Behavioural Adaptations

Some species cope with environmental variation primarily through behaviour rather than through internal physiological change. Desert lizards are a good example: they manage to keep their body temperature fairly constant purely through behavioural means. When their body temperature drops below a comfortable range, they bask out in the open sun to absorb heat; but once the ambient temperature starts climbing too high, they move into shade to avoid overheating. Some species go further still and burrow into the sand, using the burrow to hide from and escape the worst of the heat altogether. Behavioural adaptations of this kind let an organism acti …