Module 4 : Section 3 - Adaptations Flashcards
What does being adapted to an environment means
Means an organism has features that increase its chances of survival and reproduction, and also the chances of its offspring reproducing successfully
What categorises can adaptations be put into
- Behavioural
- Physiological
- Anatomical
How do adaptations develop
- Evolution
- natural selection
Who are the most likely to survive and reproduce in each generation
- The best-adapted individuals because they pass their adaptations on to their offspring
- individuals that are less well adapted are more likely to die before reproducing
What do behavioural adaptations refer to
Ways an organism acts that increase its chance of survival e.g. :
- possum ‘play dead’, if they are being threatened by a predator. This increases chance of survival
- scorpions dance before mating, makes sure they attracted a mate of the same species, this increases the likelihood successful mating
What do physiological adaptations refer to
Processes inside an organism’s body that increases its chance of survival
- Brown bears hibernate, lowers their metabolism over winter. Conserves energy so they don’t look for food when it’s scarce therefore increasing their chance of survival
- Some bacteria produce antibiotics, these kill other species of bacteria in the area. Means there is less competition so they’re more likely to survive
What do anatomical adaptations refer to
Structural features of an organism’s body that increase its chance of survival
- Otters have a streamlined shape, making it easier to glide through water. This makes it easier for them to catch prey and escape predators increase their chance of survival
- Whales have a thick layer of blubber (fat), helps them keep warm in the cold sea. This increases their chance of survival in places where their food is found
Organisms from different taxonomic group may have….
Similar features even though they’re not closely related e.g. whales and sharks. This is usually because the organism have evolved in similar environments and to fill similar ecological niches
What is an ecological niche
The role of an organism within its habitat e.g. what it eats and when and where it feeds
What example of species in different taxonomic groups having similar features do we need to know
The Marsupial and Placental moles
How what are the three different groups of mammals
- Placental mammals
- Marsupials
- egg-laying monotremes
Where are marsupials mainly found
- Australia
- the Americas
When did placental and marsupial mammals diverge
Many million years ago and have been evolving separately ever since
What are marsupials mammals
- E.g. kangaroos
- short gestation period (pregnancy)
- don’t develop a full placenta
- born early in their development and climb into their mother’s pouch. They become attached to a teat and receive milk while they continue to develop
What are placental mammals
- longer gestation period
- develop a placenta during pregnancy, allows exchange of nutrients and waste products between fetus and mother
- are born more fully developed
