12 – 6 What is adaptations?
Adaptations Any trait of an organism that helps the organism live in its environment is called
an adaptation. Adaptations also allow one kind of organism to live where other kinds of
organisms cannot live.
Some living things are adapted to cold environments. Whales that live in very cold
environments have a thick layer of fat called blubber. The blubber helps keep the whales
warm. Organisms adapted to cold environments would not be able to survive in hot climate.
A cactus has adaptations that allow it to live in a desert environment. A cactus has a thick,
leathery stem that stores water. It also has spines. Spines are special leaves that keep a
cactus from losing too much water.
Your thumb is an example of an adaptation. Your thumb can touch all of your other
fingers. It is called an opposable thumb. Opposable thumbs allow you to use your hands to
do many things. You can write, build things, draw, and so on.
Fig. 12-17 Whales are adapted to life in cold water.
Fig. 12-18 The coloration of this cheetah cub matches
its surroundings.
Adaptations Against Predators
Some adaptations protect organisms against predators. These adaptations are part of an
evolution. Species develop helpful adaptations over time and pass them on to following
generations.
 Camouflage- camouflage is one adaptation that protects an organism against
predators. The more an organism looks like its environment, the less likely a predator
is to notice it. Camouflage also helps a predator hide as it waits for its prey.
 Protective Covering- Some organisms have a protective covering that guards them
against predators. Look at the prickly pear cactus in Figure 12-19. Its sharp needles
keep herbivores away. Porcupines have a similar protective covering.
Fig. 12-19 The prickly pear’s sharp needs keep predators
at a distance.
Fig. 12-20 Many animals. Such as this blue poison
dart frog, use bright colors to warn predators of
the poison they contain.
 Warning Coloration- Have you ever seen a yellow jacket wasp? Its bright yellow and
black stripes are an adaptation called warning coloration. Animals that use warning
coloration are usually poisonous. They use bright colors to warn other animals not to
eat them.
 Mimicry- Another adaptation that organisms use to protect themselves is mimicry. In
mimicry, a species has evolved to look like another type of organism. For example, a
monarch butterfly has a warning coloration that keeps other animals away because it is
poisonous to eat. The wings of the viceroy butter have a very similar pattern to that of
the monarch butterfly. By mimicking the monarch butterfly, the viceroy butterfly
keeps predators away.
CHECKING CONCEPTS
1. What is an adaptation?
2. To what kind of environment is a cactus adapted?
3. Why is your thumb an adaptation?
4. What is a protective covering?
5. How do animals use warning coloration?