Adaptations Flashcards
What is an adaptation?
Any variation that helps a species survive
What is the purpose of an adaption?
To enhance survival and long-term reproductive success
What is an example of adaptations?
Xerophytic plants are adapted to live in dry conditions
What do adaptations help an organism to do?
Find enough food and water, gather enough nutrients, defend against predators and disease, survive physical conditions in environment such as changes in light and temp, respond to environmental changes and have enough energy to reproduce
What are types of adaptations?
Anatomical, behavioural and physiological
Wha are examples of anatomical adaptations?
body covering, camouflage, teeth, mimicry and plants
What are examples of body covering anatomical adaptations
Fur, hair, feathers, scales, skin, spines and spikes
What is camouflage?
Outer colours of an animal that allows it to blend in with the environment
What is mimicry?
Impersonating another organism
What is convergent evolution?
When 2 unrelated species begin to share some of the same traits and resemble eachother as adapted to similar niches
What is an animal example of convergent evolution?
Marsupial and placental moles
How are marsupial and placental moles an example of convergent evolution?
They have similar fur, reduced eyes, powerful digging legs and claws
What is a plant example of convergent evolution?
Aloe and agave
What are analogous structures?
Structures that animals have to carry out the same role but have a different genetic and evolutionary basis
What do analogous structures provide?
Evidence for convergent evolution
What are physiological adaptations?
Mechanisms by which animals and plants adapt to their surroundings to do with the biochemistry of an organism
What are examples of physiological adaptations?
Poison and antibiotic production, water holding and reflexes
What is an example of poison production?
Poisonous tree frogs
What is an example of antibiotic production?
Penicillin bacteria species
What is an example of water holding?
The giant cactus
What are examples of reflexes?
blinking, temperature regulation and hibernation
How is temperature control an example of physiological adaptations in mammals?
Sweating in some mammals involves biochemical pathways to produce sweat and open pores
How is temperature control an example of physiological adaptations in plants?
Opening stomata when a plant is hot or photosynthesising involves biochemical pathways to change the shape of guard cells to ope stomata pore
How does the giant cactus have physiological adaptations?
Stem has accordion fold structure which folds tightly during dry periods and when water becomes available, cells of stem fill with water where it can be stored
What are behavioural adaptations?
Evolved to allow the animal survive, mate more frequently/successfully and avoid competition
What are types of behavioural adaptations?
Inate and learned
What are innate behavioural adapatations?
The ability to do this is inherited through genes, allowing the organism to survive in the habitat where it lives
What are learned behavioural adaptations?
Learnt from experience or from observing other animals
What is an example of an innate behavioural adaptations?
Spiders building webs
What is an example of learned behavioural adaptations?
Sea otters using stones to hammer shells off rocks and then crack open
What are examples of behavioural adaptations?
Survival behaviours, courtship, seasonal behaviours, migration and hibernation
What is an example of survival behaviours?
An opossum plays dead when it thinks it has been seen
What is courtship?
Many animal exhibit an elaborate courtship behaviour to attract a mate as this improves their chance of reproducing
What is an example of courtship behaviour?
Scorpions perform a dance to attract a partner
What are seasonal behaviours?
They enable an organism to cope with changes in their environment
What are examples of seasonal behaviours?
Migration and hibernation
What is migration?
Animals move from one region to another and then back again when environmental conditions are more favourable for a better climate or source of food
What is hibernation?
A period of inactivity in which an animal’s body temperature, heart rate and breathing rate slow down to conserve energy, reducing the animal’s requirement for food
What is an example of hibernation?
Brown bears hibernate during winter
