Adaptations Plant & Animal

Definitions of Adaptation Characteristics that give an organism a better chance of survival. Special traits that help living organisms survive in a particular environment.

Reasons for adaptations To suit their habitat Protection Hunting Movement Reproduction

Types of adaptations Structural – external characteristics size and shape Feet, eyes, bills, skin, fur, feathers, fat, bones, organs Behavioral - differing ways of reacting to the environment Nocturnal- Active at night Arboreal- Glide in trees Burrowing- Hole and tunnel excavated ground

Types of adaptations Physiological - internal characteristics Hibernation Ectothermic Endothermic

Endotherms Endotherms are animals that warm their bodies mainly from their own metabolism. We call these animals warm-blooded. Maintain a constant body temperature regardless of changes in the surrounding temperature

Ectothermic Ectotherms are animals that warm their bodies by absorbing heat from their surroundings. We call these animals cold-blooded Body temperature fluctuates with changes in the surrounding temperature

Types of Adaptations Camouflage Mimicry Bright coloration Physical structures: Ex: lungs, gills and hollow bones

Maintenance of constant internal conditions in a varying external environment. Examples: The thickening of fur in winter. The seeking of shade in heat. The production of more red blood cells at high altitude. Xylem, Phloem and cactus spines Homeostasis

Behavioral Adaptations Songbirds seeking a mate Hunting strategies of a wolf pack Birds and mammals caring for their young Internal fertilization Genetic variations can enhance the survival of a population!!!

Migration and Hibernation Migration- seasonal movement of animals from one region to another Hibernation- is characterized by low body temperature, slow breathing and heart rate, and low metabolic rate. EX: Butterflies, birds, caribou, whales

Xylem is a transport system in plants called vascular tissue. Xylem tissue transports water and soluble minerals. Phloem tissue transports sugars. These are adaptations! Protection – thorns, bad taste, poison, coloration, spikes Obtaining Food – All plants do photosynthesis and make glucose in their leaves. The larger the leaves the more sun they can capture. Plant Adaptations

Habitat: Dry deserts Adaptations: The spines serve: a number of purposes in addition to protection, provide shade, serve as a windbreak to prevent dehydration from dry winds, and help trap warm air close to the plant. The root systems of cacti are very close to the surface of the soil, making it possible for them to take advantage of the slightest rain shower.

External Features Sensory Antennae Important for exploration of space around them. The antenna is considered to be a true limb that evolved from a locomotory limb to a sensory limb.

More External Features Exoskeleton of a horseshoe crab Turtle/Tortoise shell-part of spine Amphibians sticky tongue Reptiles- poison fangs, eyes of alligators above water, eggs laid on land

Aquatic animals also need oxygen to live. They have to breathe in oxygen that is dissolved in water or from the air above the water, using structural adaptations. Examples: Gills, Blowhole, gill chambers (crabs), lungs (lungfish) and skin for breathing (amphibians) Aquatic Adaptations

External Features: Fish The Caudal Fin (Tail) is made of muscles and moves the fish forward. The tail moves side to side. The Dorsal Fin (Back) keeps fish in a straight line as it moves forward. Pectoral Fin (sides) aids fish in maintaining depth and flying Pelvic Fin (underside) allows fish to turn sharply, move up and down and stop suddenly.

External Features Mammals: Hollow structure of hair insulates from heat and cold.

Bird Adaptations Flight requires a number of special adaptations such as feathers and a strong, lightweight skeleton. Examples of bird adaptations: Hollow bones, feathers, diverse beak, feet

Kangaroo Habitat: Dry inland Australia, including deserts and grasslands Adaptations: It is able to go with out drinking as long as green grass is available and it adapts well to drought. They can hop as fast as 40 mph (64 km). They use this as their first line of defense. Kangaroos have a tendon in the leg which acts like a rubber band, conserving energy as the animal moves. The tail serves as a balance when the animal leaps and as a prop when it stands.

Habitat: Frigid seas Adaptations: Black and white colors. These colors help camouflage them. Their blowhole is at the top of their head. This enables them to come up and breathe more easily. Blubber keeps them warm in the frigid seas. Orcas are the fastest mammals in the sea. They can go up to 34 mph. Their speed helps them catch their prey.

Habitat: Wet, humid and hot jungles as well as icy cold forests Adaptations: A tiger's hindlimbs are longer than the forelimbs, an for jumping. The forelimbs and shoulders are well-muscled, and the forelegs can twist inward, enabling the tiger to grab and hold large prey. The underside of the paws have soft pads which allow tigers to quietly stalk their prey.

Habitat: Underwater Adaptations: Little or no mechanical strengthening tissue in stems. If these plants are removed from the water, they hang limply. They are normally supported by water all around them and so have no need of mechanical strengthening. Air-filled cavities often extend throughout the leaves and stems of aquatic plants, providing an internal atmosphere.

Animals and plants are not the only organisms to adapt. Archaebacteria has adapted to live in extreme environments.

Eubacteria have adapted to survive in extreme situations by having a thick cell wall.

Fungi is a decomposer: fungi obtain nutrition from organic matter, recycle nutrients. This is an adaptation!