Life form - Seikatsukei (English spelling)

Japanese: 生活形 - せいかつけい（英語表記）life-form

A morphological type that is adapted to the life style of an organism. Also called an adaptive type. They are classified based on the morphology of leaves and stems, the time when they produce leaves, etc. For example, there are conifers and broadleaf trees, succulents and vines, which are classified based on the morphology of leaves and stems, and evergreens and deciduous trees, which are classified based on the time when they produce leaves. Danish botanist Kristen Raunkel's "Raunkel's life forms," which are classified based on the position of hibernation buds that form in winter and the dry season, are also well known. In Raunkel's life forms, plants are classified into terrestrial plants, epigeic plants, semi-terrestrial plants, subterranean plants, annual plants, and aquatic plants. In terms of classification, plants that are closely related tend to have similar morphologies, but different types of organisms can adapt to their environment and have similar characteristics. In addition, in the geological era, there are cases where organisms of the same species split into different life forms. Among the 24 laws of evolution, this corresponds to the "law of radiation." Life forms are used to distinguish from life types, which are types of organisms based on their lifestyles.

Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica Concise Encyclopedia About Encyclopaedia Britannica Concise Encyclopedia Information

Japanese:

生物の生活様式に適応した形態上の型。適応型ともいう。葉や茎の形態や葉をつける時期などの観点から分類される。たとえば，葉や茎の形態から分類された，針葉樹や広葉樹，多肉植物やつる植物，葉をつける時期から分類された，常緑樹や落葉樹などがある。デンマークの植物学者クリステン・ラウンケルが，冬季や乾季にできる冬眠芽の位置で分類した「ラウンケルの生活形」もよく知られている。ラウンケルの生活形では，地上植物，地表植物，半地中植物，地中植物，一年生植物，水生植物に分類される。分類上類縁関係の近いものほど似た形態をもつことが多いが，異なる種類の生物でも環境に適応し，似た形質をとることがある。また，地質時代の古生物では同じ種族の生物が異なる生活形に分かれていく例もある。進化の24則では「放散の法則」がこれにあたる。生活形は，生物の生活様式による類型をいう生活型（せいかつがた）life-typeとは区別して用いられる。

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