Ultimate
Adaptation
Objectives!
After this lesson, you will be able to…
1. Pick features that make life in a given
environment possible.
2. Use what you already know about animals to
describe their features and where they live
and then draw and label an animal you made
up and tell you why it can survive in its
environment.
Desert
Dry. Receives little rainfall. Its plants and animals have to
survive in an environment with little water, very hot days, and
very cold nights. Some animals and plants may find it difficult
to adapt, but reptiles and cacti thrive in these conditions.
Examples of places on Earth
Arizona, Mexico, Australia, North Africa, Saudi Arabia, and
Northern China.
Desert
Examples of Animals that live there
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Lizards
Vultures
Snakes
Armadillos
Scorpions
Burrowing Beetles
Camels
Rain Forest
Dense jungle. Large amounts of rainfall. Rain forests have
different areas of life, based on the height of the trees. The
climate of a rain forest is very hot and humid. Home to many
different kinds and sizes of plants and animals.
Examples of places on Earth
Central America, Brazil, Central Africa, Indonesia, New Zealand,
and India.
Rain Forest
Examples of Animals that live there
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Frogs
Ants
Spiders
Sloths
Monkeys
Snakes
Tropical Birds
Jaguars
Grassland
Filled with grasses and sparse, short trees. However, the length of
the grass and the number of trees within these biomes vary
depending on the amount of rainfall. Since rainfall in the grasslands
is lower than rainforest but higher than desert, trees exist, but they
are limited to growing near streams and other water sources.
Examples of Places on Earth
The Great Plains (USA), Argentina, central Africa, and the
Steppes of Asia (from Turkey to China).
Grassland
Examples of Animals that live there
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Zebras
Buffalo
Lions
Warthogs
Ostriches
Groundhogs
Weasels
Mountains
High elevation. Typically, mountainous terrain has rocky soil,
with only small, tough plants growing. Almost no flat ground,
colder temperatures, and thin air. The higher up, the less
animals and plants can be found.
Examples of Places on Earth
Rocky Mountains (USA), Himalayas (Central Asia), Andes
Mountains (Eastern South America), and the Alps (Central
Europe).
Mountains
Examples of Animals that live there
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Mountain Goats
Eagles
Badgers
Bears
Llamas
Wrens (small birds)
Foxes
Deep Ocean
Far underwater with very little sunlight. Life is found
around volcanic vents where lava provides heat and
energy. Creatures that live here must provide their
own sources of light to see.
Examples of Places on Earth
Mid-Atlantic Ridge, Central Indian Ridge, and the East Pacific
Rise.
Deep Ocean
Examples of Animals that live there
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Mollusks (Shellfish)
Giant Tube Worms
Anglers
Eelpouts (strange eel-like fish)
Deep Sea Lobsters and Crabs
Bacteria (can survive anywhere)
Freshwater
Freshwater is water that has a salt level of less than 1%. Most
species living in freshwater cannot live in salt water, although
there are some exceptions. Many creatures living in fresh water
can also live on land for short amounts of time. Others live
their whole lives in the water.
Examples of Places on Earth
The Great Lakes (Michigan), The Nile River (Egypt), the Rhine
River (Germany), and the Everglades (Florida).
Freshwater
Examples of Animals that live there
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Beavers
Cranes
Ducks
Frogs
Salamanders
Freshwater Fish
Bears
Otters
Forest
Woodlands and forests cover about 1/3 of the Earth’s land
surface. They are dominated by trees and contain many
different plants and animals. The climate of a forest is usually
moderate: warm in the summers and cold in the winters.
Rainfall can vary.
Examples of Places on Earth
California (USA), Central Europe (Germany), Canada, China, and
Norfolk Islands.
Forest
Examples of Animals that live there
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Coyotes
Squirrels
Deer
Bears
Rabbits
Many kinds of birds
Wildcats
Wolves
Coral Reef
Shallow salt water with lots of sunlight. Coral reefs can be
many miles long. Built by tiny polyps, many different plants
and animals thrive in the plentiful sunlight, including many
predators. Water is usually quite warm.
Examples of Places on Earth
The Great Barrier Reef (Australia), the Caribbean (Mexico), and
the Red Sea (Egypt).
Coral Reef
Examples of Animals that live there
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Plankton
Sharks
Sea Horses
Starfish
Anemones
Octopi (more than one Octopus)
MANY different kinds of fish
Biome Animals Summary
• Desert – Lizards, Vultures, Snakes, Armadillos, Scorpions, Burrowing
Beetles, Camels
• Rain Forest – Frogs, Ants, Spiders, Sloths, Monkeys, Snakes, Tropical Birds,
Jaguars
• Grassland – Zebras, Buffalo, Lions, Warthogs, Ostriches, Groundhogs,
Weasels
• Mountains – Mountain Goats, Eagles, Badgers, Bears, Llamas, Wrens
(small birds), Foxes
• Deep Ocean – Mollusks (Shellfish), Giant Tube Worms, Anglers, Eelpouts
(strange eel-like fish), Deep Sea Lobsters and Crabs, Bacteria
• Freshwater – Beavers, Cranes, Ducks, Frogs, Salamanders, Freshwater
Fish, Bears, Otters
• Forest – Coyotes, Squirrels, Deer, Bears, Rabbits, Many kinds of birds,
Wildcats, Wolves
• Coral Reef – Plankton, Sharks, Sea Horses, Starfish, Anemones, Octopi
(more than one Octopus), MANY different kinds of fish