Adaptive landscape

An adaptive landscape is a concept used to visualize how populations evolve in response to environmental changes. Imagine a 3D terrain made up of hills and valleys, where each point represents a different combination of traits in a species. The peaks symbolize optimal traits that lead to better survival and reproduction, while valleys represent less favorable traits. As conditions change, populations "move" across this landscape, adapting by evolving traits that help them reach higher peaks. This visual model helps explain how species adapt over time and can illustrate the complexity of evolution.