Question

Imagine you are a tetrapod ancestor about to leave the freshwater pond you’ve always inhabited and invade land. Consider the ventilatory and osmoregulatory challenges you have to face when you switch from a water environment to a terrestrial environment. How can you acclimate to the new habitat to succeed during your own lifetime? What adaptive changes does your species need to make in order to dominate various terrestrial environments for millions of years to come?

Answer 1

Challenges faced when a tetrapod ancestor leave freshwater pond and invades land are,

1. Overdehydration. Aquatic animals are way more hydrated compared to terrestrial animals. Hence, when there is a habitat change from freshwater to land, mechanism to adapt this water regulation should be evolved.

2. Respiration. Most of the aquatic animals respire using water dissolved oxygen whereass terrestrial animals used gaseous oxygen. Hence there should be evolution in respiration system. Gills should be transformed to lungs. Skin should be comparatively less porous as this might cause dehydration.

What adaptive changes does your species need to make in order to dominate various terrestrial environments for millions of years to come?

Any species who want to survive and dominate should reproduce at a decent rate. Hence the major challenge will be finding a land habitat to live, free from predators, with plenty of food. All these supports reproduction and survival.