Adaptation is the process of change by which an organism or species becomes better suited to its environment. It occurs as a result of natural selection, where organisms with favorable traits are more likely to survive and reproduce than those without them. As a result, over time, the population will become increasingly adapted to their environment and will be better able to cope with environmental challenges such as changing climates or new predators.
The most common form of adaptation is evolutionary adaptation, in which genetic changes take place over generations that cause populations to evolve certain characteristics that help them survive and reproduce in their particular habitat. For example, polar bears have thicker fur than other bear species due to evolution adapting them for life in colder climates.
More recently, humans have begun introducing artificial selection into many species through selective breeding practices like animal husbandry and plant domestication. This allows us to select specific traits from an individual or group of individuals which can then be bred into future generations so that they are more likely to possess those desirable qualities. Artificial selection has been used extensively in agriculture throughout history; however it has also been employed on animals such as dogs and cats for different purposes ranging from show competition all the way up military use cases like bomb-sniffing dogs .
Finally, another type of adaptation known as behavioral adaptation takes place when animals alter their behavior patterns either consciously or unconsciously based on environmental cues (such as food availability). This type of adaptation does not involve any physical change but instead relies on learned behaviors passed down through generations enabling organisms to better cope with different situations within their habitats. An example would be birds learning migratory routes based on past experiences while following seasonal weather patterns each year; another would be chimpanzees using tools like sticks for fishing termites out of mounds rather than just relying on brute force alone..
Overall researchers agree that these three forms work together synergistically allowing populations across all domains – plant , animal , fungi etc -to continually adapt successfully thus leading us back full circle towards Darwin’s original concept ‘survival of the fittest’