Why evolution?!

Krishna: I would like to replace the word ‘Japan’ with ‘any place on Earth’. And one place on Earth can be different from other places on Earth.

One of the oldest tenets of geography is the concept of place. As a result, place has numerous definitions, from the simple “a space or location with meaning” to the more complex “an area having unique physical and living characteristics interconnected with other places.”

Each place has its own unique ecology - natural science of the relationships among living organisms, including humans, and their physical environment.

Clavelina ossipandae, the skeleton panda sea squirt or skeleton panda ascidian

(Clavelina ossipandae is most recognizable for its white horizontal blood vessels, giving it a skeleton-like appearance, and black frontal dots of unknown function, that have been compared to a panda's eyes and nose. The species is known to live in waters off the coast of Kume Island, Japan. Image Source: Wikipedia)

The living beings at any place on Earth would naturally evolve to that place to harmoniously live in their ecologies.

Evolution is the change in inherited characteristics or traits in a population of organisms over many generations. The mechanism that best explains evolution is a phenomenon known as natural selection. Natural selection is the process by which certain inherited traits—such as the colour of a fish, height of a person, or shape of a leaf—are favoured within a population. A population is a group of organisms that mate and reproduce with one another. In general, traits persist in a population because they contribute to the success of the organism, or traits are eliminated because they detract from the success of the organism. (1)

Image source: Britannica.com

Thousands of years of selective pressures have determined the shapes, colors, sizes, and behaviors that optimize the survival and reproductive success of organisms in the environment in which they evolved. In fact, it is often possible to tell a lot about where something lives by how it looks and behaves.

Evolutionary fitness and success refers to surviving long enough to pass genetic material on to offspring. Traits that are passed on to offspring because they contribute to success are “selected for continuation.” Traits that are eliminated from the population because they detract from success are “selected against continuation.”

Any force in the environment that favours or disfavours traits is a selective agent. A force can be biological, like a predator, or physical, like temperature. Over time, populations subjected to different selective agents may become so different that they are no longer able to breed with one another. The biological definition of species is a group of organisms that can successfully breed with each other. Under this definition, when populations can no longer breed with each other, they are considered to be different species.(1)

Now if an animal or a plant that has evolved at a single place on Earth is relocated to another completely different place, it has to change some of its traits in order to survive. The selective force demands it. If it cannot change, it cannot survive if the pressure is very high.

So any animal or plant that has evolved in South India which is relatively hot with the usual temperatures ranging from 10 to 50°C ( India has the climate of Tropical monsoon due to its peculiar position in the Asian continent and the Indian Ocean. Indian climate is mostly characterized by wet and dry seasons, [2]), is taken to Japan - which has this climatic scene -

Eastern Japan has hot and humid summers and cold winters with very heavy snow on the Sea of Japan side and in mountainous areas. Western Japan has y hot and humid summers (with temperatures sometimes reaching 35°C or above) and moderate cold winters. Okinawa and Amami have a subtropical oceanic climate. (3) - the temperatures can range from -25°C to 28°C - (4) -

what happens?

If the organism has a natural predator in India and doesn’t have one in Japan, it can flourish if it can adapt to only temperature.

But if it comes across a new predator, it definitely puts another pressure on its survival rate.

The migrated plant or animal has to develop new traits. Traits can be determined by genes, environmental factors or by a combination of both.

For natural selection to occur, a population must have a wide variety of individuals with different traits.

New genotypes can be produced through the natural process of genetic mutation. A mutation is an error that is made during the DNA copying process. The mutation results in a change in the genetic code or genotype.

Sometimes mutations errors occur within the sections of the DNA strand that do not code for any phenotype or trait. Similarly, some mutations are minor and do not cause any significant change in the appearance, physiology, or behavior of the organism. Other times, mutations can cause changes in the phenotype.

A mutation can be an especially powerful force for change if it has a significant impact on the survival of an organism

It is also important to remember that mutations are random. An organism cannot pick or choose its mutation. For example, some species of animals that live their whole lives in caves without light have no pigment, or coloration. Because the caves are dark, there is no benefit to being camouflaged to avoid a predator or having coloration to attract a mate. However, not all animals that live in the dark lack color. In order for a species to lose its coloration, mutations must occur that allow the elimination of pigment. If the mutation never arises, the animals will stay pigmented.

Mutations: Image source: Google

Sexual reproduction can also increase genetic variation in a population.

Mutations and sexual reproduction increase genetic variation in a population. Individual organisms with unfavorable traits (e.g. malformed wings in fruit flies or bright white color patterning in male peacocks) are less likely to survive and reproduce. These individuals and the genes they carry are “selected against” or disfavored by natural selection. In contrast, individuals with beneficial genes are more likely to survive and reproduce.(1)

So any 'different' place from its native one can put pressure on any organism. It has to adapt or nature doesn't put it in its 'select'

list. When not selected, it cannot survive.

It is a do or die situation. Most organisms that survive did evolve suitably to the new atmosphere it migrated to.

The place called Japan doesn’t make any exceptions to this nature's rule.

The Japanese bobtail squid is a small, vibrant mollusc found in the waters around Japan. These fascinating creatures are known for their symbiotic relationship with luminescent bacteria, which inhabit a special organ in the squid’s mantle. The light produced by these bacteria helps the squid camouflage against moonlit waters, avoiding predators while attracting prey.

Image source: Interac Network - Make a Difference, Enrich Through Education

Psychologies? That depends on the individuals. If a person finds the cultures/traditions/ behaviour of the people living in the immigrated places good, he or she can change if they want. Some might even face emotional stress to do this and need not fully change.

Animals don’t understand situations as much as human beings do. They might face more emotional stress to do this. But the ones that can cope with it can have more survival chances.

Footnotes:
1. Evolution by Natural Selection

2. A Brief Summary on Climate of India

3. General Information on Climate of Japan

4. Weather in Japan – Walk Japan