4.2 adaptations & changing populations Flashcards Preview

A Level Biology > 4.2 adaptations & changing populations > Flashcards

Flashcards in 4.2 adaptations & changing populations Deck (33)
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1
Q

organisms adapt to exploit their niche to ensure it is different enough to avoid what?

A

competition

2
Q

what is a niche?

A

the way in which an organism fits into their ecosystem through adaptation

3
Q

what is adaptation?

A

specialising to suit the environment in which you live

4
Q

what are the 3 types of adaptation?

A

behavioural
anatomical
physiological

5
Q

what is a physiological adaptation?

A

internal workings of an organism helping them survive and reproduce

6
Q

(physiological) e.g. poison production snakes can produce deadly venom to do what?

A

immobilise prey making them easier to digest

7
Q

(physiological) e.g. some bacteria are able to produce what?

A

antibiotics that can kill other types of bacteria close by

8
Q

(physiological) e.g. water holding in plants is useful for plants how?

A

cacti and dessert plants storing water in tissues helps them survive harsh conditions where they may go months without water

9
Q

(physiological) the white Danish scurvy grass is adapted to deal with high what?

A

salt concentrations

10
Q

(physiological) fish, birds and whales are adapted to be able to drink what?

A

salt water

11
Q

(behavioural) what is a behavioural adaptation?

A

action by the organism helping them to survive and reproduce

12
Q

(behavioural) e.g. survival behaviours are intended to do what?

A

increase an organisms chance of survival e.g. the fight or flight response

13
Q

(behavioural) e.g. animals can display elaborate courtship behaviours to increase chances of what?

A

attracting a mate increasing chance of reproduction

14
Q

(behavioural) e.g. seasonal behaviours help an organism do what?

A

cope with seasonal changes in their environment

15
Q

(behavioural) give an example of a useful seasonal behaviour:

A

hibernation -slow heart and breathing rate to conserve energy, lowering requirement for food when it is too cold to hunt prey

16
Q

(behavioural) e.g. what can plants do to get more light?

A

turn their leaves toward the sun

17
Q

(anatomical) what are anatomical adaptations?

A

adaptations in structures that can be observed when an organism is dissected

18
Q

(anatomical) give examples of body coverings and how they are useful in different species:

A
feathers on birds for flight
fur on polar bear for warmth
shell of a snail for protection
waxy cuticle on plants to prevent water loss
spikes to deter predators
19
Q

(anatomical) what does camouflage allow an animal to do?

A

blend with its environment increasing survival chances as predators are less likely to spot them

20
Q

(anatomical) give an example of an animal with camouflage:

A

snowshoe hare
brown during summer to blend with soil
white during winter to blend with snow

21
Q

(anatomical) teeth differ in animals dependant on what?

A

what food they consume

22
Q

(anatomical) what type of teeth do carnivores such as lions have?

A

large and sharp teeth to tear apart their prey

23
Q

(anatomical) sharks have rows of teeth incase what?

A

some are lost

24
Q

(anatomical) herbivores don’t have sharp teeth but molars for what?

A

chewing tough grass

25
Q

What is co-evolution?

A

Adaptation of two organisms which evolve in tandem and become dependent on each other

26
Q

How is a giant panda adapted?

A

Large body mass
Sharp teeth to chew bamboo
Ability to walk and climb so their paws have good grip

27
Q

What is convergent evolution?

A

Unrelated species share similar traits due to adapting to similar environments and selection pressures

28
Q

(Changing pop.) all organisms are exposed to selection pressures what are these?

A

Factors that affect organisms chances of survival or reproductive success

29
Q

(Changing pop.) 1. Organisms show variation due to differences in what?

A

Alleles/genes

30
Q

(Changing pop.) 2. Organisms best adapted to selection pressure do what?

A

Increased chance of survival and reproduction

31
Q

(Changing pop.) 3. Successful organisms pass what on?

A

Advantageous characteristics

32
Q

(Changing pop.) 4. Overtime the proportion of individuals with advantageous adaptation does what?

A

Increasing

Frequency of the allele coding for this increases

33
Q

(Changing pop.) 5. Over generations the process can lead to what?

A

Evolution of a new species

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