Adaptation is a biological term which means the process by which all living things change or adapt to new and unfavourable conditions for their survival. Thus human beings, plants and all other living things adapt to their environment for survival.
In plants, take the example of the oak tree. Since it grows in a moist climate, its green leaves require much water to carry on the process of photosynthesis. On the other hand, since the desert cactus cannot afford large leaves that would lose more water, its leaves are reduced to spines that grow out of a waterproof stem. To come to some animals, the beaks of birds are again adapted to particular ways of feeding. For example, preying birds like woodpeckers and kingfishers have sharp strong beaks to tear their prey.
There are two kinds of adaptations: individual adaptation and group adaptation. In individual adaptation an individual adapts himself to new conditions automatically in his lifetime. Group adaptation refers to adaptation by a group. It is a slow process and occurs over many generations. For instance if a man’s job is such that he has to work during night time he would have to adapt to such a routine gradually. To begin with, he may have some difficulty in sleeping during the day but when adapted to the changing requirements after sometime, he would sleep easily.
Giraffes show group adaptation. Long ago giraffes had short necks similar to those of horses. Once a long dry period occurred in Africa and most of the grasses ceased to grow. In order to survive, giraffes started eating the leaves of the trees. The giraffes whose necks could reach up to the trees survived and reproduced. Their offspring had also long necks. As time went on, the trees grew higher and higher and giraffes had to reach higher to eat the leaves. The result was that giraffes developed a long neck over a long period of time.
To live successfully in an ever-changing world, life itself must adapt to new methods according to the need of the time.