The strain of bacteria that causes tuberculosis evolving a tolerance for almost every antibiotic used to kill other strains is an example of **physiological adaptation**.
1. **Physiological adaptation** refers to changes in the body's internal functions to better suit an organism's environment or situation. In this case, the bacteria have developed mechanisms at the physiological level to resist the effects of antibiotics.
2. The ability of this bacterial strain to tolerate various antibiotics is a result of genetic mutations that confer resistance. These mutations alter the bacteria's physiological processes, allowing them to survive and reproduce in the presence of antibiotics that would normally be effective against other strains.
3. This physiological adaptation can involve changes in the bacteria's cell wall structure, metabolic pathways, or efflux pumps that actively remove antibiotics from the bacterial cell, among other mechanisms.
In summary, the evolution of antibiotic tolerance in this tuberculosis-causing bacterial strain is a demonstration of physiological adaptation through genetic changes that enhance its survival in the face of antibiotic exposure.
