Adapt or Die Trying!
- Meredith, Lower VI
Could this be us in the future? Scientific research has been conducted to produce this model as a prediction of future human adaptations to suit the current sedentary, technology-heavy lifestyle of the majority population, with features such as ‘Text Claw’ and 90-degree elbows (TollFreeForwarding.com). While this model of adaptations might seem far-fetched, most organisms went through many changes across many generations to become what they are now. We now appear vastly different to our ancestors the neanderthals, so why wouldn’t we change in the future as well?
At its core, organisms need food, water, shelter and a means to reproduce. Over time, they make adaptations in their physical features or abilities in order to meet these needs in changing environments. Threats within an organism’s environment come in many forms, including the climate, sources of food and potential predators or competitors (WWF). Adaptations are developed through the process of natural selection, in which genetic mutations that cause benefit to an organism’s survival are passed on to the next generations through reproduction (Osterloff).
Insects are a group of prey very vulnerable to predation due to their small size, but many have brilliant adapted features and behaviour that protect them from predators. One wellknown example would be the stick insect, a group of species living in wooded habitats that mimic the appearance of twigs or branches through camouflage to evade predators. Try spotting it in the photo on the left! In contrast, leaf beetles eat holes into leaves in the shape of themselves to confuse predators instead of mimicking their surroundings. These holes are of similar shape and size to the beetles themselves, which makes the visual search for the predator more difficult, allowing the beetles to escape (George).
Plants also need to adapt to their environments in order to thrive, which is especially difficult in harsh conditions such as the climate of deserts. Cacti are a species of plants
that survive in deserts despite their dry, hot conditions that make water difficult to retain. They have widespread root systems that can reach for the limited sources of water underground, and have a very thick, waxy cuticle layer which reduces water loss from evaporation due to heat. Cacti also have spines instead of typical leaves, which are thinner, minimising surface area to reduce water loss.
What about us? What adaptations have humans made?
A large percentage of humans have developed lactose tolerance since the domestication of cattle and increased nutrition from cow’s milk (Schaffner). Before then, humans ceased to produce lactase, an enzyme used to digest lactose in milk, after adulthood. However, due to persisting consumption of dairy products in Europe, nearly 80% of people with European ancestry carry the allele for lactase persistence (Schaffner), a clear sign of natural selection.
Take a look at any living thing around you, and think about what features it has that has helped them survive. Now imagine what would’ve happened if they didn’t have them. They simply would not be here! Same goes for yourself. We’re all improved upon by many generations of ancestors to become what we are now!
