Transcript (it is adapted to blend with its environment).

ADAPTATION
Plants adaptations allow them to live in
specific environments.
Some adaptations are only helpful
because of the environment in which a
plant lives.
Click on the cactus to explore a web site
and learn about plant adaptations in
different environments.
Like plants, animal adaptations allow them to
live in specific environments.
Some adaptations are only helpful because
of the environment in which a plant lives.
Click on the camel to explore a web site
and learn about animal adaptations in
different environments.
An ADAPTATION is a characteristic
or trait that helps an organism
survive in its environment.
Here are some examples of adaptations:
Camouflage is a type of adaptation that allows animals to blend in with
their surroundings. During summer months, the Arctic fox has a brown
coat. During winter, the coat of the Arctic fox is white, matching its icy,
snowy surroundings.
In drier, temperate deciduous forests
a thick bark helps to limit moisture
evaporation from the tree's trunk.
Since this is not a concern in the high
humidity of tropical rainforests, most
trees have a thin, smooth bark. The
smoothness of the bark may also
make it difficult for other plants to
grow on their surface.
Guided Practice
1. Some plants have thick and waxy layers on top of
their leaves. This reduces water loss from evaporation.
Where would a plant without waxy leaves grow
successfully?
a.
b.
c.
d.
where it is very cold at night
where it is very hot during the day
where there is plenty of water available
where there is very little water available
A. Plants without waxy leaves may not grow successfully where it is very cold
at night. Being very cold at night does not mean that overall evaporation
rates would be low. Deserts, for instance, may have hot days and cold
nights.
B. Plants without waxy leaves would not grow successfully where it is very
hot during the day. Areas that are very hot during the day will have high rates
of evaporation and, therefore, be likely to have plants with thick, waxy layers
on their leaves.
C. Plants without waxy leaves would not grow successfully where there is
very little water available. Plants in dry areas are likely to be adapted to limit
water loss by having thick, waxy layers on their leaves.
2. The snowshoe rabbit has white fur in the winter and
brown fur in the summer. Which of the following can
you infer about the snowshoe rabbit?
a.
b.
c.
d.
It has adapted to blend in with its environment.
It has a disease.
It travels south for the winter.
It was brought from another country.
B. This fur color change is typical of healthy snowshoe rabbits.
C. The white fur helps the snowshoe rabbit blend in with the snowy winter
environment in the north.
D. The snowshoe rabbit is adapted well to the environment from which it
originates.
3. Koala bears eat leaves from eucalyptus trees. If very
cold weather killed most of the eucalyptus trees, which of
the following would probably NOT happen?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Koalas would compete for leaves that were left.
Koalas would move farther away to look for food.
The number of koalas in the area would be less.
The number of koalas in the area would be more.
A. It is true that the koalas would have to
continue to compete for a limited food supply.
B. As food became more scarce, koalas would
begin to wander further in search of food.
C. Because of the limited food supply, some
koalas would not survive.
Check your understanding!
1. Polar bears have adapted to live in very cold
places where it snows often. Which of the
following adaptations helps polar bears to
survive?
a.
b.
c.
d.
They eat plants.
They are food for other large animals.
They have small tails.
They have fur that appears white.
2. The nuttall rabbit has adapted to live in the
desert. Which of the following is it likely to eat?
a.
b.
c.
d.
cactus
corn
seeds
smaller animals
3. During long periods of dry weather many
plants have a special adaptation that helps to
keep them from losing water. What is this
adaptation?
a.
b.
c.
d.
They make seeds.
They grow more leaves.
They get shorter.
Their leaves curl up.
4. The camel has a special adaptation that
makes it easier it to live in the desert. What is
this adaptation?
a.
b.
c.
d.
It stores water in its body.
It has large hooves.
It has a long neck.
Its body is covered with fur.
Sample FCAT 2.0 Question
Sample Item 24 SC.5.L.17.1
Loggerhead sea turtles are large turtles that live in the
ocean and nest on the Florida coast. The female loggerhead
sea turtle lays more than 100 eggs in the beach sand. How
is laying so many eggs an important adaptation that helps
these turtles to survive?
A. Large nests of eggs help keep the eggs warm enough to
allow more turtles to hatch.
B. If many turtles hatch, they can help defend each other
against predators in large numbers.
C. The more eggs that are laid, the greater the chance that
more turtles will live to become adults.
D. A large number of eggs in one place makes it possible
for the mother to lie on the eggs until they hatch.
Sample FCAT 2.0 Question
Sample Item 24 SC.5.L.17.1
Giant pandas live in the mountain forests of China and eat mostly bamboo. The giant panda has a sixth
“finger,” while other bears have only five. The sixth finger is a large wrist bone that giant pandas are able to
bend and use as a thumb. The picture below shows the paw of a giant panda with six fingers and the paw of
another bear with five fingers.
Giant Panda Paw Bear Paw with Six Fingers with Five Fingers Sixth Finger
Which of the following statements best explains why the sixth finger helps the giant panda survive in its
environment?
A. It helps the giant panda hold the bamboo stalks it feeds on.
B. It helps the giant panda crush the bamboo stalks before it eats them.
C. It allows the giant panda to dig in the mountain forests to hide its food.
D. It allows the giant panda to climb to the tops of mountain forests to find food.