Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

Y11 Biology 2025 > Adaptations > Flashcards

Adaptations Flashcards

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
AP® Biology flashcards Biology 101 flashcards
1
Q

Define a species

A

Species are organisms that can breed together to produce fertile and viable offspring.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

State the two parts of a binomial name

A

Genus species

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

State the levels of classification from biggest to smallest

A

domain, kingdom, phlyum, class, order, family, genus, species.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

State what a phylogenetic diagram shows

A

Evolutionary relationships and who is most closely related (closely related species diverged more recently)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What is an abiotic factor?

A

A property of the environment relating to nonliving things.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What is a biotic factor?

A

A property of the environment relating to living things

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What is an adaptation?

A

A structural, behavioural or physiological characteristic of an organism that enables it to survive in its natural environment

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

What is a structural adaptation?

A

Evolved modifications to an organism’s physical structure

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What is a physiological adaptation?

A

Evolved modifications to an organism’s internal functioning or metabolic processes

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What is a behavioural adaptation?

A

Evolved modifications to an organism’s actions

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

List two structural adaptations for animals living in the desert.

A

Insulation
Surface area to volume ratio

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

List five physiological adaptations for animals living in the desert.

A

Metabolic heat
Surface blood flow
Increase water input
Decrease water output
Evaporative cooling

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

List two behavioural adaptations for animals living in the desert.

A

Evading extreme conditions
Enduring extreme conditions

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

List an advantage and disadvantage of having a high SA:V ratio in the desert.

A

Advantage: can release heat into a cold area (like a burrow)
Disadvantage: exposure to direct sunlight can quickly increase body temperature

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

List an advantage and disadvantage of having a low SA:V ratio in the desert.

A

Advantage: does not absorb as much heat if directly exposed to sunlight or cannot avoid the heat
Disadvantage: they still need to be able to release waste heat which can be more difficult with a low SA:V ratio

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Define an endotherm

A

an animal that produces the majority of its own heat via metabolic processes

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Define an ectotherm

A

an animal that obtains heat primarily from the environment, rather than its own metabolic heat

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

Define torpor

A

A physiological and behavioural adaptation for survival in which an animal’s metabolic rate is severely reduced

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

List two structural adaptations for animals living in a cold environment.

A

Insulation
Surface area to volume ratio

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

List three physiological adaptations for animals living in a cold environment.

A

Endotherms
Torpor
Circulation- vasoconstriction and countercurrent circulation

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

List four behavioural adaptations for animals living in a cold environment.

A

Reducing exposed surface area
Huddling
Seeking shelter
Migration

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

Why is reducing surface area: volume ratio an advantage in a cold environment?

A

By reducing their surface area to volume ratio, an animal will release heat slowly, increasing the time it takes for body temperature to drop.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

Describe the two types of torpor found in animals in cold environments.

A

Hibernation is a type of Torpor in endotherms in response to the cold
Brumation is a type of Torpor in ectotherms in response to the cold

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

Why is huddling an advantage for animals in cold environments?

A

Huddling artificially decreases the individual surface area to volume ratio, decreasing the amount of heat released by the animal into the environment.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

List four adaptations of plants to hot environments.

A

Decreasing heat uptake
Increasing water uptake
Water storage
Minimising water loss

26
Q

List three adaptations of plants in cold environments.

A

Preventing freezing
Deciduous trees
Seed dormancy

27
Q

List three ways plants decrease heat uptake in hot environments.

A

Having lightly coloured or reflective leaves
Producing leaves with smaller surface area
Orientating leaves vertically to minimize surface area exposed to the sun

28
Q

List two adaptations plants can use to increase their water uptake in dry conditions.

A

Desert plants have extensive deep root systems capable of reaching groundwater reserves.
Other desert plants spread roots horizontally to absorb the maximum amount of surface water during the brief periods of rain, and store this water for later use.

29
Q

What is a deciduous tree?

A

A deciduous tree is a tree that seasonally drops all of its leaves at once to avoid harsh conditions.

30
Q

What is the advantage of a deciduous tree?

A

Avoid frozen leaf tissue during winter.
Require less energy and water to survive during winter months.
Experience less branch breakage during periods of heavy snowfall and strong winds.

31
Q

Define population.

