Adaptation Collection (#7)

Ammophila arenaria leaf, light micrograph
Ammophila arenaria leaf. Polarised light micrograph of a section through a marram grass (Ammophila arenaria) leaf, showing the characteristics that help reduce water loss

1833 Iguanodon mistaken spike horn fossil
From Mantell 1833. Accompanying legend reads: the " Horn of the Iguanodon" (3) and " The Claw or unguical bone of an Iguanodon" (1) with

Cretaceous tree ferns, artwork
Cretaceous tree ferns. Artwork showing several Tempskya tree ferns, depicted in the Lower to Mid-Cretaceous Period. These plants could reach six metres in height and half a metre in diameter

Desert-adapted elephants, adult and calves. These are African elephants (Loxodonta africana) adapted to living in desert areas of Namibia and Angola

Desert-adapted elephant using its trunk to throw dust over itself. Dust baths help to ward off insects. This is an African elephant (Loxodonta africana)

Breastfeeding, 18th-century caricature. Titled The Fashionable Mamma, or The Convenience of Modern Dress, this artwork shows a nursemaid holding a baby to its mothers breast to allow it to feed

Human and ape anatomy. Artwork comparing the anatomy of a human (left) and an ape (right). Both are primates, but as humans

Trac trac chat (Cercomela tractrac). Photographed in the dunes of the Namib Desert, this is an example of the pale form of this bird

Machina ammonita by Paul D. Stewart
Inspired by William Paleys inference of a creator from the mechanisms of nature, and a bad pun from Descartes view of non-human organisms as machina anima

Soft rush stem, light micrograph
Soft rush stem. Fluorescent light micrograph of a cross section through pith from a soft rush (Juncus effusus) stem. The star-shaped aerenchyma tissue (upper frame)

Frau im Mond artwork
Frau im Mond. Artwork of a Moon rocket, representing the story told in the film Woman in the Moon (German: Frau im Mond). This science fiction silent film, released in 1929

Woolly rhinoceros, artwork
Woolly rhinoceros (Coelodonta antiquitatis), artwork. This extinct rhino lived in the northern steppes of Eurasia during the Pleistocene epoch (1. 8 million years ago to 10, 000 years ago)

Beech leaves, light micrograph
Beech leaves. Light micrograph of a transverse section through two beech leaves (Fagus sylvatica). The shapes of the two leaves are different because the bottom leaf is constantly exposed to bright

Gecko scale hairs, SEM
Gecko scale hairs. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of hairs, or setae, on a scale on the skin of a geckos (family Gekkonidae)

Seal fur, SEM
Seal fur. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) for a freeze-fracture of seal skin with fur seen across top. The dense flattened fur of seals traps air and aids insulation in cold water

Barrel cactus (Ferocactus sp.). This cactus is barrel-shaped, but becomes columnar with age and reaches around 4 metres in height

Bee pollination. Bee entering a common foxglove Digitalis pupurea flower. The bee is going deep into the flower for nectar, as it does so it brushes against the anthers and stigma

Desertholly (Atriplex hymenelytra)
Desertholly plant (Atriplex hymenelytra). Photographed in the USA

Bindweed (Convolvulus oleifolius)
Bindweed flower (Convolvulus oleifolius). This species of shrubby bindweed has silvery, tomentose (hairy) foliage to reduce water-loss from its leaves

Pincushion hakea leaf, light micrograph
Pincushion hakea leaf. Polarised light micrograph of a transverse section through the leaf of a pincushion hakea (Hakea laurina) plant. This is a drought plant (xerophyte)

Heather leaf stomata, light micrograph
Heather leaf stomata. Light micrograph of a transverse section through a stomata (centre, circular) in the leaf of a heather (Erica sp.) plant. Heather is a drought plant (xerophyte)

Heather leaf, light micrograph
Heather leaf. Light micrograph of a transverse section through the leaf of a heather (Erica sp.) plant. Heather is a drought plant (xerophyte)

She-oak stem, light micrograph
She-oak stem. Light micrograph of a transverse section through the stem of the Australian she-oak (Casuarina equisetifolia). The she-oak is a drought plant (xerophyte)

Madagascan tree leaves
Madagascan trees leaves (family Didiereaceae). The leaves and thorns of this tree reduce water loss, adapting it to the dry conditions found in the Spiny Forest of southern Madagascar

Coastal vegetation. Shrubby seabite (Suaeda vera, green) and sea purslane (Atriplex portulacoides, grey) in a coastal habitat

Giant Cactus / Saguaro - Saguaro National Park (west) - Sonoran Desert - Arizona USA
ROG-13484 Giant Cactus / Saguaro - Saguaro National Park (west) Sonoran Desert - Arizona USA Carnegiea gigantea Bob Gibbons Please note that prints are for personal display purposes only

