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Plant and Animal Adaptations
Different plants need different amounts of sunlight and water. Some plants can survive
with very little water. Others need a lot of water to live. Plants have adaptations, or
special parts that allow them to grow in different environments. Many kinds of
adaptations help plants live in their environment. Leaves help plants gather sunlight.
They are adaptations. The different sizes and shapes of leaves are adaptations too. Plants
that live in shady places tend to have large leaves. They help plants get more sunlight.
Plants that live in sunny places tend to have smaller leaves. They do not have to be big to
get enough sunlight. The smaller leaves help the plants save water too.
Along Georgia’s coastline is the Atlantic Ocean. Many kinds of plants live in the ocean.
Small plants that float on the surface of the ocean get lots of sunlight. Larger plants, like
seaweed and kelp, live below the surface and sunlight must travel through the water to
get to them. The water in the ocean is saltwater. These plants are adapted to live in
saltwater.
Some plants are adapted to live in streams, ponds, and lakes. The water in these areas is
fresh water. Much of the water in Georgia’s swamps is fresh water too. Water lilies and
pondweeds are plants that live in fresh water. Water lilies have long stems that reach
through the water. At the end of the stems, the roots are buried in the mud of the pond or
swamp. At the top of the stem is the lily pad. The lily pad floats on the water. It is a
large, broad pad so it gets a lot of sun. Water lilies are adapted to living in a fresh water
habitat. Cattails are a kind of grass that lives in water. They have long stalks with fuzzy
tips on the ends. Ferns and mosses are two other plants that grow in swamp lands.
Some plants have an adaptation that allows them to find nutrients in something other than
soil. Carnivorous plants get some of their nutrients by trapping and digesting insects
and other small animals.
In the Okefenokee Swamp, there are many kinds of trees. Some of the trees grow on
floating mats in the water. The mats are made of a soil-like material called peat. These
mats of soil are known as tree islands. The trees that grow on these islands have special
adaptations that allow them to grow on the floating soil. Bushes and cypress trees are
two kinds of plants that grow on the tree islands.
Georgia has many kinds of trees known as hardwood trees. These trees grow in the
forests of the north. Here you will see oak, chestnut, and poplar trees. These trees grow
very tall. They are adapted to live in a forest environment. Hardwood trees have long,
woody tree trunks that are covered in bark. The bark protects the inside of the tree trunk.
Each year these trees lose their leaves in winter. This helps the tree stay alive during the
cold winter months. Without leaves, the tree does not lose much water. These trees are
adapted to live in cold weather. The leaves fall on the forest floor and cover it. There,
mushrooms and mosses grow. The mushrooms and mosses do not need a lot of sunlight
to live. They grow well in damp, shady areas.
In spring, the amount of daylight hours gets longer. There is more sunshine on the trees.
The trees bloom. Leaves block the sun from the forest floor. There are few plants that
grow well in the shade of the forest.
Animals, like plants, have adaptations that help them survive. Different animals have
different needs. Animals have many adaptations that help them live in their
environments. Some animals are adapted to live in very cold habitats. These animals
might have thick fur coats. Other animals are adapted to live in or near water. These
animals might have fins or webbed feet or paws to help them swim. Even insects have
adaptations. In Georgia, animals have different adaptations that allow them to live in
different habitats.
Georgia has many different habitats. There are mountains, swamps, and forests.
Animals have body parts that are adaptations that help them survive in the different
environments.
One adaptation that some animals have is wings. Birds and bats both have wings. They
use their wings to get food. Many birds and bats get food from flowers. Some bats use
their ability to see in the dark to find food. One Georgia bat, the Big Brown Bat, feeds on
bugs like beetles, flies, and moths that it catches while it flies.
Beaks help birds gather and eat different kinds of food. The shape of the beak helps the
bird eat the food that is found where it lives. Some of these birds live where there are lots
of small insects. A small beak is best for eating this kind of food. Other birds live where
there are lots of large seeds. A large, strong beak is best for eating seeds. A sharp,
curved beak is best for catching small animals. Birds that live in Georgia’s swamps often
have long beaks and long legs. The shapes of the birds’ beaks help them catch fish to eat.
The long legs help the birds wade in the swamp water.
Animals have body parts that help them swim too. Alligators, ducks, bears, and otters
have webbed paws and feet. The webbing helps the animal paddle through the water of
the swamps. Have you noticed that most fish have long slim bodies? Like fins, this
shape is an adaptation for swimming in water. Fish also have feather-like gills. These
are adaptations for getting the air they need from the water. Alligators, ducks, otters, and
fish are all examples of aquatic animals (an animal that lives in a water habitat such as a
lake, pond, river, stream, swamp, marsh, or the ocean).
An animal’s behavior, or how it acts, can also be an adaptation. Some animals are able
to become less active when it is very cold or very dry. Bears that live in the northern
areas of Georgia often hibernate during the winter. This means they go into a sleep-like
state. The bears use less energy so they are able to survive cold winters.
Other animals migrate. This means they move to a habitat where it is warmer or where
there is more food. In winter, many birds that are found in Georgia’s swamps have
migrated from colder states in the north. The birds stay here until spring and then move
north again.
Animals that hunt for prey (an animal that is hunted and eaten by predators) have
adaptations too. Birds of prey have sharp talons (curved claws that help a bird grab and
hold prey). In order to prevent the predator from finding and eating them, some animals
are able to camouflage themselves. This means that an animal’s coloring, marking, or
other physical appearance helps it blend in with its surroundings. Another useful
adaptation is mimicry. Mimicry is an adaptation that allows an animal to protect itself
by looking like another kind of animal or like a plant. An example of this is the walking
stick bug.
In order to survive, living things need many resources. They need food, water, sunlight,
soil, and air. Living things also need space to live. Changes to a habitat affect the
amount of resources that animals and plants need to survive. There are many different
ways that a habitat can change. For example, floods affect the amount of water in a
habitat. A flood happens when there is a lot of rain. If there is a flood, plant and animal
homes may be washed away. Fires can change habitats. A fire will destroy plants and
trees. Many animals, like insects, birds, and squirrels, make their homes in trees. The
animals who survive the fire must leave the area to continue to live since their homes and
food supply are gone.
Not all changes in habitats happen quickly. A drought is a long period of time when
very little rain falls. The soil becomes dry. Plants need water to survive. Many plants
will die because there is not water. Animals may die too if they can’t find water.