3. Summary
Organisms are well adapted to survive in their
normal environment. Population size depends
on a variety of factors including competition,
predation, disease and human influences.
Changes in the environment may affect the
distribution and behaviour of organisms.
6. Survival
To survive, organisms require a supply of materials
from their surroundings and from the other living
organisms there.
Organisms live, grow and reproduce in places
where, and at times when, conditions are suitable.
To do this they need to adapt to their environment.
7. The organisms that are best adapted to make use of
their resources in a habitat are more likely to survive
and increase in numbers
For example:
• To be able to obtain a certain food better.
• To make it more difficult for predators to
catch them.
• To survive in extreme climates, eg arctic or
deserts.
8. Adaptation
Adaptation is a special feature or behaviour that
makes an organism particularly suited to its
habitat.
9. What are a shark’s general adaptations to life in an aquatic
environment?
A Shark’s General Adaptations
streamlined shape
to reduce friction
when moving
through water
gills have a large
surface area so
that oxygen can be
extracted from the
surrounding water
fins provide
stability, power
and control
10. What are a shark’s specific adaptations to life as an aquatic
predator?
highly sensitive
sense of smell that
can detect drops of
blood from miles
away
lots of very sharp
teeth that are
constantly replaced
silver colouring
underneath acts as
camouflage
specialized sense organs can
detect the sound, movement and
electrical fields of other organisms
A Shark’s Specific Adaptations
14. Animals in Cold Climates
• Arctic animals must keep themselves
warm to survive.
• You loose body heat through your
body surface, mainly your skin.
• Arctic animals have developed many
adaptations to help them survive…
15. Look at the following…
What do these
animals have in
common?
16. Animals in Cold Climates
Common features:
• Thick oily fur coats
• Layer of blubber under the skin
• Colour – many change colour in
the summer
• Small ears
• Large feet
What about body shape?
17. Body Shape
- Have fat, round body
shapes with short legs
- Have small ears –
why?
19. Animals in Dry Climates
• Animals in dry climates have to keep
themselves cool to survive.
• They also have to cope with a lack of
water.
• This means they are unable to lose heat
through sweating
20. Look at the following…
What do these
animals have in
common?
21. Animals in Dry Climates
Common features:
• Large thin ears
• Little body fat
• Thin, silky fur
• Long limbs to help spread heat
• They also often only come out at night.
Why?
What about body shape?
25. Surface Area to Volume Ratio
These have the same
volume: 4 units³
Surface area = 16 units²
Surface area = 18 units²
26. Surface Area to Volume Ratio
• Animals loose heat from the body
surfaces that are in contact with the
surrounding air/water.
• Reducing this contact surface reduces
heat loss
• Increasing the surface increases heat loss
27. Compare these two animals…
Desert Fox Arctic Fox
Can you add any adaptations or
reasons for the adaptation?
29. Which of the birds, A, B, C or D, is best adapted for:
1.tearing flesh
2. finding insects in cracks in the ground
3. crushing fruit
4. sieving small animals from mud?
A
C
B
D
33. This is the caterpillar of the butterfly Blue
Mormon, it’s very difficult for caterpillars to survive
to become butterflies, given their susceptibility to
predators. But this caterpillar in particular has
developed different strategies to survive
Teacher notes
This true-or-false activity could be used as a plenary or revision exercise on adaptation, or at the start of the lesson to gauge students’ existing knowledge of the subject matter. Coloured traffic light cards (red = false, yellow = don’t know, green = true) could be used to make this a whole-class exercise.
