SINCE 1828
counteradaptation
noun
coun·ter·ad·ap·ta·tion
| \ ˌkau̇n-tər-ˌa-ˌdap-ˈtā-shən
, -dəp-\
, -dəp-\
variants:
or counter-adaptation
plural counteradaptations
or counter-adaptations
Definition of counteradaptation
1
: adaptation of an organism (as in modification of behavior, physiology, or form) in response to an adaptation of another organism with which it regularly interacts
counteradaptation of insect pests in response to novel defensive chemicals produced by plant hosts
also
: a favorable trait that arises as a result of counteradaptation
counteradaptations serving as a selective force to future change
2
: opposition to the effect of a drug or stimulus that is hypothesized to develop in an organism as a mechanism to maintain homeostasis
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