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adap·tation·al adj.

adap·tation·al·ly adv.

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adaptation [ˌædəpˈteɪʃən ˌædæp-]

n

1. the act or process of adapting or the state of being adapted; adjustment

2. something that is produced by adapting something else

3. something that is changed or modified to suit new conditions or needs

4. (Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Biology) Biology an inherited or acquired modification in organisms that makes them better suited to survive and reproduce in a particular environment

5. (Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Physiology) Physiol the decreased response of a sense organ to a repeated or sustained stimulus

6. (Psychology) Psychol (in learning theory) the weakening of a response to a stimulus with repeated presentation of the stimulus without reinforcement; applied mainly to innate responses

7. (Social Welfare) Social welfare alteration to a dwelling to make it suitable for a disabled person, as by replacing steps with ramps

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adaptation  (dp-tshn)

A change in structure, function, or behavior by which a species or individual improves its chance of survival in a specific environment. Adaptations develop as the result of natural selection operating on random genetic variations that are capable of being passed from one generation to the next. Variations that prove advantageous will tend to spread throughout the population.

A Closer Look The gazelle is extremely fast, and the cheetah is even faster. These traits are adaptationscharacteristics or behaviors that give an organism an edge in the struggle for survival. Darwinian theory holds that adaptations are the result of a two-stage process: random variation and natural selection. Random variation results from slight genetic differences. For example, one cheetah in a group may be slightly faster than the others and thus have a better chance of catching a gazelle. The faster cheetah therefore has a better chance of being well-fed and living long enough to produce offspring. Since the cheetah's young have the same genes that made this parent fast, they are more likely to be fast than the young of slower cheetahs. The process is repeated in each generation, and thereby great speed becomes an adaptation common to cheetahs. This same process of natural selection, in which the organisms best adapted to their environment tend to survive and transmit their genetic characteristics in increasing numbers to succeeding generations while those less adapted tend to be eliminated, also favors the fastest gazelles. Though evolution, in this case, may be thought of as an "arms race," animals may also adapt to their environment in a process known as adaptive radiation, as the so-called Darwin's finches in the Galápagos have done. On the islands, one type of finch gradually gave rise to some 13 different species of birds with differently shaped beaks, each species having adapted to its varying food niches and feeding habits. And, though we seldom think of it, humans also have an impact on an organism's adaptation to its environment. For instance, because of the misuse of antibiotics, some disease-causing bacteria have rapidly adapted to become resistant to the drugs.

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	adaptation - a written work (as a novel) that has been recast in a new form; "the play is an adaptation of a short novel" version piece of writing, written material, writing - the work of a writer; anything expressed in letters of the alphabet (especially when considered from the point of view of style and effect); "the writing in her novels is excellent"; "that editorial was a fine piece of writing" modernization - a modernized version (as of a play) versification - a metrical adaptation of something (e.g., of a prose text)
	2.	adaptation - the process of adapting to something (such as environmental conditions) adaption, adjustment acclimation, acclimatisation, acclimatization - adaptation to a new climate (a new temperature or altitude or environment) dedifferentiation - the loss of specialization in form or function domestication - adaptation to intimate association with human beings biological process, organic process - a process occurring in living organisms specialisation, specialization, differentiation - (biology) the structural adaptation of some body part for a particular function; "cell differentiation in the developing embryo"
	3.	adaptation - (physiology) the responsive adjustment of a sense organ (as the eye) to varying conditions (as of light) dark adaptation - the process of adjusting the eyes to low levels of illumination; cones adapt first; rods continue to adapt for up to four hours light adaptation - the process of adjusting the eyes to relatively high levels of illumination; the pupil constricts and the cones system is operative modification, adjustment, alteration - the act of making something different (as e.g. the size of a garment) physiology - the branch of the biological sciences dealing with the functioning of organisms

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adaptation

noun

1. acclimatization, naturalization, habituation, familiarization, accustomedness Most creatures are capable of adaptation when necessary.

2. conversion, change, shift, variation, adjustment, transformation, modification, alteration, remodelling, reworking, refitting He won two awards for his screen adaptation of the play.

Translations

adaptation [ˌædæpˈteɪʃən] N (Bio) → adaptación f; [of text] → versión f

adaptation [ˌædæpˈteɪʃ^ən] n

[novel, play] → adaptation f
film adaptation → adaptation pour le cinéma
screen adaptation → adaptation à l'écran
television adaptation → adaptation pour la télévision

(= ability to change) → adaptation f

(= modification, improvement) [machine, equipment, system] → adaptation f

adaptation

n

(of person, plant, animal) → Anpassung f (→ to an +acc); (of machine) → Umstellung f (→ to an +acc); (of vehicle, building) → Umbau m; (of text) → Bearbeitung f; the adaptation of space technology to medical ends → die Nutzung der Raumfahrttechnik für medizinische Zwecke

(of book, play etc) → Adaption f, → Bearbeitung f

adaptation [ˌædæpˈteɪʃ/ən] n → adattamento