Adapting to different environments
In a nutshell
Living things have to have features that let them survive in their environment. This might be features that help them move, eat or even rest. When an environment changes, animals also need to be able to change so their features suit their environment. That is why evolution happens over millions of years.
Adaptations
Definition
In order to survive, living things need to have features that suit its environment. These features that help an animal live in its environment are called adaptations.
Examples
Animal
| Adapation
|
Giraffe
| Giraffes have really long necks. This helps them reach leaves on tall trees so that they can eat them.
|
Polar bear
| Polar bears have really thick fur to help keep warm in the cold.
|
Camel
| Camels have a big hump that is full of fat and water so they have an energy store if they can't find food in the desert for a long time.
|
Deer
| Prey like deer have eyes on the sides of their heads. This gives them a wide field of vision so they can see predators coming.
|
Wolf
| Predators like wolves have eyes in the front of their head as it allows them to judge how far away a prey is and how to get to them quickly.
|
Habitats
Living things have adaptations because their habitat is very unique. A habitat is the environment a living thing chooses to live in.
Example
A polar bear's habitat is the Arctic in the North Pole - you wouldn't find a polar bear in a hot dry desert. Different animals live in different habitats, so they all need different adaptations.
Evolution
Over time, the environment can change. For example, trees can grow taller or lakes can dry out. Living things need to be able to change over time to match the changes in the environment. When living things change a lot, they can become a completely different species to how they started out. Evolution is what we call the process of living things changing a lot to make new species over many years.
Example
If lakes dry up, fish species that are better adapted to live without water may evolve from existing fish species.
