Adaptations

Question 1

Why do animals have adaptations

Answer 1

Organisms including microorganisms are adapted to live in different environmental conditions. The features or characteristics that allow them to do this are called adaptations. Adaptations can be:

• Structural
• Behavioural
• functional

Question 2

What is structural adaptations

Answer 2

• features of an organisms body structure - such as shape or colour
  Examples:
  —> Arctic fox has white fur so that it is camouflaged. Helps hide from predators and hunt prey in the snow
  —> Whales have thick blubber (fat) and a low surface area to volume ratio to help retain heat in cold waters

Question 3

What are behavioural adaptations

Answer 3

These are ways that organisms behave. Many species (e.g. swallows) migrate to warmer climates during winter to avoid the problems of living in cold climates

Question 4

What are functional adaptations

Answer 4

-These are things that go on inside an organism’s body that can be related to processes like reproduction and metabolism.
examples:
—> desert animals conserve water by producing very little sweat and small amounts of concentrated urine
—> brown bears lower their metabolism to conserve energy during hibernation over winter, so they don’t have to hunt when there isn’t much food around

Question 5

Adaptations in microorganisms

Answer 5

• extremophiles are microorganisms adapted to live in extreme conditions
• They can live in High temps, pressures, salt concentrations because of their adaptations for these extreme environments