Adaptations of Animals and Plants

Organisms survive in many different environments because they have adapted to them. Adaptations are special features or behaviours that make an organism particularly well suited to its environment. As plants and animals become better adapted they become better able to compete for limited resources, which enables their population size and distribution to increase.

Desert Animals

The Camel has several adaptations which allow it to survive in a very hot climate:

• large surface area compared to volume ratio to increase heat loss so they don't overheat
• Body fat stored in humps so there's very little insulating layer beneath the skin which keeps it cooler.
• loses very little water by producing small amounts of concentrated urine.
• Able to tolerate changes in body temperature so doesn't need to sweat much.
• large feet to spead its weight on the sand.
• Bushy eyelashes an hair lined nostrils to stop sand from entering.
• A sandy colour gives good camouflage to help them avoid predators or sneak up on prey.

Giraffes

• long necks to enable them to be able to reach tall trees where there will be food ie plants and also to spot predators.

• Long, tough tongues enable the giraffe to pull leaves from branches without being hurt by the thorns during feeding. They have prehensile tongues which allow them to…