10.7

• Adaptations are characteristics that increase an organism's chance of survival and reproduction in its environment
• Adaptations can be: Anatomical, Behavioural, Physiological
• Anatomical Adaptations are physical features (can be internal or external)
• Behavioural Adaptations are the way an organism acts
• Physiological Adaptations are the processes taking place inside an organism
• Examples of anatomical adaptations: body covering, camoflauge, teeth, mimicry
• Marram Grass is a xerophyte found in UK sand dunes that is adapted to survive with little water
• Marram Grass has curled leaves to minimise exposed surface area & protect from wind, stomata sunk into pits, and a thick waxy cuticle on leaves and stems to reduce water loss
• Examples of behavioural adaptations: seasonal behaviours e.g. migration & hibernation, courtship, survival behaviours e.g. fight/flight/freeze
• Innate behavioural adaptations are abilities inherited through genes
• Learned behavioural adaptations are picked up though observation
• Examples of physiological adaptations: poison production, antibiotic production, water holding