Adaptations

• Adaptation - The process by which a species becomes fitted to its environment

  • It is the result of natural selection's acting upon heritable variation over several generations
• Interspecific competition - Form of competition in which individuals of different species compete for the same resources in an ecosystem
• Intraspecific competition - Competition between individuals from the same species
• Extremophiles - Organisms that live successfully in the most extreme environments
• Most adaptations allow an organism to survive in an an area another cannot

  • This reduces interspecific competition as it prevents them from having to compete with other species
• Plant adaptations:

  • Focused on outcompeting other species for light, water or the ability to spread their seeds further
  • In hot climates plants try to reduce their surface area, increase the spread of their roots, or store water in their stem to prevent water loss
• Anatomical adaptation - Relating to bodily structure

  • An internal or external physical feature
• Physiological adaptation - The normal functions of living organisms and their parts

  • Processes that go on inside an organism
• Behavioural adaptation- The way an organism acts
• Anatomical adaptation: Example

  • Arctic foxes have shorter ears and thicker fur compared to foxes in warmer climates
• Anatomical adaptation: Example

  • Plants have sunken stomata to reduce water loss
• Behavioural adaptation: Example

  • Seasonal - eg migration or hibernation
  • eg autumn migration of swallows from the UK to Africa to avoid food shortages in UK winter
• Physiological adaptation: Example

  • Poison production, for protection/hunting
• Physiological adaptation: Example

  • Kidney adaptations - reduce water loss