Giant Cactus or Saguaro Carnegiea gigantea in the Saguaro National Park (west), Sonoran Desert, Arizona
ROG-13502 Giant Cactus or Saguaro Saguaro National Park (west), Sonoran Desert, Arizona, USA Carnegiea gigantea Bob Gibbons Please note that prints are for personal display purposes only

Ocotillo / candlewood - adapted to desert life, able to sprout leaves whenever it rains. In flower
ROG-11847 Ocotillo - also called coachwhip cactus, Jacob's staff and candlewood - in flower California, USA Fouquieria splendens This desert shrub is not a cactus

The endemic marine iguana (Amblyrhynchus cristatus) in the Galapagos Island Group, Ecuador
Michael Nolan / SplashdownDirect

Leafy Seadragon (Phycodurus eques). Australia
Tom Campbell / SplashdownDirect

Leafy Seagragon (Phycodurus eques). Australia
Tom Campbell / SplashdownDirect

Seahorse
Tom Campbell / SplashdownDirect

Leafy Seagragon (Phycodurus eques). Indo Pacific
Tom Campbell / SplashdownDirect

Peacock Flounder, swimming (Bothus mancus). Indo Pacific
Tom Campbell / SplashdownDirect

Peacock flounder (Bothus mancus). Indo Pacific
Tom Campbell / SplashdownDirect

Peacock flounder
Tom Campbell / SplashdownDirect

Demon stinger (Inimicus didactylus). Indo Pacific
Tom Campbell / SplashdownDirect

Xeno or Black Coral Crab, (Xenocarcinus conicus) on Sea Fan. Lembeh Strait, Sulawesi, Indonesia
Stephen Wong / SplashdownDirect

Peacock flounder, Bothus lunatus, Fernando de Noronha, Pernambuco, Brazil
Andre Seale / SplashdownDirect

Drought resistant plants in the mountains of the Sinai desert near Dahab in Egypt
Ashley Cooper / SpecialistStock

The Breach at Alkborough on the Humber Estuary in Eastern England. As sea levels rise around the world many areas of
Ashley Cooper / SpecialistStock

Marine iguana Floreana. Galapagos. (RR)
Sue Daly / SplashdownDirect

Marine iguana on roadside. Galapagos. (RR)
Sue Daly / SplashdownDirect

Marine Iguanas. Galapagos. (RR)
Sue Daly / SplashdownDirect

The endemic marine iguana (Amblyrhynchus cristatus) in the Galapagos Island Group, Ecuador
Michael Nolan / SplashdownDirect

Seagrass ghost pipefish (Solenostomus cyanopterus) close-up. Na ama Bay, Sharm El Sheikh, South Sinai, Red Sea, Egypt
Anna C.J. Segeren / SplashdownDirect

Fouquieria splendens
ROG-11843 Ocotillo - also called coachwhip cactus, Jacob's staff and candlewood - in flower California, USA Fouquieria splendens This desert shrub is not a cactus

Theatre / Plays / Laclos
Les Liaisons Dangereuses scene from act 1 performance at Maisons-Lafitte of the adaptation by Fernand Noziere

For sale as Licensed Images

Choose your image, Select your licence and Download the media

"Adaptation: Embracing Change in a World of Possibilities" In the realm of economics, adaptation is akin to the ingenious contraptions depicted in Heath Robinson's illustrations. Just like Pinus cembra, or the Arolla pine, which adapts to harsh mountainous conditions, we too must find innovative ways to navigate and thrive amidst challenges. As if plucked from H. G. Wells' "The First Men in the Moon, " the US Navy's Consolidated PB4Y-2 Privateer exemplifies adaptation at its finest - transforming a bomber into an effective anti-submarine aircraft. Nature itself showcases remarkable adaptations with Araucaria columnaris and A. Heterophyllo trees gracefully adapting their forms to suit diverse environments. Similarly, the Green Tree Python effortlessly blends into its surroundings within forests of New Guinea and North East Australia. Just as Henry Irving mesmerized audiences as Mephistopheles in W. G. Wills' Faust, our ability to adapt allows us to take on different roles and conquer new frontiers – much like Beau Geste or Barry portraying Phaedra. A futuristic space scene inspired by Arthur C. Clarke's novel "The City And The Stars" reminds us that adaptation extends beyond earthly boundaries; it propels us towards uncharted territories where innovation reigns supreme. Yet even closer to home lies Lathyrus japonicus, commonly known as sea pea – resiliently adapting along coastal regions despite rising sea levels threatening low-lying lands worldwide. As protection costs soar, we must seek sustainable solutions for these vulnerable areas. Ultimately, adaptation is not merely survival but embracing change with open arms. Like The Breach at Alkborough on the Humber Estuary in Eastern England illustrates - it urges us to confront challenges head-on while seeking cost-effective strategies that safeguard our future. In this ever-evolving world, adaptation becomes our compass guiding us through uncertainty, enabling us to thrive amidst the winds of change.