Download Adaptation and Survival

Adaptation and Survival
Do you think a polar bear could survive
in a desert?
• No.
• Polar bears have fur coats and swim in
water, but deserts are dry.
Do you think a rain-forest plant could survive in
the same environment as a cactus? Why?
• No
• Rain-forest plants need a lot of water to grow
and it is very dry where a cactus lives.
What makes each of these organisms (polar
bear and rain-forest plant) suited to its
environment?
• Traits, or characteristics, that
help them survive.
Adaptations
• An adaptation is any characteristic
that helps an organism survive in its
environment.
• Types:
– Structural adaptations
– Behavioral adaptations
Structural Adaptations
• Structural adaptations are adjustments to
internal or external physical structures.
• Examples are fur color, long limbs, strong jaws,
and the ability to run fast. These can help
organisms survive in certain environments.
Structural Adaptations
• The webbed feet of a duck helps it survive in
water.
• This type of adaptation can protect organisms
or enable them to hunt.
• Turtles have a shell for protection.
• Sharks have an excellent sense of smell and
sharp teeth to help them catch food.
Behavioral Adaptations
• Behavioral adaptations are adjustments in an
organism’s behavior.
• Examples: Wolves travel in packs to help them
be able to hunt and capture large animals.
• Migration helps animals survive seasonal
changes.
• Hibernation helps animals escape the cold.
The animals remain inactive until the weather
becomes warm.
Why are adaptations important to
organisms?
• They help organisms survive their
environments.
• How do organisms get adaptations?
• They inherit adaptations from their
parent or parents when they reproduce.
How are structural adaptations and
behavioral adaptations different?
• Structural adaptations have to do
with the organism’s structure and
behavioral adaptations are how the
animal acts or behaves.
Adaptations of Cacti
• Spines (needles) to protect them from planteating animals.
• Thick stems to store water
• Large flowers to attract pollinators
Behavioral Adaptations of Elephants
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Form herds to protect their young
Rest during the hottest part of the day
Spray water on their backs to cool off
Teach their young what to eat
Plant Adaptations
• Some plants have scented flowers to attract
pollinators.
• Leaves to catch sunlight
• Roots to soak up water
• Some plants have waxy stems to prevent
water loss such as a cacti.
• Tiny pores on their leaves called stomata that
allow gases to enter and leave.
More Plant Adaptations
• Orchids, plants in the rain-forest, have
adaptations to help them survive wet, hot
temperatures.
• Orchid stems have storage organs called
pseudobulbs that store water for the plant.
• The roots help secure it high in a tree and
absorb water from the air.
• Drip-tip leaves help drain excess water.
More Plant Adaptations
• Some plant adaptations protect
them from animals that want to eat
them.
• Some plants produce chemicals that
give them a bad taste.
• Some produce chemicals that are
poisonous.
Animal Adaptations
• Adaptations can help animals survive in certain
environments.
• Mammals living in cold climates have thick fur
and extra body fat to keep them warm.
• Desert animals are nocturnal- they remain
inactive during the hottest time of the day and
become active during the night.
• Aquatic animals can move very fast underwater.
Some can hold their breath for a long period of
time or breath with gills.
More Animal Adaptations
• Skunks use chemicals to help being caught.
• Owls have adaptations that make them good
hunters.
• Running fast helps animals avoid getting eaten
like a gazelle.
Camouflage
• Camouflage is any coloring, shape, or pattern
that allows an organism to blend in with its
environment.
• Camouflage allows animals to sneak up on
organisms that they are hunting or it helps
organisms hide from predators.
Camouflage
Protective coloration
• A type of camouflage in which the color of an
animal helps it blend in with its background.
• An arctic fox has a unique coat. During the winter
it has a white coat that allows it to blend in with
the snow. The coat changes color in the summer
to blend in with plants and surroundings.
• Stripes on a tiger allows it to blend in with the
grass and helps it hide from organisms it hunts.
Protective Resemblance
• This is matching the color, shape, and texture
of an environment.
• A walking stick looks like a branch.
• A pipefish looks similar to sea grass.
Why do you think an owl has one ear
higher than the other?
• It helps them distinguish where a sound
comes from and how far away the sound is.
How is an owl able to fly silently?
• Special tips on the wing feathers muffle the
sound of air rushing over the owl’s wings.
Mimicry
• Mimicry is an adaptation in which an animal
resembles an unpleasant animal.
• A viceroy butterfly looks like a poisonous
monarch butterfly and this helps keep it from
getting eaten.