Adaptations Flashcards
How can animals and plants survive in many different environments?
Because they have adapted to their environment
What two things are desert animals adapted to do?
- Save water
- Keep cool
Name 5 specific ways desert animals are adapted to their conditions
- Large surface area compared to volume
- Small amounts of Concentrated urine
- Produce little sweat
- Thin layers of body fat and a thin coat
- Sandy colour
What does having a large surface area to volume ratio allow desert animals to do?
Lose more body heat, which stops them over heating
Why do desert animals produce small amounts of concentrated urine?
To lose less water
Why do desert animals produce very little sweat?
To lose less water
How are camels able to produce very little sweat?
By tolerating big changes in body temperature
How are kangeroo rats able to produce very little sweat?
By living in underground burrows where it is cool
Why do desert animals have very thin layers of body fat and a thin coat?
To help them lose body heat
Camels have a very thin layer of body fat and a thin coat to help them lose body heat.
How are they adapted to do this?
They keep nearly all their fat in their humps
Why do desert animals have sandy coloured coats?
For camouflage - helps them avoid predators and sneak up on prey
How have arctic* animals adapted?
*In this deck ‘arctic’ is shorthand for ‘an animals living in cold conditions’, as ‘arctic’ is quicker to write
To reduce heat loss
Name the 4 ways arctic animals have adapted to reduce heat loss
- Small surface area compared to volume
- Thick layer of blubber
- Thick hairy coats
- Greasy fur
Describe how arctic animals have adapted to keep their surface area to a minimum, and why
They have a compacted (rounded) shape
To reduce heat loss
Why do arctic animals have a thick layer of blubber?
Name the second advantage
For insulation
Also acts as an energy store when food is scarce
Why have arctic animals adapted to have thick, hairy coats?
To keep body heat in
What does arctic animals’ greasy fur do, and why does this adaptation help them survive in arctic conditions?
Greasy fur sheds water
This prevents cooling due to evaporation
How are arctic animals camouflaged to help them survive in their environment?
White fur
Helps them avoid predators and sneak up on prey
Desert plants have adapted to having what?
Limited water
Name the 3 ways desert plants have adapted to having limited water
- Small surface area compared to volume
- Water storage tissues
- Maximising water absorption
What two adaptions of desert plants make them have a small surface area compared to volume and WHY
- Cacti have spines instead of leaves, to reduce water loss by water vapour
- Small surface area compared to their size reducing water loss
Explain why having large leaves is not beneficial for desert plants
Plants lose water vapour from their leaves
Desert plants have a surface area that is about ____ times smaller than normal plants’
Desert plants have a surface area that is about 1000 times smaller than normal plants’
Give an example of water storage tissue in cacti
Cacti store water in their thick stems
- Describe how cacti maximise their water absorption
- Describe how other desert plants maximise their water absorption
- Cacti have shallow but extensive roots to absorb water quickly over a large area
- Others have deep roots to access underground water
Besides environement, how else are some plants and animals adapted to increase their chances of survival?
Some are adapted to deter predators
Name the 3 categories of how some animals and plants are adapted to deter predators
- Armour
- Poisons
- Warning colours
Give 3 examples of animals/ plants with armour
- Roses - thorns
- Cacti - sharp spines
- Tortoises - shells
Give 2 examples of animals/ plants that produce poisons
- Bees
- Poison ivy
Give an example of a type of animal/ plant that has warning colours
Wasps
Why do some animals/ plants have warning colours?
To scare off predators
Microorganisms have a wide variety of adaptations…
…So that they can live in a wide range of environments
Some microorganisms (e.g. bacteria) as known as ____ - they’re adapted to live in ____ ____.
Some microorganisms (e.g. bacteria) as known as extremophiles - they’re adapted to live in extreme conditions.
Give 3 examples of conditions that extemophiles could live in
- Volcanic vents - incredibly hot
- Salty lakes - incredibly salty
- Sea bed - high pressures
By looking at an animal’s ____, we should be able to work out the kind of ____ it lives in (and vice versa)
By looking at an animal’s characteristics, we should be able to work out the kind of environment it lives in (and vice versa)
