Charles Darwin on Adaptations & Evolution

1. Charles Darwin on Adaptations & Evolution

2. 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

3. 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 adaptationof the species in response to its environment.

4. 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.

5. Animal Adaptations

6. 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

7. Structural adaptations A structural adaptation involves some part of an animal's body. • Teeth • Body coverings    • Shape of body part

8. Structural Adaptations

9. Structural Adaptations

10. 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.  

11. Camouflage (coloration)

13. Mimicry • Mimicry allows one animal to look, sound, or act like another animal to fool predators into thinking it is poisonous or dangerous.  

14. Mimicry (imposters)

15. Behaviour adaptations • Behaviour adaptations include activities that help an animal survive.  • Behaviour adaptations can be learned or instinctive. • Social behaviour   • Behaviour for protection  

17. Migration • 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. • This is a behavioural adaptation that involves an animal or group of animals moving from one region to another and then back again. 

19. 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. Hibernation

20. Plant Adaptations

21. Types of Adaptations • Structural adaptations are the way something is built or made. • Behavioral adaptations are the way something acts naturally or by instinct.

22. Structural Adaptations • Adaptations to get food • Leaves and stems absorb energy from the sun.

23. Structural Adaptations • Adaptations to get water and nutrients • Roots soak up water and nutrients from soil.

24. Structural Adaptations • Adaptations for reproduction • Brightly colored flowers with nectar attract pollinators such as birds, bees and insects.

25. Structural Adaptations • Adaptations for reproduction • Sweet fruit attracts animals that spread seeds far away. • Some seeds are shaped to catch the wind.

26. Structural Adaptations • Adaptations for defense • Spines and thorns protect plants from predators

27. Structural Adaptations • Adaptations for defense • Poison Ivy and Poison oak have toxins that give predators a painful itchy rash.

28. 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.

29. Behavioral Adaptations • Adaptations to get water and nutrients • Desert flowers can stay dormant for months, only coming to life when it rains.

30. Behavioral Adaptations • Adaptations for reproduction • Plants drop seeds to grow new offspring.

31. Plant Adaptationsfor different Biomes

32. 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.

33. Grassland Adaptations • Deep roots help plants survive prairie fires. • Narrow leaves lose less water than broad leaves. • Flexible stems bend in the wind.

34. 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.

35. Rainforest Adaptations • Smooth, slippery bark keeps vines from killing trees. • Slide shaped leaves lets rain run off so fungus doesn’t grow on plants.

36. Temperate Forest Adaptations • Thick bark protects trees and dropping leaves in winter conserves water and nutrients during cold winters.

37. Water Adaptations • Flexible stems move with water currents. • Floating seeds spread offspring.