Author: iamdefinitory

Melanin – A pigment responsible for skin, hair, and eye color, providing protection against UV radiation.

Gloger’s Rule – A principle stating that populations in sunnier regions tend to have darker skin pigmentation due to higher melanin production.

Allen’s Rule – A principle stating that individuals in colder climates have shorter limbs to minimize heat loss, while those in warmer climates have longer limbs for heat dissipation.

Bergmann’s Rule – A principle stating that individuals in colder climates tend to have larger body masses to retain heat, whereas those in warmer climates are leaner.

Acclimatization – Temporary physiological adjustments to environmental conditions (e.g., tanning due to sun exposure).

Cultural Adaptation – Behavioral and technological responses to environmental challenges (e.g., clothing, housing, and diet).

Developmental Adaptation – Permanent physiological changes that occur during an individual’s growth due to environmental influences (e.g., larger lung capacity in high-altitude populations).

Physiological Adaptation – Short-term bodily changes in response to environmental stressors (e.g., increased red blood cell production at high altitudes).

Genetic Adaptation – Changes in allele frequencies over generations that enhance survival in specific environments (e.g., sickle cell trait in malaria-endemic regions).

Adaptation – The process by which organisms adjust to their environment to improve survival and reproduction.