This article is about the evolutionary process.

For other uses, see Adaptation

(disambiguation).
Not to be confused with Adoption or Acclimatization.
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In biology, adaptation has three related meanings. Firstly, it is the dynamic
evolutionary process that fits organisms to their environment, enhancing their
evolutionary fitness. Secondly, it is a state reached by the population during that
process. Thirdly, it is a phenotypic or adaptive trait, with a functional role in
each individual organism, that is maintained and has been evolved by natural
selection.

Organisms face a succession of environmental challenges as they grow, and show

adaptive plasticity as traits develop in response to the imposed conditions. This
gives them resilience to varying environments.