adaptations

• Structural adaptations


  The physical characteristics of an organism that help it survive in its natural habitat
• Behavioural adaptations


  The special ways an organism behaves to survive in its natural habitat
• Organisms that can survive in their natural habitats are said to be adapted to their environment
• Organisms that are adapted to their environment are able to: cope with factors such as temperature and light, get air, water and food, protect themselves from predators, and reproduce
• Animals that are not adapted to their environment will either have to move to a different habitat or die
• Adaptations for keeping cool in hot environments


  • Having large ears to lose excess body heat
  • Avoiding the Sun's heat by staying underground or in the shade during the day
• Adaptations for obtaining and conserving water in hot environments


  • Obtaining water from the plant parts that they eat
  • Feeding on the nectar or sap of plants
  • Sweating and urinating very little to conserve water
• Adaptations of plants for surviving in hot environments

  • Having needle-like leaves in the form of spines to reduce surface area and water loss
  • Having thick fleshy stems that store water
  • Having roots that spread out over a wide area to absorb as much water as possible
• Adaptations for keeping warm in cold environments


  • Having closely packed feathers or thick fur and a layer of fat under the skin to trap air and stay warm
  • Travelling long distances to avoid the cold weather
• Adaptations for conserving water and energy in cold environments

  • Hiding and resting during winter to conserve energy
  • Having needle-like leaves to reduce water loss
  • Shedding leaves to survive the winter
• Adaptations for breathing underwater


  • Having air tubes that extend above the water surface
  • Using moist skin to absorb oxygen
  • Having gills to take in oxygen from water
  • Trapping air bubbles
  • Having nostrils or blowholes at the top of the body to breathe
• Adaptations for moving in water


  • Having a streamlined body shape
  • Having special body parts like webbed feet, fins, and flippers
• Adaptations for flying


  • Having well-developed wings
  • Having feathers
  • Having a streamlined body shape
  • Having strong, hollow bones
• Adaptations for living in dark environments


  • Having good night vision
  • Having body parts that can light up
• Adaptations of land plants for obtaining sunlight


  • Having strong, woody stems to hold up branches and leaves
  • Climbing on supports like walls, fences, or other plants
  • Creeping along the ground with stems that spread out
• Adaptations of aquatic plants for obtaining sunlight


  • Having leaves that float on the water surface or extend above it
  • Having waxy leaves that repel water
  • Having air spaces in the leaf stalks
• If plants are unable to get enough sunlight, they will not be able to survive
• Climbing on supports


  Climbers, such as ivy plants, climb onto supports such as walls, fences or other plants to get sunlight
• Creeping on the ground


  Creepers, such as grass, grow horizontally on the ground. Their stems spread out so that their leaves can get sunlight
• What happens if plants are unable to get enough sunlight?
• Ivy plant


  • Climbs up a wall
• Grass


  • Grows along the ground
• Aquatic plants


  • Like land plants, aquatic plants also need sunlight for photosynthesis. However, sunlight cannot reach deep into the water. As we go deeper into the water, there is less sunlight available
• Adaptations of aquatic plants to obtain sunlight

  Some aquatic plants float or have leaves above the water surface. These adaptations help the plants to obtain sunlight
• Water lily


  • Has large waxy leaves. Water runs off these leaves and will not weigh the leaves down
• Water hyacinth


  • The air spaces in the swollen leaf stalk help the plant to float
• Water fern


  • The hairs on the leaves trap air. This allows the leaves to float on the water surface to get sunlight
• What are the adaptations for catching prey?
• Predators


  • Need to hunt to survive and feed their young. Catching prey can be a challenge for a predator, especially when the prey is running or hiding
• Having strong jaws and claws


  Predators such as tigers and lions have strong jaws and claws to hold their prey in a tight grip. These predators also have sharp teeth for tearing the flesh of their prey. Other predators, such as eagles, have strong claws to capture prey as they fly
• Having strong senses


  Some predators have powerful senses to help them track down their prey. Bats have a strong sense of hearing, while eagles have a strong sense of sight
• Having a sticky tongue


  Some predators, such as frogs and chameleons, have sticky tongues to capture their prey
• Moving fast


  Predators such as cheetahs can run very fast to catch their prey. A falcon is another high-speed hunter that can swoop down on birds and other prey
• Hunting in groups


  Army ants and wolves are examples of predators that hunt in groups. A group of predators can often catch larger, stronger or faster prey than a single predator could catch on its own
• Camouflaging


  Some predators, such as tigers, use camouflage. They are able to blend in with their surroundings and sneak up on their prey. This helps them to catch their prey more easily
• Arctic fox


  • Can change the colour of its fur to blend in with its surroundings during the different seasons
• Using traps and venom

  Some predators, such as spiders, use traps or webs to catch their prey. Others, such as cobras, centipedes and wasps, use venom to help them kill their prey
• Sundew plant


  • Uses sweet juices to attract and trap insects for food
• What are the adaptations for protecting against predators?
• Having scales, shells and spines

  Some animals have body coverings such as scales, shells or spines to protect them from predators. These body coverings are hard and not easily broken