Adaptation Noadswood Science, 2011

Adaptation To understand how plants and animals are adapted for survival Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Habitats Different habitats are able to support different organisms, however plants and animals develop features to adapt to their environment – they become better suited to the conditions Think of the following organisms – how is a polar bear / camel / cactus / fish adapted to the environmental conditions of their habitat?

Adaptations A habitat is only populated by organisms that are adapted to survive there Adaptations are special features or behaviours that make an organism particularly suited to its environment – adaptations are a part of the evolutionary process Why is it important that living things are adapted to their environment? Adaptations increase an organism’s chance of survival and so increase its chance of reproducing

Polar Bear Polar bears live in the Arctic, which is very cold Adaptations of a polar bear include: -  Black skin to absorb heat well  White appearance to camouflage it against the snow and ice  Thick layers of fat and fur for insulation  Wide feet with hair on their soles to avoid slipping

Camel Camels live in deserts, which are hot and dry during the day but cold at night Adaptations of a camel include: -  They can go for a long time without water (fat stored in hump)  Slit-like nostrils and two rows of eyelashes to help keep the sand out  Wide, flat feet to help them walk on the sand  Thick fur to keep the sun off their skin (+ keep warm at night)

Cactus Cactuses live in deserts, which are hot and dry during the day but cold at night with <25mm rainfall per year Adaptations of a cactus include: -  No leaves and small surface area (reduces water loss)  Thick stem to store water  Spines to stop herbivores eating them  Shallow but extensive roots to absorb water as quickly as possible

Fish Fish live in the sea, where temperature is reasonably stable Adaptations of a fish include: -  Gills so they can breathe under water  Streamlined to move through the water easily  Some are highly adapted, such as a shark, to detect prey via highly sensitive taste glands  Some deep-sea fish have very large eyes, to detect what little light there is

Animal Adaptation Complete the animal adaptation worksheet – cut out the animal and write down how it is adapted to its environment

Animal Adaptation Elephant (dry grassland) – trunk to suck up water to drink and cool itself down; tusks for protection / mating / knocking over trees to eat; large ears to help it cool down; little hair so as to not overheat; large size aiding protection; large feet to support body

Animal Adaptation Dolphin (sea) – fins to swim; streamlined; air hole on top of head allowing it to breathe

Animal Adaptation Frog (pond) – long tongue to catch flies; camouflage; strong hind legs for leaping

Animal Adaptation Polar bear (Arctic) – white fur for camouflage; thick hair to keep warm; sharp claws for catching prey & gripping ice; large feet to stop it sinking into the snow

Animal Adaptation Zebra (grassland) – tall to spot predation; stripes for camouflage; strong legs for running quickly

Plant Adaptation Why do plants need water?  Plants take in water through their roots in the soil – it moves up through the plant and is lost through the leaves in the transpiration stream  Stomata in the leaves allow gas in and out for photosynthesis and respiration, and as they do this water is lost by evaporation

Plant Adaptation How can plants reduce water loss?  Surface area: volume ratio is extremely important – most plants have reduced the surface area of their leaves cutting down the area from which water can be lost  Some desert plants have small fleshy leaves with a thick cuticle to keep water loss down  One of the biggest problems for plants is being eaten by animals – vicious thorns, unpleasant taste and poisonous chemicals are some adaptations

Daily Changes Many habitats do not stay the same all the time Daily changes to the environment include: -  Changes in the amount of light (between day and night)  Changes in the temperature  Changes in the amount of water (i.e. rainfall / tidal variations)

Seasonal Changes Many habitats do not stay the same all the time Seasonal changes to the environment include: -  Changes in temperature between the seasons (warm in summer, cold in winter)  Changes in the amount of light (between long daylight hours in the summer to shorter days in the winter)  Changes in vegetation due to conditions (lots of vegetation in summer, to bare trees and snow-covered grown in winter)

Daily Changes - Adaptations How are plants and animals adapted for daily changes? Most flowers open their petals during the day (for pollination), but close them at night for protection Some animals avoid predation by being nocturnal (come out at night) – however some predators specialise at hunting during the night! Factors such as the tide (in or out) also affect the distribution of organisms

Seasonal Changes - Adaptations How are plants and animals adapted for seasonal changes? Some organisms hibernate during the cold winter months when food is scarce Different sized coats are grown by animals, e.g. a summer and winter coat Insects spend the winter as pupae Animals store food during plentiful times in preparation for when food becomes scarce Some organisms migrate Flowers die off in winter as there are fewer birds or insects to pollinate tem Deciduous leaves lose their leaves (in case of permafrost)

Blue Planet Watch the deep episode of The Blue Planet How are these organisms adapted to their environment?!