The Niche Construction Theory

Niche Construction Theory suggests that organisms actively modify their environments through their behaviors and activities, which in turn shapes the evolutionary pressures they and others face. Unlike traditional views that see organisms as passive recipients of environmental influence, this theory emphasizes their role in creating and altering habitats—like beavers building dams or humans farming. These environmental changes influence natural selection and evolutionary pathways, meaning evolution is a two-way process: organisms adapt to their environment, and simultaneously, they help shape that environment. This interconnected relationship highlights the dynamic and reciprocal nature of evolution and ecological development.