adaptions

what are adaptions?

characteristics that increase an organisms chance of survival and reproduce in its environment

what are the 3 groups of adaptions? and what do they mean?

• Anatomical adaptions - physical features (internal and external)

• Behavioural adaptions - the way an organism acts, these can be inherited or learnt from their parents

• Physiological adaptions - processes that take place inside an organism

can some adaptions fit more than one category?

• yes

• e.g. the courtship behaviour of a peacock requires it to lift its huge, colourful trail to attract the peahen - this is an example of both a behavioural and anatomical adaption

what are some anatomical adaptions examples?

• Body covering – Animals have coverings such as hair, scales, spines, feathers and shells for warmth, protection and movement. Plants have waxy layers to reduce water loss and spikes to deter herbivores/protect tissues.

• Camouflage – Colouring helps animals blend into their environment, making them harder for predators to spot. E.g. snowshoe hare is white in winter and brown in summer.

• Teeth – Tooth shape/type is related to diet. Herbivores have continuously growing molars for grinding plants, while carnivores have large, sharp canines for killing prey and tearing meat.

• Mimicry – Harmless organisms copy the appearance or sounds of dangerous organisms to deter predators. E.g. hoverflies mimic wasps.

what are some behavioural adaptions examples?

• Survival behaviours – Help animals avoid predators, e.g. opossums play dead and rabbits freeze when spotted.

• Courtship – Behaviours used to attract a mate and increase reproductive success. E.g. scorpions perform a dance to attract partners.

• Seasonal behaviours – Help organisms cope with environmental changes, including migration and hibernation.

• Migration – Animals move between regions and return when conditions improve, often for better climate or food.

• Hibernation – Period of inactivity where body temperature, heart rate and breathing rate decrease, conserving energy and reducing food requirements. E.g. brown bears in winter.

what are the 2 categories of behavioural adaptions? and what do they mean?

• Innate (instinctive) behaviour – Behaviour inherited through genes. E.g. spiders building webs and woodlice avoiding light. Helps organisms survive in their environment.

• Learned behaviour – Behaviour gained through experience or observing others. E.g. sea otters use rocks to crack open shells.

are behavioural adaptions always innate OR learned?

• no

• many behavioural adaptions are a combination of both innate and learned behaviours

what are some examples of physiological adaptions?

• Poison production – Reptiles may produce venom to kill prey, while plants produce poisons to deter herbivores.

• Antibiotic production – Some bacteria produce antibiotics that kill competing bacteria nearby.

• Water holding – Some organisms store water to survive dry conditions. E.g. water-holding frogs and cacti store water in their tissues.

• Other adaptations – Include reflexes, blinking and temperature regulation.

what are some examples of anatomical adaptions?

• Marsupial & placental mice – Similar size, shape and lifestyle; both are agile climbers that live in dense ground cover and forage at night for small food items.

• Flying phalangers & flying squirrels – Both glide between trees and eat insects/plants. Skin stretches between their limbs, creating a large surface area for gliding.

• Marsupial & placental moles – Both burrow through soft soil to find worms/grubs. Both have a streamlined body, modified forelimbs for digging and velvety fur for smooth movement. However, their fur colour differs: marsupial moles are white–orange, while placental moles are grey.

what is an analogous structure?

• Although tail fins of whale and fish perform same role, their structures = very different

• These known as analogous structures - they have adapted to perform same function but have different genetic origin

what is convergent evolution?

Convergent evolution is when unrelated species independently evolve similar adaptions because they experience similar environmental selection pressures

when does convergent evolution take place?

• when unrelated species begin to share similar traits

• Similarities evolve because organisms adapt to similar environments or other selection pressures

• Organisms live a similar way to each other

• e.g. whales and fish - their similar characteristics have evolved over time to move efficiently through water