Adaptions

• What are the three main types of adaptations organisms use to live in their environment?

  Structural, behavioral, and functional adaptations
• What is an extremophile?

  An organism adapted to extreme conditions
• What kind of information about adaptations could be given in the exam?

  Information on any living organism
• What conditions are camels adapted to?

  Hot and dry conditions of a desert
• What are structural adaptations?

  Adaptations of body shape or structure
• What does a camel store in its hump?

  Fat
• How does storing fat in one place help camels?

  It allows heat loss from other parts
• How can metabolic reactions help camels?

  They can produce water from fat
• Where on their body do camels have thick coats?

  Upper surface of their body
• How does a thick coat help camels reduce water loss?

  It insulates against the heat of the sun
• What is the inside of a camel's mouth like?

  Leathery
• Why is a leathery mouth useful for camels?

  They can eat thorny desert plants
• What do camels get from eating desert plants?

  A good source of water
• What feature of their eyes helps camels in the desert?

  Long eyelashes
• Besides their eyes, where else can camels keep dust out?

  Nostrils
• What kind of feet do camels have?

  Wide feet
• How do wide feet help camels in the desert?

  Prevents them from sinking into sand
• What are functional adaptations?

  Adaptations to the body functions
• What are the characteristics of camel urine and feces?

  Concentrated urine and dry feces
• What is an advantage of camels being able to tolerate large changes in their body temperature?

  Helps them cope with intense heat
• What are behavioral adaptations?

  Adaptations to the animals lifestyle
• When are kangaroo rats mainly active?

  At night
• How do kangaroo rats avoid the heat of the day?

  They are nocturnal
• Where do kangaroo rats live during the day?

  Underground burrows
• Besides keeping cool, what do burrows protect kangaroo rats from?

  Predators
• What animal is adapted to live in cold conditions?

  Arctic fox
• What adaptation does the arctic fox have to keep warm?

  Thick fur
• How does thick fur help the arctic fox?

  Provides insulation and reduces heat loss
• What does the arctic fox have on the soles of its feet?

  Fur
• How does fur on the soles of the feet help the arctic fox?

  Reduces heat loss to the ice
• What is the size of the arctic fox's ears?

  Very small
• How do small ears help the arctic fox?

  Reduces the surface area to reduce heat loss
• What does the arctic fox's coat provide?

  Effective camouflage
• How does camouflage help the arctic fox?

  Helps it to hunt its prey
• What plant is well-adapted to living in dry conditions?

  Cactus
• What is one big problem plants face in dry conditions?

  Losing water through their leaves
• What is an adaptation cacti have to solve the problem of losing water through their leaves?

  Very small leaves
• What do some cacti have instead of leaves?

  Only spines
• Besides reducing water loss, what else do spines protect cacti from?

  Animals
• What kind of roots do cacti have?

  Extensive and shallow