B1.4 Adaptations and the Environment Flashcards
What are adaptations?
Characteristics which increase an organisms chance of survival in the environment it lives in
How are desert animals adapted to keep cool? (2)
They have large surface areas to volume ratios which helps to lose heat, and they have thin layers of body fat and thin layers of insulating coats which helps to lose body heat
How are desert animals adapted to save water?
They produce small amounts of concentrated urine and make very little sweat
How are desert animals adapted to hunt prey?
They have a sandy colour to give them good camo so they can avoid predators/stalk up on prey
How is the fennec fox adapted to the desert environment?
They have very large ears to increase surface area so they lose more heat
How is the camel adapted to the desert environment?
They don’t sweat much, and they store fat in their hump so they can lose heat in the rest of their body
How are artic animals adapted to keep warm? (3)
They have a small surface area to volume ratio to reduce heat loss, they are well insulated due to thick layers of fat (which is also a source of energy when food is scarce) and thick hairy coats, and they have greasy fur which sheds water (which prevents cooling due to evaporation)
How are arctic animals adapted to hunt prey?
They have white fur the same colour as snow, which allows them to sneak up on prey or avoid predators
How are desert plants adapted to having little water? (3)
They have a small surface area to volume area to reduce water loss e.g. they have spines instead of leaves, they have water storage tissue so they can save water for dry periods and they maximise water absorption by either having deep roots or shallow roots which cover large areas when it rains
How do animals avoid predators? (3)
Some plants/animals have spines which hurt the organism trying to eat them, some produce poison which can make predators ill or even kill them and some animals have vibrant colours to show they are not someone you want to fuck with
What are extremophiles?
Microorganisms which can live in extreme environments e.g. volcanic vents or very salty lakes
What do whiskers do?
Help to detect movements
What do plants need in order to survive and reproduce?
Light, space, water and minerals from the soil
What do animals need in order to survive and reproduce?
Space (territory), food, water and mates
What living factors can change an environment? (4)
An infectious disease, change in no. of predators, change in no. of prey/food sources and a change in the number of competitors
