Adaptations of Plants and Animals

Section: Biology | Syllabus: Cambridge Primary Stage 5 Science (0097)

Adaptations to Environments

An adaptation is a feature of an organism's body or behaviour that helps it survive in its particular environment.
Different environments present different challenges - staying cool, staying warm, keeping water, finding water or moving through it - so organisms in different places tend to have different adaptations.
A good explanation always links the feature to the problem it solves, not just names the feature.

Organisms in hot, cold, wet and dry environments show different adaptations

Environment	Example adaptation	How it helps
Hot and dry	Small leaves or spines; waxy surface	Reduces water loss
Hot	Large ears	A large surface area helps the animal lose heat
Cold	Thick fur or a layer of fat	Reduces heat loss from the body
Wet	Broad leaves or drip tips	Captures more light or sheds excess water
Water	Webbed feet or floating leaves	Helps swimming or helps leaves reach light

Flowers are adapted to attract pollinators so that pollination is more likely to succeed
- bright petals and strong scents attract insects and other pollinators from a distance
- nectar rewards visiting pollinators and encourages them to return
- nectar guides - patterns on petals, sometimes only visible in ultraviolet light - direct pollinators toward the nectar and pollen
Insects are common pollinators, but birds, bats and other animals also pollinate flowers in different parts of the world.
Seeds and fruits are adapted to the method by which they are dispersed
- wind-dispersed seeds are often light, with wings or hairs
- animal-dispersed seeds may be inside edible fruit, or have hooks that attach to fur
- water-dispersed seeds or fruits float and resist soaking

A predator is an animal that hunts and eats other animals; its prey is the animal being hunted.
Predators and prey have opposite sets of adaptations because they face opposite challenges - finding and catching food, or avoiding being caught.
Some animals are both predator and prey at different times, so they can show a mixture of adaptations.

Forward-facing eyes help predators judge distance; side-facing eyes give prey a wide field of view

Predator	Prey
Forward-facing eyes for judging distance	Side-facing eyes for a wide field of view
Sharp teeth, claws and strong muscles	Strong legs, shells, spines or warning signals
Camouflage for approaching unseen	Camouflage for avoiding detection
Good smell, hearing or speed for finding prey	Good senses and speed for detecting and escaping predators

Worked Example: Explaining an Adaptation

Question: A desert fox has very large ears. Explain how this helps it survive. [1]

Name the environmental challenge: the desert is hot. Link the structure to its useful effect: a large surface helps heat leave the body. Answer

Its large ears help it lose heat, keeping its body cooler in the hot environment.

MistakeWriting only "thick fur" without saying how it helps.

FixUse a feature-and-function explanation: thick fur reduces heat loss and keeps the animal warm.

MistakeBees are the only pollinators of flowers.

FixMany other insects, birds, bats and other animals also pollinate flowers.

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