Adaptations

Question 1

Adaptations

Answer 1

-Adaptations are changes in behaviour or functions that help organisms to survive and reproduce

Question 2

Behavioural adapatation

Answer 2

-Behavioural adaptations are changes in the way that organisms act
For example
-Migrating to warmer areas during winter (e.g birds)
-Hunting in packs
-Nocturnal activity to escape heat or predators
-Building burrows for protection

Question 3

Physiological adaptation

Answer 3

-Changes to internal processes or function
for example
-Toxin production to deter predators e.g poison dart frogs
-Animals in higher altitudes e.g llamas have a greater affinity for oxygen
-Shivering to generate heat (mammals)

Question 4

Anatomical adaptations

Answer 4

-Changes to physical structures or body parts of organisms
For example
-Webbed feet of ducks
-Long necks to reach high leaves in giraffes
-Thick layer of fur or blubber for insulation in cold weather

Question 5

Niche

Answer 5

-Specific role or position of an organism in a particular environment
-This involves what it eats, where it lives and it’s interaction with other species

Question 6

Habitat

Answer 6

-Where an organism lives
-Provides all the resources and conditions necessary for survival

Question 7

Population

Answer 7

-Population is a collection of individuals from the same species in the same area at the same time

Question 8

Community

Answer 8

-A number of different species all interacting with each other in a particular habitat

Question 9

Species

Answer 9

-A group of organisms that can interbreed and produce fertile offspring

Question 10

Ecosystem

Answer 10

-A biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment

Question 11

Natural selection definition

Answer 11

-Natural selection is the process by which an individual with advantageous traits can reproduce and survive with mor success than others

Question 12

Natural selection process

Answer 12

-There is genetic variation in a population
-An environmental/selection pressure occurs e.g predator,climate,food availability
-Some individuals have advantageous traits that give them a better chance of survival e.g faster running
-The individuals with the advantageous traits are more likely to survive and reproduce
-The offspring will inherit these advantageous traits
-Over time the trait will become more common in the population (more frequent allelle)

Question 13

Why does natural selection help survival

Answer 13

-Natural selection cause populations to be better suited to their environment as adaptations spread

Question 14

Evolution

Answer 14

-Evolution is the change in the genetic makeup of a population over time
-This is cause by the effect of natural selection on genetic variation
-Over time a small change can lead to the development of a new species or can have a large change

Question 15

Reproductive isolation

Answer 15

-Reproductive isolation is when two groups of the same species can no longer breed together to produce fertile offspring
-Because they are not breeding, there is no gene flow between the two groups
-Both groups can have different mutations and natural selections acting on it, causing a build up of different genetic information in the two groups
-Eventually, they become so genetically different that they can no longer interbreed
-This results in the formation of a new species (speciation)

Question 16

Allopatric and sympatric speciation

Answer 16

-Allopatric- physical barriers separate populations e.g rivers or mountains
-Reproductive isolation occurs due to geographical isolation
Sympatric speciation- speciation occurs without a physical barrier and is often due to behavioral isolation such as change in mating behaviours