Adaptations

Question 1

What are adaptations?

Answer 1

Every organism has certain features or characteristics that allow it to live successfully in its habitat. These features are called adaptations.

Question 2

What do organisms within a community compete with each other for?

Answer 2

Limited resources, including water and space. Plants also compete with each other for light and minerals.

Question 3

What is the definition for environment?

Answer 3

All the conditions that surround a living organism.

Question 4

What is the definition for habitat?

Answer 4

The place where an organism lives.

Question 5

What is the definition for population?

Answer 5

All the members of a single species that live in a habitat

Question 6

What is the definition for a community?

Answer 6

All the populations of different organisms that live together in a habitat.

Question 7

What is the definition for an ecosystem?

Answer 7

A community and its habitat.

Question 8

What does a pond ecosystem consist of?

Answer 8

A pond habitat inhabited by aquatic plants, waterside plants, microorganisms, minnows and herons. The organisms together make up a community of living things.

Question 9

Animals and plants may have specific features that adapt them to their environment, give examples:

Answer 9

• Barbs and spines
• Poisons and warning colours that deter predators and herbivores
• Some harmless species may even resemble a poisonous or dangerous species to increase their chance of survival.

Question 10

List the three resources that animals compete for:

Answer 10

• Food
• Water
• Space

Question 11

List the three resources that plants compete for:

Answer 11

• Water
• Space
• Mineral salts
  Plants make their own food using photosynthesis, so they don’t need to compete for food

Question 12

List 5 adaptations of polar bears:

Answer 12

• A white appearance as camouflage from prey on the snow and ice.
• Thick layers of fat and fur for insulation against the cold.
• A small surface area to volume ratio, to minimise heat loss.
• A greasy coat that sheds water after swimming
• Large furry feet to distribute their load and increase grip on the ice.

Question 13

List 6 adaptations of camels:

Answer 13

• Large, flat feet to spread their weight on the sand
• Thick fur on the top of the body for shade, and thin fur elsewhere to allow easy heat loss
• A large surface-area-to-volume ratio to maximise heat loss.
• The ability to go for a long time without water. They don’t store water in their humps but they lose very little water through urination and perspiration.
• The ability to tolerate body temperatures up to 42 degrees C.
• Slit-like nostrils and two rows of eyelashes to help keep out sand.

Question 14

List 4 adaptations of cacti:

Answer 14

• Stems that can store water
• Widespread root systems that can collect water from a large area
• Spines instead of leaves. These minimise the surface area and so reduce water loss by transpiration
• Spines also protect the cacti from animals that might eat them

Question 15

What are extremophiles?

Answer 15

Organism that live in very extreme environments and can survive conditions that would kill most other organisms.

Question 16

What extreme conditions can extremophiles live in?

Answer 16

• High temperatures
• High concentrations of salt in water
• High pressures