A

The number of one species in a geographical location

32
Q

Define community.

A

A group of interacting populations of different species in the same geographical region

33
Q

Define ecosystem

A

Organisms interacting with one another and their physical environment

34
Q

Define population size

A

the number of individuals in a population

35
Q

Define carrying capacity

A

The maximum population size that an environment can sustain indefinitely

36
Q

Define immigration

A

migration of individuals into a population

37
Q

Define emigration

A

migration of individuals out of a population

38
Q

Define population distribution

A

The range of geographical areas that members of a population can be found in

39
Q

Define population density.

A

The number of individuals in a population per unit area

40
Q

Define density dependent factors

A

Environmental factors that affect population growth and become stronger as population density increases

41
Q

Define density independent factors

A

Environmental factors that affect population growth but are not affected by population density

42
Q

Give three examples of density independent factors.

A

Climate
Natural disasters, like fire/floods/volcanic eruptions
Functionally unlimited resources like O2 and CO2

43
Q

Give three examples of density dependent factors.

A

Disease
Predation
Competition
Resource Availability
Accumulation of waste

44
Q

What is meant by r-Selection?

A

Quick and many strategy, this method involves producing large numbers of offspring more regularly, while placing little or no parental care into each offspring.
This typically leads to a higher death rate.
Species who employ the r-selection strategy will reach sexual maturity quickly, and will become self-sufficient adults earlier than other organisms.
Population growth in r-strategists is often boom and bust, where large explosions in the population are often followed by a massive die off.

45
Q

What is meant by k-Selection?

A

Slow and few method, this method involves producing much smaller numbers of offspring, which are often much larger in size and more dependent on parental care.
Species who employ the K-selection strategy will reach sexual maturity much slower, and will therefore breed later in their lifespan than other organisms.
Population growth in K-strategists will remain constant at the carrying capacity of an environment.

46
Q

Define mutualism

A

When both organisms benefit from a symbiotic relationship

47
Q

Define commensalism

A

When one organism benefits while the other is unaffected in a symbiotic relationship.

48
Q

Define predation

A

When one organism (predator) kills and eats another animal (prey).

49
Q

Define parasitism

A

When one organism (parasite) benefits and the other (host) is harmed in a symbiotic relationship.

50
Q

What is the difference between an endoparasite and exoparasite?

A

Endoparasites are organisms that live inside another organism and feed from it whereas exoparasites are organisms that live outside an organism and feed from it.

51
Q

Define amensalism

A

When one organism is unaffected while the other is harmed in a symbiotic relationship.

52
Q

Define competition

A

Interactions between two or more organisms competing for the same pool of resources

53
Q

What is the difference between interspecific competition and intraspecific competition?

A

Interspecific competition describes competition between two individuals of different species whereas intraspecific competition is competition between two individuals of the same species

54
Q

What does a food chain show?

A

The flow of energy from one species to another

55
Q

What is a food web?

A

a collection of feeding relationships seen in an ecosystem.

56
Q

What is the difference between an autotroph and heterotroph?

A

An autotroph makes their own food whereas a heterotroph cannot make their own food so feeds on other organisms

57
Q

What is the difference between a carnivore, herbivore and omnivore?

A

A carnivore feeds only off other animals whereas a herbivore feeds only on plant matter whereas an omnivore feeds on both animals and plant matter

58
Q

What is the difference between predator and prey?

A

A predator is an animals that kills and eat other animals (their prey) whereas prey is an animal that is killed and eaten by other animals (predator).

59
Q

What is a keystone species?

A

A species whose effects on an ecosystem are greater than expected relative to its population size

60
Q

Compare apex predators and ecosystem engineers.

A

Apex predators and ecosystem engineers are both keystone species. An apex predator has no natural predators and is at the top of its food chain whereas an ecosystem engineer is an organism that creates, significantly alters, or maintains the structure of an environment

61
Q

List 3 organism adaptations that are utilised by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.

A

Stingray barbs for weapons.
Shark teeth for knives.
Water-holding frog water storage as a water source.
Lawyer cane plant hooks for fishing hooks and extracting witchety grubs.
Possum fur for coats.
Cultural fires for maintaining land.

Y11 Biology 2025 (16 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions