A system and method for adaptive or dynamic garbage collection and memory management in computer systems and virtual machine environments, including Java virtual machines. Adaptive techniques attempt to constrain the system to consistently move towards the desired goal. In accordance with an embodiment, the system successively calculates a value of error from the "perfect state", and adjusts parameters so that this value will be reduced on the next round of calculations. In accordance with an embodiment, certain parameters, such as nursery size, can be defined; and the variation in that parameter used to calculate its effect on a particular goal, for example, the pause-time minimization. An error value is then evaluated as the difference between the desired or "goal" pause-time, and the current pause-time. By varying the nursery size in an adaptive manner, the pause-time can then be minimized.