adaptations

Question 1

adaptation definition

Answer 1

characteristics that increase an organism’s chance of survival and reproduction in its environment

Question 2

3 types of adaptations

Answer 2

• anatomical (physical)
• behavioural
• physiological (inside processes)

Question 3

anatomical adaptations examples

Answer 3

• body covering
• camouflage
• teeth
• mimicry
  e.g. Marram grass
• curled leaves minimise SA
• hairs on inside surface of leaves traps moist air
• stomata sunken pits
• thick waxy cuticle

Question 4

behavioural adaptations examples

Answer 4

• survival behaviours
• courtship
• seasonal behaviours
• migration
• hibernation

Question 5

2 types of behavioural adaptations

Answer 5

• innate behaviour (ability is inherited through genes)
• learned behaviour ( learnt from experience or from observing other animals)

Question 6

physiological adaptations examples

Answer 6

• poison production
• antibiotic production
• water holding

Question 7

convergent evolution

Answer 7

• when unrelated species begin to share similar traits
• due to similar selection pressures

Question 8

analogous structures

Answer 8

adapted to perform the same function but have a different genetic origin

Question 9

what are selection pressures

Answer 9

factors that affect the organism’s chances of survival or reproductive success (ability to produce fertile offspring)

Question 10

process of natural selection

Answer 10

• organisms in a species show genetic variation in characteristics by having different alleles of a gene which arose by mutations
• organisms whose characteristics are best adapted to a selection pressure have increased chance of survival and successfully reproducing and less adapted organisms die or fail to reproduce (survival of the fittest)
• successful organisms pass allele encoding the advantageous characteristic onto their offspring
• this process is repeated through generations and over time, the proportion of individuals with the advantageous adaptation increases so frequency of allele that codes for the particular characteristic increases in gene pool
• over many generations, this may lead to the evolution of a new species

Question 11

modern example of evolution

Answer 11

antibiotic resistant bacteria