Download What is adaptation?

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Different types of environment
There are three major types of environment. What are they?
land
freshwater
marine
How do organisms survive in such different environments?
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What is adaptation?
All organisms are
adapted to life in
general, such as
having legs for
walking, wings for
flying or leaves for
photosynthesizing.
These are general
adaptations.
Organisms also have specific adaptations. These are
special features or behaviours that have evolved to make an
organism particularly suited to its environmental niche.
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A shark’s general adaptations
What are a shark’s general adaptations to life in an aquatic
environment?
streamlined shape
to reduce friction
when moving
through water
fins provide
stability, power
and control
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gills have a large
surface area so
that oxygen can be
extracted from the
surrounding water
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A shark’s specific adaptations
What are a shark’s specific adaptations to life as an aquatic
predator?
specialized sense organs can
detect the sound, movement and
electrical fields of other organisms
highly sensitive
sense of smell that
can detect drops of
blood from miles
away
lots of very sharp
teeth that are
constantly replaced
silver colouring
underneath acts as
camouflage
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The importance of adaptation
Why is it important that organisms are adapted to their
environment?
The better adapted an
organism is to its habitat, the
more successful it will be
when competing for
resources such as food and
mates.
This increases the organism’s
chance of survival and so
increases its chance of
reproducing and passing on
its genes.
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True or false?
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Animals that eat other animals
A predator is an animal
that hunts and kills other
animals for food.
Predators can be either:
 carnivorous (eat meat
only) e.g. wolves
 omnivorous (eat meat and
vegetation) e.g. humans.
A prey animal is one that is
attacked and eaten by a
predator.
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How are predators and prey adapted?
Predators are adapted
to hunt, catch and eat
prey.
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Prey are adapted to
avoid capture from
predators.
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Adaptations of predators
What are common predator adaptations for hunting and
killing?
 Excellent vision – For spotting prey from far away. Many
predators have binocular vision to accurately judge the
distance of their prey.
 High speed – For chasing after prey. Predators often
stalk their prey using stealth and sometimes camouflage
to get as close as possible without being detected.
 Weapons – For killing prey. These are predominantly
sharp teeth, claws and beaks, which enable the predator
to hold their prey and tear their flesh.
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Adaptations of prey
What are common prey adaptations for avoiding
capture by predators?
 Excellent vision – For spotting predators from far away.
Many prey have a wide field of view to see predators
approaching from all different directions.
 High speed – For escaping from predators. Prey animals
such as deer and antelopes often have a high stamina to
keep running for longer than their predators.
 Camouflage – For hiding from predators. For example,
the stripes on a zebra break up their outline, stick insects
look like twigs, some insects look like leaves.
 Defence – For protection against attack. Examples include
armour plating, horns and tusks.
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Adaptations of the snowshoe hare
The snowshoe hare lives in northern parts of North America.
How is it adapted to avoid predators such as lynxes?
greyish-brown fur turns white in
winter for camouflage
large ears
help in
detecting
predators
monocular
vision with a
wide field of
view to see
predators
approaching
large furry feet act as snow shoes and
protect the soles from cold
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Adaptations of the lynx
How are lynxes adapted for catching snowshoe hares?
excellent
binocular
vision for
judging
distances
warm thick furry coat protects from the cold
sharp teeth
and claws
for puncturing
flesh
extra large paws
act as snow shoes
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very strong hind leg muscles
capable of pouncing 6.5 metres!
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Using poison
Poison has evolved as an adaptation of predators and prey.
Organisms such as snakes, spiders and insects use poison to
paralyze or kill prey.
Other organisms use poison
as a defence. Certain tropical
frogs have poisonous skin
that can make predators very
ill or even die.
They are often brightly
coloured to deter predators
from even trying to attack
them.
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Let’s pretend
Some harmless organisms have become adapted to look like
dangerous species. This is called mimicry.
For example, stingless hoverflies have black and yellow
bands on their bodies that resemble those on wasps or bees.
