Science skills: what

does adaptation

mean?Lesson objectives:All students will recognise the meaning of the term adaptationMost students will be able to give two examples of adaptationSome students will be able to give their own example of adaption

Word help!

Organism = a living thing

Adaptation = when

something changes

Habitat = a place where

something lives

Adapt = to change

Adaptation:

The place where an organism lives is called its habitat. The

conditions in a habitat are called the environment. The physical

environment includes conditions such as the temperature and

amount of rainfall.

Every organism has certain features or characteristics that allow it to live successfully in its

habitat. These features are called adaptations and we say that the

organism is adapted to its habitat.

How have polar bears been designed to

adapt (change) to their

environment?

Hint: think about the temperature

of the Arctic!

How have polar bears been

designed to adapt (change) to their

environment?

Polar bears live in the Arctic, which is cold. Here are some of the polar bear's adaptations to living in this environment:

• black skin to absorb heat well • white appearance to camouflage it against the snow and ice • thick layers of fat and fur for insulation • wide feet with hair on their soles to avoid slipping

How have camels been designed to adapt (change) to

their environment?

Hint: think about the temperature

of the desert!

How have camels been designed to adapt (change) to

their environment?

Camels live in deserts, which are hot and dry during the day but cold at night. Here are some of the camel's adaptations to living in this environment:

• they can go for a long time without water (but they don't store water in their humps) • slit-like nostrils and two rows of eyelashes to help keep the sand out • wide, flat feet to help them walk on the sand • thick fur to keep the sun off their skin

Can you think of an example?

Changing environments:

Many habitats do not stay the same all the time.

Daily changes to the environment include:• change from light and heat to dark and cold, as night falls • change from a high water level to a low water level because of the tide

Seasonal changes to the environment include:• change from hot weather in the summer to cold weather in the winter • change from long hours of daylight in the summer to shorter days in the winter • change from lots of vegetation in the summer to bare trees and snow-covered ground in the winter

How have limpets been designed to adapt (change) to

their changing environment?

If you have ever been to the seaside and looked for creatures in rock pools, you are likely to have seen lots of limpets on the rocks.

When the tide is in, limpets move over sea-covered rocks, scraping off tiny bits of seaweed. When the tide goes out, limpets clamp themselves very tightly against the newly exposed rock.

This makes it difficult for predators to pull them off the rock to eat them. It also stops the limpets losing water, or being washed away by waves.

How has the snow shoe hare been

designed to adapt (change) to their

changing environment?

The snowshoe hare lives in Canada and other parts of North America.

The snowshoe hare has brown fur during the summer, to help camouflage it amongst the earth and plants. Its fur is white during the winter, to help camouflage it in the snow. This adaptation makes it more difficult for predators to see the snowshoe hare, whatever the season.

Every organism (living thing) has to compete to survive in its habitat and sometimes adapting is due to competition with each other.

Here are some of the things that animals compete for: • food • water • space Animals that get more of these resources are more successful than animals

that get fewer of them. They are more likely to survive to reproduce, so the size of their population is likely to increase.

Remember that plants are very clever and make their own food using photosynthesis, so they do not compete for food. Here are some of the things that plants do compete for:

• light • water • space • mineral salts

A species becomes extinct when there are no more individuals of that species left.

An extinct species has gone forever. Here are some of the things that can cause a species to become extinct:

• a new disease • a new predator • a change in the physical environment, such as a change in

the temperature or rainfall • competition from another species that is better adapted,

including competition from humans

For example, dinosaurs became extinct millions of years ago. This was not the fault of humans and was probably due to changes in the environment. But many species have become extinct more recently because of competition from humans.

Human beings compete with animals and plants. Here are some of the ways in which we compete with other species:

• using land for farms to grow crops (competing for food, water, space and mineral salts)

• building towns and cities for us to live in (competing for space and light)

• catching fish at sea (competing for food). •

• These activities affect the populations of other species. They usually cause a decrease in the population of other species, including causing some species to become extinct. Here are some of the things that people who want to protect the natural environment worry about:

• cutting down forests • acid rain from burning fossil fuels • overfishing (catching so many fish that the species may become

extinct).

It is important to protect the environment so that it continues to support the animals and plants that live in it. There are lots of ways that the environment can be protected.

Changes caused by human activities can be limited by sustainable development. This involves making sure that any change in the environment for the benefit of people causes the minimum of damage to other species, and leaves sufficient natural resources to provide for everyone into the future. The following activities come under the heading of sustainable development:

• creating nature reserves, where animals and plants are protected from human activities such as hunting and building houses

• reducing pollution, such as acid rain, by using less fossil fuel, and by using filters and catalytic converters in cars

• protecting populations of fish, by setting fishing quotas, which limit the number of fish that can be caught.

So, how have humans adapted?

One theory about this is by a man called Charles

Darwin…

The Theory of Evolution!

Are humans still

adapting?

Find out more about

adaptation at the tropical rainforest!