International Journal of Molecular Ecology and Conservation 2024, Vol.14, No.1, 18-26 http://ecoevopublisher.com/index.php/ijmec 20 change can provide us with deeper adaptation strategies, thus better preparing us to cope with the challenges brought by future climate change. Figure 1 Projections of the minimum amount of sea ice remaining in September in the Arctic Ocean from 1900 to 2100 (Stirling and Derocher, 2012) Note: The black line is the average of the models and the red line, showing direct observations made from satellite images, shows sea ice is actually being lost more rapidly than currently modeled 3 The Biological Basis of Genetic Adaptability 3.1 Concept and mechanism of genetic adaptability Genetic adaptability refers to the ability of organisms to survive and reproduce in specific environments through genetic variation (Jerison et al., 2017). This concept is the core of Darwin’s theory of evolution, emphasizing the interaction between organisms and the environment. The formation of genetic adaptability depends on genetic variation and recombination, which provide raw materials for natural selection. In the process of natural selection, genetic variations that can improve an individual’s survival and reproductive success rate in a specific environment will gradually accumulate, while those that are not conducive to survival will be eliminated. In addition, gene flow (exchange of genes between different populations) and genetic drift (changes in gene frequency due to random events in small populations) can also affect the formation of genetic adaptability. Genetic adaptability is the accumulation of genetic variations that occur during the long-term evolution of organisms in order to better adapt to environmental changes. This process involves complex biological mechanisms, including the generation of genetic variations, natural selection, and changes in gene frequency. The researchers fitted some models to estimate the narrow sense heritability of this adaptability (Jerison et al., 2017) (Figure 2). 3.2 The role of genetic variation and natural selection in adaptive evolution Genetic variation is the cornerstone of adaptive evolution. Whether through mechanisms such as point mutations, gene recombination, or gene replication, genetic variation provides diversity for populations, enabling organisms to adapt to environmental changes. Natural selection is the process of determining whether these variations can be preserved. Under natural selection, beneficial mutations increase an individual’s adaptability, gradually increasing their frequency within the population, while harmful mutations gradually disappear due to reduced survival and reproductive abilities.
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