Charles Darwin on

Adaptations & Evolution

 Darwin observed…
 Overproduction
 More offspring produced than can survive
 Genetic Variation
 Within populations, individuals have different traits
 Struggle to survive
 Must compete for existence
 Differential reproduction
 Not everyone has an equal opportunity to reproduce.
Those with best adaptations are most likely to survive
and reproduce
How Natural Selection works…
 In any population, individuals have traits, many
of which show variation.
 Traits that are determined by genes are
heritable.
 Advantageous traits benefit an organism and
allow it to leave more offspring—this is natural
selection.
 Advantageous traits become more common in a
population, resulting in adaptation of the
species in response to its environment.
 What is an adaptation?
 An adaptation is a structural (physical) change in
DNA or behavior that helps a living thing survive
and reproduce in its environment.
 Examples: The shape of a bird’s beak or the color of
an animal’s fur.
Animal Adaptations
 Types of Adaptation
 Anything that helps an organism survive in its
environment is an adaptation.
 It also refers to the ability of living things to adjust
to different conditions within their environments.
 Structural adaptation
 Protective coloration
 Mimicry
 Behaviour adaptations
 Migration
 Hibernation
 Structural adaptations
A structural adaptation involves some
part of an animal's body.

 Teeth
 Body coverings
 Shape of body
part
Structural Adaptations
Structural Adaptations
Protective Coloration

 Protective Coloration and

resemblance allow an
animal to blend into its
environment.
 Another word for this
adaptation might be
camouflage. Their
camouflage makes it hard for
predators to single out prey
or the other way around.
Camouflage
(coloration)
 Mimicry
 Mimicry allows one
animal to look, sound, or
act like another animal to
fool predators into
thinking it is poisonous
or dangerous.
Mimicry (imposters)
Behaviour adaptations
 Behaviour adaptations
include activities that help an
animal survive.
 Behaviour adaptations can be
learned or instinctive.
 Social behaviour
 Behaviour for protection
 Migration
 This is a behavioural
adaptation that involves an
animal or group of animals
moving from one region to
another and then back
again.
 Animals migrate for
different reasons.
 better climate
 better food
 safe place to live
 safe place to raise young
 go back to the place they
were born.
 Hibernation
 This is deep sleep in which animal’s body temp
drops, body activity (metabolism) are slowed way
down to conserve energy. (Behavioural)
 E.g. Bats, squirrels & bears.
Plant Adaptations
 Types of Adaptations
• Structural adaptations are the
way something is built or made.

• Behavioral adaptations are the

way something acts naturally or
by instinct.
 Structural Adaptations
• Adaptations to get food
– Leaves and stems absorb energy from
the sun.
 Structural Adaptations
• Adaptations to get water and
nutrients
– Roots soak up water and nutrients
from soil.
 Structural Adaptations
• Adaptations for reproduction
– Brightly colored flowers with nectar
attract pollinators such as birds, bees
and insects.
 Structural Adaptations
• Adaptations for reproduction
– Sweet fruit attracts animals that spread
seeds far away.
– Some seeds are shaped to catch the
wind.
 Structural Adaptations
• Adaptations for defense
– Spines and thorns protect plants from
predators
 Structural Adaptations
• Adaptations for defense
– Poison Ivy and Poison oak have toxins
that give predators a painful itchy rash.
 Behavioral Adaptations
• Adaptations to get food
– Plants lean or grow towards the sun.
– Roots grow down into soil.
– Vines climb up trees to catch sunlight.
 Behavioral Adaptations
• Adaptations to get water and
nutrients
– Desert flowers can stay dormant for
months, only coming to life when it rains.
 Behavioral Adaptations
• Adaptations for reproduction
– Plants drop seeds to grow new
offspring.
 Plant Adaptations
for different Biomes
 Desert Adaptations
– Small leaves or spines on desert plants
conserve water.
– Thick waxy skin holds in water.
– Roots near the soils surface soak up rain
water quickly before it evaporates.
 Grassland Adaptations
• Deep roots help plants survive prairie fires.
• Narrow leaves lose less water than broad
leaves.
• Flexible stems bend in the wind.
 Tundra Adaptations
• Small plants grow close to the ground for
warmth.
• Dark colored flowers absorb heat from the
sun.
• Fuzzy stems provide protection from wind.
 Rainforest Adaptations
• Smooth, slippery bark keeps vines from
killing trees.
• Slide shaped leaves lets rain run off so
fungus doesn’t grow on plants.
 Temperate Forest Adaptations
• Thick bark protects trees and dropping
leaves in winter conserves water and
nutrients during cold winters.
 Water Adaptations
• Flexible stems move with water currents.
• Floating seeds spread offspring.