ADAPTATIONS

STRUCTURAL ADAPTATIONS

• “Flying Squirrel”

• Skin forms “wings”

• Allows animal to glide through air

• Animal can leap from tree to tree or to ground quickly– Avoid predators

– Increasing safety decreases risk of injury

• “Indian Blanket”• Bright color toward

center• Attracts insects• Promotes pollination• Increasing

reproduction chances

PHYSIOLOGICAL ADAPTATIONS

• “Flat Rock Scorpions”• Produce a poison• Protection from

predators

Additional Adaptations• Very flat – fit into

rock crevices• Active alte in day

• “Camel”• Fat stores in hump• Body will slowly

metabolize (burn) for energy when food is not available

Additional Adaptations• Double set of eyelashes• Air tight closure of

nostrils• Football shaped blood

cells

BEHAVORIAL ADAPTATIONS

• Lions• Hunt in groups• Increase chance of

success• Reduce amount of

energy spent by an individual while hunting

• “Tortoise”• Resting in a hallow

tree• Provides shelter• Protection from

predators• Protection from the

elements – weather, sun

Now Its Your Turn

•Indicate what type of adaptation is demonstrated by organisms in the following slides

•Explain the benefit or advantage it provides the organism

Jack Rabbit

• Structural– Large ears

• Helps maintain body temperature by allowing blood to be cooled

• Intensify sound to better hear predators

Dandelion Seeds

• Physiological– Produces large number of seeds

• Increases the number of offspring– Increases the species chance of survival

• Structural– Allows seeds to be dispersed (spread out) easily

by the wind• Decreases competition in one area by spreading out

the population

Meerkats• Behavioral

– Live in large groups (colonies)– Have members on guard duty– All members help raise the offspring– Hunt in groups and teach youngsters how to

find food• All help reduce risk of predators and competitors

• Increases chances of survival

Bird Skulls with Bills

• Structural– Designed to allow the birds access to a

particular type of food• Decreases competition for resources

Lockwood Alligator

• Behavioral– Remains motionless with mouth open

• Helps to cool its body and regulate its body temperature

Venus Fly Traps

• Physiological– Obtains necessary nitrogen from insects,

instead of the soil• Can live in nitrogen poor soils

– Produces enzymes to digest insects slowly

• Structural– Sensitive “trigger hairs”

• Rapidly snap shut to capture prey

King Vulture• Physiological

– Larger olfactory nerve (smell) then any other bird

• Can smell food easier, makes food easier to find

• Structural– No feathers on head

• To avoid blood from carrion (food) sticking to head

– Shape of beak and talons (claws)• Tear off pieces of carrion

Olympic Runner

• Behavioral– Training and Nutrition routines

• Physiological– Release of adrenalin a hormone in the body

• Increases heart rate, blood flow to the muscles and lungs, blood pressure, alertness

– Sweating to help maintain body temperature• Cools the body