Adaptations

Adaptations of Organisms

Types of Adaptations

• Structural adaptations: body shape or structure.

• Functional adaptations: adaptations to body functions.

• Behavioral adaptations: adaptations to lifestyle or behavior.

Examples: Animals

Camels (desert)

• Hump stores fat → thermal insulation, reduces sweating.

• Thick coat on upper body → insulates from sun.

• Leathery mouth → eat thorny desert plants.

• Long eyelashes & closable nostrils → keep out dust.

• Wide feet → prevents sinking in sand.

• Functional: concentrated urine, dry feces → conserve water.

• Functional: tolerate large body temperature changes.

Kangaroo Rat (desert)

• Behavioral: nocturnal → avoids daytime heat.

• Lives in burrows → cool and safe from predators.

Arctic Fox (cold)

• Thick fur → insulation.

• Fur on soles of feet → reduces heat loss.

• Small ears → reduces heat loss.

• Camouflaged coat → helps hunting.

Examples: Plants

Cactus (desert)

• Very small leaves or spines → reduce water loss, protect from herbivores.

• Extensive, shallow roots → absorb water quickly after rain.

• Water stored in stem → survive months without rain.

Extreme Conditions

• Organisms adapted to extreme environments = extremophiles.

• Example: bacteria at deep-sea vents.

• Can survive high temperature, high pressure, high salt concentrations.

Key Concepts / Summary

• Adaptations help organisms survive in specific environments.

• Structural = body features, functional = body processes, behavioral = lifestyle.

• Extremophiles = organisms living in extreme conditions.