What is a characteristic?

Variation (Page 8)
It is a behavioural, functional or structural
feature of an organism. Your raise must be witten or highlighted in green

Explain the difference between an inherited and an environmental characteristic and give 3
examples of each.
Inherited - Passed down from your parents in genes. E.g. Blood group, hair colour, eye colour.
Environmental – A product of your upbringing or lifestyle. E.g. Hair length, scars, piercings

What adaptations do Polar bears have?
Thick fur – Insulate/Stay warm
White fur – For camouflage
Sharp teeth – Catching and eating prey
Large paws – Spread weight on snow
Small SA:Vol – Reduce heat loss
What adaptations do Camels have?
Hump – To store fat
Drink large volumes of water – Stay hydrated
Large feet – Spread weight on sand
Long eyelashes – Keep sand out of eyes
Tick/tough lips – Eating spiky plants
Write a paragraph explaining how natural selection leads
to evolution.
A particular characteristic gives an organism an advantage
over others without it. These organisms are more likely to
survive, breed and pass on this characteristic to their
offspring as they are better adapted. Over a long period of
time, the ones without this characteristic are outcompeted
and die off leaving only organisms evolved with the new one.
Extend Targets
E1: Explain why arctic animals tend to have very small ears.
E2:Suggest a structural, functional and behavioural
characteristic of an elephant.
E3:Suggest a characteristic that is both inherited and
environmental and explain why.