This warns predators to stay away, even though the hoverfly
is incapable of stinging.
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Whose adaptation?
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How is a polar bear adapted?
How is a polar bear adapted to its extremely cold climate?
white greasy fur repels water and acts as camouflage
thick fur and
body fat insulate
from the cold
large, wide feet
spread the body’s
weight and act as
good paddles and
snow shoes
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More polar bears adaptations
Other adaptations that polar bears have evolved to cope
with conditions in the harsh polar environment include:
small ears and small body
surface area to volume
ratio reduces heat loss
eyes have brown irises to
reduce the glare from the
Sun’s reflection
black skin is a good
absorber of heat
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Curious camel facts
Camels are amazing creatures! Did you know that:
 camels have three stomachs
 some camels live to
over 40 years old
 some Bactrian camels
can transport 450 kg
 archaeological finds show
that camels originated in
North America
 Somalia is home to over
six million camels!
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How is a camel adapted?
How is a camel adapted to life in a very hot, dry climate?
fat is stored in the hump to reduce overheating
little water is lost
through sweating
or urination
long, thin legs help
to increase body
surface area and
increase heat loss
wide feet spread
out body weight
on shifting sand
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More camel adaptations
What other adaptations have camels evolved to cope with
the harsh desert environment?
long eyelashes and
furry ears prevent sand
and dust from getting in
nostrils can be closed
for protection during
sandstorms
very varied diet, ranging
from grass and bark to
thorns and bones.
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Which adaptation?
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How is a cactus adapted?
How is a cactus adapted to life in a very hot, dry climate?
water stored in a fleshy
stem, and a thick, waxy
surface reduces water loss
leaves are narrow spines
to reduce water loss and
protect from predators
roots are either very deep,
or shallow and
widespread to catch
surface water
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What do flowers do?
Flowers enable plants
to reproduce sexually.
For this to happen,
pollen from one flower
must be carried to
another flower – either
on the same plant or on
a different plant. This is
called pollination.
In what ways can pollination take place?
 Pollen is carried by insects from one flower to another.
 Pollen is blown by wind from one flower to another.
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Adaptations for insect pollination
How are flowers adapted for pollination by insects such as
bees and butterflies?
nectar, a
source of food
for insects, is
deep within
the flower
stiff anthers
and stigmas
are positioned
where insects
must brush
past them
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colourful,
scented petals
attract insects
large, sticky
pollen grains
become
attached to the
insect’s body
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Adaptations for wind pollination
How are flowers adapted for pollination by the wind?
small, dullcoloured petals
anthers hang
loosely
outside flower
so wind can
blow pollen
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huge
numbers of
light, tiny
pollen grains
long, feathery
stigma hanging
outside flower
so pollen can be
trapped
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Unusual plant adaptations
Plants can live in acid or waterlogged soils where there is
little nitrate. Some plants have evolved a rather cunning
adaptation to obtain the nutrients they need.
Pitcher plants have a large
hollow filled with fluid that
traps insects or other small
organisms that may fall in.
Hairs on the slippery inside
of the plant are angled down
to ensure that the victim
cannot escape!
The plant digests its victims
to absorb the nitrates it needs!
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Glossary (1/2)
 adaptation – A special feature or behaviour that makes an
organism particularly suited to its habitat.
 camouflage – An adaptation that helps an organism to
remain undetected by a predator or prey.
 general – A type of adaptation that makes an organism
suited to life overall.
 mimicry – The resemblance of one species to a more
dangerous species, for protection against predation.
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Glossary (2/2)
 pollination – The transfer of pollen from one flower to
another, and which is assisted by insects or wind.
 predator – An organism that hunts and kills other
organisms for food.
 prey – An organism that is killed and eaten by another
organism.
 specific – A type of adaptation that makes an organism
particularly suited to its environmental niche.
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Anagrams
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Which organism?
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Multiple-choice quiz
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