Adaptation
A change
in a species that helps
it to survive and reproduce in its
environment (habitat)
Adaptations arise from Variations
– slight differences in inherited
traits among individual members
of a species
Habitat
- The immediate
space where an animal or
plant lives and has food,
water, and protection
Types of Adaptations
– a physical trait or
feature that is beneficial
Behavioral – a behavior or
action that increases survival
Functional – a biochemical
change that increases survival
Structural
Structural Adaptations
changes
in physical features like
shape, internal structure, or color
that make an animal more suited
to survive in its environment
Examples:
Webbed
feet & fins for swimming
sharp beak & teeth for tearing
flesh
frog & alligator eyes on the top of
head for stalking prey in water
Camouflage
- An adaptation in
coloration or pattern that allows
an organism to blend into its
environment
Mimicry – an adaptation in
which one species looks like
another species
Behavioral Adaptations
changes
in behavior like
hibernation, migration, mating
behaviors, and hunting
behaviors that helps
organisms to survive
Examples:
A snake
playing dead
to fool predators
The bull snake will rattle leaves to
mimic a rattle snake
Peacock spider dance to attract
mates
Geese flying south for the winter
Functional Adaptations
A biochemical
change, such as
hibernating, shedding, or
spitting, that enables a species
to increase survival or maintain
homeostasis
Examples:
A cobra
spraying
venom to ward off dangers
Sweating on a hot day
Scent marking to define territory
boundaries
The ability of bears to slow their
metabolism to hibernate
How Adaptations Occur
A gene
mutates or changes by
accident
If the mutation causes a
variation in the animal that
makes it better adapted to its
environment, then the animal
will be more likely to survive
and pass on that characteristic
Natural Selection
The
process by which adaptations
occur
Organisms with variations that
help them survive in their
environment live longer, compete
better, and reproduce more than
those that do not have this
variation
Artificial Selection
Causes
adaptations in
organisms to occur over a much
shorter time span
Humans select for a certain
desired trait in organisms in a
process called selective
breeding