Adaptations, Biomes, & Ecology:
Adaptations to an Environment
 Every _________________ has a variety of adaptations that are suited to its specific living
conditions
 An ____________________ is a trait that an organism has ______________________ that
helps it survive and reproduce in their habitat
 Ex. Sharks sense of ________________, shape of a bird’s beak, dogs can hear well,
flowers have bright ____________________
 Physical adaptations do not develop during one lifetime, but over __________________
generations
 ___________________ that help determine _____________ are passed from parent to
offspring
Adaptations over time
 _______________
is the process by which individuals who are better adapted to their
environment are more likely to survive and _______________ than other members of the
same species.
 ________________- English scientist who proposed the theory of natural selection in 1859.
o Sailed on the Beagle to __________________ for research
o Studied tortoises, ____________, lizards, and other animals on the islands.
Animals of Galapagos Islands
 Finches- __________ are adapted for different feeding behaviors
o Ex: insects, seeds, fruit
 Iguanas- able to _______ underwater to eat algae, ________________ to cling to rocks,
expel salt by sneezing
 Tortoises- __________ depends on island environment
Causes for Adaptations among Species
 Inheriting traits/variations that have advantages for survival or reproduction
 Overpopulation/competition
 Environment/Climate
Variations
 ____________________ are different ways that a trait can express itself
 Some variations make individuals _______________ fit for survival from predators allowing
them to reproduce and ___________________ the favorable trait to their offspring
Natural Selection by Environment
 Variations can also allow organisms to become better adapted to survive in a particular
_____________________
 Organisms expressing traits that allow them to survive & reproduce in a particular
environment will become the ________________________ life within the environment
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Example of inherited traits for survival & reproduction
o __________________- blends into environment
o ______________- looks like another more dangerous animal
 Mexican Milk Snake
o _______________________- warnings to predators
 Skunk and Poison Arrow Frog
o “Hair” projections
 Hedgehog quills
 Deer Antlers
o _________________ behaviors
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Male birds dance & have colors to attract mates
Endangered/Extinctions
o Organisms that are not able to adapt to their environment could become endangered
or extinct.
 ________________________- could become endangered in near future
 __________________- at risk of extinction
 __________________- a species with no surviving members
Reasons for Extinctions
 ___________________
 Overhunting
 Habitat loss
 _____________________ species- compete with native species
 Diseases
 _______________________- global warming
______________ are large geographic areas characterized by a distinct climate and specific
types of plant & animal life.
_____________ is the weather a place has over a long period of time (50 years).
Biotic and Abiotic Factors
o Biotic factors- parts of the environment that are ____________
 Examples: trees, grass, animals
o Abiotic factors- the ______________ environment
 Examples: rocks, soil, air, water
Identify three biotic and three abiotic factors in this picture.
o Biotic: _______________________________________
o Abiotic: ______________________________________
List adaptations & examples for each of the following environments
– Extreme Cold (Tundra/taiga) -Plant adaptations:_________________________________
• Ex. _____________________________________
– Animal adaptations: _______________________________________________________
• Ex. ________________________________________
–Warm & Rainy year round (tropical rainforest) Animal adaptations:
_____________________________________________________
• Ex. ________________________________________
–Extreme heat & dry (desert) Plant adaptations:_________________________________________
• Ex. _____________________________________
– Animal adaptations: ___________________________________________
• Ex. ________________________________________
–Aquatic: Animal adaptations:______________________________________
• Ex. ________________________________________
Ecology: Ecosystems
• ____________________ are all the organisms in an ecosystem that belong to the
___________ species
– Ex. Mice living in a meadow or pine trees in a forest
• _____________ are a group of organisms that can mate to produce
________________________ that can produce more offspring
– Ex. Brown pelican or human
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___________________ are all the populations of different species that live in an ecosystem &
_____________________ resources
Ex. Pine tree forest forms a community with populations of deer, mice, raccoons, bacteria,
mushrooms, & ferns
___________________ are the natural environment where an organism _______________
that provides food, shelter, moisture, & temperature needed for survival
– the ______________________ environment
• _______________________ is the unique ways an organism survives, obtains food & shelter,
reproduces, cares for its young, and avoids danger (how it has adapted)
Interactions Within Communities
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All organisms need ___________________________ to survive.
The ______________ is the source of energy that fuels most life on Earth
Feeding Relationships
• 2 categories of organisms
– ______________________ are organisms that can make their own food for energy by
capturing sunlight or other chemicals
– ________________________ can not make their own food for energy & must obtain it by
feeding on another organism
• 3 main types: Producers, Consumers, & Decomposers
•____________________ are organisms that make their ____________ food using energy
from the sun & raw materials from the environment
– Most producers are _______________ that use the process of photosynthesis to make
food
– During photosynthesis plants use carbon dioxide and hydrogen with light-energy in the
presence of chlorophyll in the ___________________ of the cells to make glucose and
oxygen
–Directly or indirectly produces ________________ for almost all organisms
–Phytoplankton & ____________________ also play a huge role as producers in the
environment
_____________+___________+__________________________________+_____________
______
(CO2)
(H2O)
(energy)
(O2)
(C6H1206)
•Consumers are organisms that ___________________ make their own food & Obtain
energy by eating other organisms & cellular respiration
•Three Types:
– _____________________: eat only plants/producers
–_____________________: eat only animals
–______________________: eat both plant & animals
•Decomposers are organisms that feed on the ___________________ remains or waste
products of other organisms to obtain energy
–Ex. Bacteria, earthworms, & ______________________________
Cellular Respiration
• The purpose of cellular respirations is to release __________________ that can be used by
cells to perform their specialized function
– Cellular respiration occurs in the __________________________ of cells.
– The mitochondria uses glucose & oxygen and converts it in a chemical reaction to produce
carbon dioxide, water, and energy
____________+_____________________________________+_____________+
______________
(O2)
(C6H1206)
(CO2)
(H2O)
• Food Chains are models that shows the flow of _____________ through feeding
relationships among organisms in a particular ecosystems
• Food _________________ are models that link the organisms within an ecosystem by how
they depend on each other for food.
– The lines drawn represent the flow of _______________________ through the
ecosystem & show a variety of food chains
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An _____________________ shows the amount of energy available at each level of a food
chain.
Only about _______of energy is passed to next level.
The rest is lost as ________.
Producers- bottom level- have the most energy
______________ consumers- eat producers
______________ consumers- eat primary consumers
______________ consumers- eat secondary consumers
o 1. What are the secondary consumers? ____________________
2. If there are 50,000 kcal available to the giraffes, how many are available to the
lions? ____________________
Relationships between Populations
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________________________: Occurs when more than one individual or population tries to
make use of the same limited resources
– Ex. Food, water, or space
_______________________: Type of feeding relationship in which one animal captures &
eats another animal for food
– Animal being eaten is the ______________________
– Animal doing the eating is the __________________________
– Predator/prey relationships help keep an ecosystem in _______________________ by
preventing any one population from growing too ________________________________