How do adaptations contribute to an organism's survival?

Adaptations contribute to an organism's survival by enhancing its ability to live and reproduce in its specific environment.

Adaptations are the result of evolution, a process that occurs over many generations, where beneficial traits become more common in a population. These traits, or adaptations, can be physical or behavioural, and they help an organism to survive and reproduce in its specific environment. For example, a polar bear's white fur is an adaptation that provides camouflage in the snowy Arctic environment, helping it to avoid predators and hunt more effectively.

Physical adaptations can include things like body shape, colour, size, and the presence of specific structures. For example, the long neck of a giraffe is an adaptation that allows it to reach leaves high in trees that other animals can't reach. Similarly, the sharp teeth and claws of a lion are adaptations that help it to catch and kill its prey.

Behavioural adaptations, on the other hand, are ways an organism acts or behaves to survive. For instance, some birds migrate to warmer climates during winter, which is a behavioural adaptation that helps them survive when food is scarce in their usual habitat. Another example is the way meerkats take turns to stand guard while others forage for food, which is a behavioural adaptation that helps protect the group from predators.

Adaptations are not developed in response to an environment's demands, but rather, they are the result of random genetic mutations that happen to confer a survival advantage in a particular environment. Over time, as organisms with these beneficial adaptations survive and reproduce, these traits become more common in the population. This is the essence of natural selection, the driving force behind evolution and the development of adaptations.

In summary, adaptations are crucial for an organism's survival as they enhance its ability to live and reproduce in its specific environment, thereby ensuring the continuation of its species.