Transcript Design and Survival

Design and Survival
How adaptations can aid survival
Hair colour
How can hair colour aid survival?
Hair Colour
Arctic Fox
•In winter it has white
fur which camouflages
well with the snow and
ice
•In summer it has a
redder fur which
camouflages better with
the grassland
Hair colour
Polar bears
 Their fur is translucent –
it is not actually white
more like a fibre optic
tube.
 It directs the sun light
onto their black skin.
 This helps them absorb
more heat from the sun
Hair length
How can hair length aid survival?
Hair length

The extinct mammoth
had long hair to help
trap heat and survive
in glacial conditions
Hair length

The mammoth’s
nearest surviving
relative the elephant
has short hair so it
does not trap heat in
the hot environment it
inhabits.
Ear size
How can ear size aid survival?
Ear size
Arctic fox
• Has short ears
to reduce heat
loss in its cold
habitat
Ear size
European fox

Has larger ears for
better prey detection
– heat loss not being
too much of a
problem
Ear size

European hares have
bigger ears than artic
hares
Ear size

African elephants use
their large ears as heat
convectors to get rid
of excess body heat
and to cool
themselves down
Adaptations to the environment
Adaptations in fish
Adaptations in fish


Fish have gills.
Gills allow fish to
extract dissolved
oxygen from the
water in which they
live.
Adaptations in fish


Fish have a
streamlined shape.
This allows them to
move through the
water quickly using a
minimum amount of
energy.
Adaptations in fish


Fish have a body
covered in scales
Scales are covered in
mucus (a slimy
substance) which
helps lubricate the
surface of the fish so
it can move through
the water more easily
Adaptation in plants
Adaptation in plants
Roots
 Plants roots are
adapted to fulfil two
functions:
 Take up water and
essential nutrients
from the soil
 Anchor the plant
firmly in place
Adaptation in plants
Leaves
 Plants leaves are
superbly adapted to
capture the light
energy from the sun
and change it into
food by
photosynthesis.
Adaptation in plants
Leaves
 Plants leaves all have
a covering of a
protective cuticle
 This protects them
from drying out, UV
light, and from some
micro organisms that
could cause disease.


All living things are
adapted to ensure
their survival in the
habitat where they
live.
This was a key
realisation of Charles
Darwin.