What is Adaptation? Types of Adaptations

• Change in an organism’s physical structure or behavior that improves its ability to survive in its habitat
• Anything that helps an organism survives in its environment is an adaptation
• Adaptation also refers to organisms’ ability to adjust to various conditions within their environment
• Examples: change in the size of bird’s beak, development of sharp teeth and claws, etc.

Types of Adaptation:

• Structural adaptation-
  • -involves physical features of an organism that helps it to strive and survive in its environment
• -ex: teeth, locomotion, and body covering

• The shape of an animal’s teeth is related to its diet.
• Herbivores, such as deer, have many molars for chewing tough grass and plants.
• Carnivores, such as lions, have sharp canines to kill and tear meat.

Examples of Structural adaptations:

• Protective coloration (Camouflage)
  • Allows an animal to blend in its environment
  • Makes it more difficult to be seen by enemies (greater chance of survival)
• Example: Snakes

Mimicry

• Is a method used by animals to physically appear and behave like another animal to fool predators into thinking it is poisonous or dangerous.
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• Coloration- the color of fur, skin, feathers, etc.
  • Ex: coloration on an animal’s fur coat can be the same color as trees, plants, and/or landscape during winter months
  • Behavioural Adaptation:
  • Actions and behaviors of an animal that are instinctive or can be learned
  • Ex: rabbit freezes if it thinks that it has been seen by a predator
• Migration- involves a group of animals moving from a new geographical area to another and then back

Reasons for migration:

• Better climate
• Greater chances of finding food
• Safety (safe place to raise young)
• Return to place of birth

Hibernation-

• A state of ‘deep sleep’
• Organisms body temperature drops to be able to conserve energy
• Ex: Bears and bats