adaptation

• The niche of a species is its role in the community.
• • Organism adapt so that they are uniquely able to exploit their own niche and by doing so ensure there niche is different enough to that of others in order to avoid competition.
  • Adapted means being specialised to suit the environment they live in.
• Adaptations can be grouped into three categories

  • Behavioural
  • Physiological
  • Anatomical
• behavioural adaptations -

  • These are actions by the organism which help them to survive or reproduce
• physiological adaptations -

  • These are internal workings within the organism which helps it to survive or reproduce.
• anatomical adaptations -

  • These are structural features either on or inside the body
• convergent evolution -

  • These are unrelated organisms that have evolved to fill very similar niches.
  • They may share many adaptations due to the similar selection pressures (environment, predators etc.).