This document discusses animal adaptations for survival in different environments. It provides examples of how Arctic and desert animals have adapted through physical traits like thick fur or thin coats and body shapes that minimize heat loss or gain. Sharks are used to demonstrate both general aquatic adaptations like streamlined bodies and gills as well as specific predatory adaptations like sensitive smell and replaceable teeth. Surface area to volume ratio is discussed as an important factor in an animal's ability to retain or shed heat.

1. B1.4 Interdedpendence and
Adaptations

2. Animal adaptations
BTEOTSSSBAT know how
animals adapt to different
environments

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.

4. Key words
Adaptation
Arctic
Biomass
Camouflage
Competitor
Desert
Habitat
Organism
Predator
Predation
Prey

5. The desert:
1.
2.
3.
Use three words to describe each of these
environments.
The Arctic:
1.
2.
3.

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

11. Compare these two animals…
Desert Fox Arctic Fox

12. Adaptations
• The two environments we saw before are
harsh environments for animals to survive
in so the animals have had to adapt to
survive.

13. Cold climates
Temperatures:
• arctic winter can dip to -51o
C
• warmest month is between 10o
C and
0o
C
Often permanent snow and ice

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?

18. Hot Desert Climates
Temperatures
• Can reach 45 – 50o
C during the day
• Can fall below 0o
C at night
Less than 25cm rain a year

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?

23. Have more
elongated
body
shapes and
long legs

24. 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?

28. True or false?

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

30. Adaptation for survival
Animals have adaptations that help them survive
The echidna has pointed spines on its back.

31. The brightly coloured poison dart frog has a
toxic skin

32. A camouflage lizard

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

34. Camouflage