GCSE Biology revision

Adaptations

Adaptations, interdependence and competition

AQA 4.1.1.1

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AQA student objectives

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ALL 🎯

Identify and describe What Are Adaptations?, Physiological Adaptations and Behavioural Adaptations in Plants in the context of adaptations.

MOST 🎯🎯

Explain the relationships between What Are Adaptations?, Physiological Adaptations and Behavioural Adaptations in Plants and how they contribute to adaptations.

SOME 🎯🎯🎯

Apply and analyse knowledge of What Are Adaptations?, Physiological Adaptations and Behavioural Adaptations in Plants to interpret unfamiliar information about adaptations.

Revision summary

Key knowledge

Read on screen, then print for Cornell-style active revision.

What Are Adaptations?

Adaptations are features that help organisms survive and reproduce in their particular environment.
There are three main types of adaptation: physiological, behavioural, and structural.

Physiological Adaptations

A physiological adaptation is an internal or cellular feature that helps an organism survive.
Some plants, such as water hemlock and poison hemlock, are toxic to eat, deterring predators through internal chemical processes.
Some organisms have developed resistance to antibiotics or pesticides, giving them a survival advantage.

2. Physiological AdaptationsAQA

Notes

A physiological adaptation is an internal or cellular feature that helps an organism survive.
Some plants, such as water hemlock and poison hemlock, are toxic to eat, deterring predators through internal chemical processes.
Some organisms have developed resistance to antibiotics or pesticides, giving them a survival advantage.

Behavioural Adaptations in Plants

The Venus flytrap traps insects in its leaves to obtain nutrients, showing a behavioural adaptation to nutrient-poor environments.
Some plants in arid climates remain dormant for long periods and only begin to grow when rainfall occurs.
Tropisms — the directional growth responses of plants — are also considered a form of behavioural adaptation.

3. Behavioural Adaptations in PlantsAQA

Notes

The Venus flytrap traps insects in its leaves to obtain nutrients, showing a behavioural adaptation to nutrient-poor environments.
Some plants in arid climates remain dormant for long periods and only begin to grow when rainfall occurs.
Tropisms — the directional growth responses of plants — are also considered a form of behavioural adaptation.

Behavioural Adaptations in Animals

Courtship behaviours are ritualised actions that attract members of the opposite sex of the same species, enabling bond formation and raising of offspring.
Organisms can secrete pheromones to attract or repel other organisms.
Wolves hunting in packs is an example of a cooperative behavioural adaptation that improves hunting success.

4. Behavioural Adaptations in AnimalsAQA

Notes

Courtship behaviours are ritualised actions that attract members of the opposite sex of the same species, enabling bond formation and raising of offspring.
Organisms can secrete pheromones to attract or repel other organisms.
Wolves hunting in packs is an example of a cooperative behavioural adaptation that improves hunting success.

Structural Adaptations

Structural adaptations are physical features of an organism's body that improve its chances of survival.
Cacti have thorns and spines to defend against predators, and may be dark in colour to absorb solar heat.
Predators typically have forward-facing eyes for accurate depth perception, while prey animals have side-facing eyes for wide peripheral vision.
Birds of prey have sharp talons and strong wings to fly fast and catch prey efficiently.
The spitting cobra projects venom from its fangs as a structural defence mechanism that can blind predators.

5. Structural AdaptationsAQA

Notes

Structural adaptations are physical features of an organism's body that improve its chances of survival.
Cacti have thorns and spines to defend against predators, and may be dark in colour to absorb solar heat.
Predators typically have forward-facing eyes for accurate depth perception, while prey animals have side-facing eyes for wide peripheral vision.
Birds of prey have sharp talons and strong wings to fly fast and catch prey efficiently.
The spitting cobra projects venom from its fangs as a structural defence mechanism that can blind predators.

Extremophiles

Extremophiles are organisms adapted to survive in extreme environments, including those with dangerous temperatures, pressures, or salt levels.
The most common extremophiles are bacteria, rather than animals or plants.
Bacteria living in deep-sea volcanic vents have adapted to survive at very high temperatures and pressures in complete darkness, feeding off chemicals released by the vents.
These bacteria act as producers and provide food for organisms such as tubeworms, forming a symbiotic relationship where both organisms depend on each other to survive.

6. ExtremophilesAQA

Notes

Extremophiles are organisms adapted to survive in extreme environments, including those with dangerous temperatures, pressures, or salt levels.
The most common extremophiles are bacteria, rather than animals or plants.
Bacteria living in deep-sea volcanic vents have adapted to survive at very high temperatures and pressures in complete darkness, feeding off chemicals released by the vents.
These bacteria act as producers and provide food for organisms such as tubeworms, forming a symbiotic relationship where both organisms depend on each other to survive.

Adaptations to Cold Environments: Polar Bears

Polar bears have a strong sense of smell and sight to detect well-camouflaged prey in Arctic conditions.
Their white fur provides camouflage in snowy environments, allowing them to approach prey undetected.
Polar bears are insulated by thick fur and a layer of blubber to retain body heat in freezing temperatures.
A high surface area to volume ratio reduces the rate of heat loss by reducing the speed of conduction.

7. Adaptations to Cold Environments: Polar BearsAQA

Notes

Polar bears have a strong sense of smell and sight to detect well-camouflaged prey in Arctic conditions.
Their white fur provides camouflage in snowy environments, allowing them to approach prey undetected.
Polar bears are insulated by thick fur and a layer of blubber to retain body heat in freezing temperatures.
A high surface area to volume ratio reduces the rate of heat loss by reducing the speed of conduction.

Adaptations to Cold Environments: Penguins

Penguins live in the Antarctic and must survive in wind-chill temperatures of around −60°C.
They have a thick layer of blubber and waterproof feathers that provide insulation against the extreme cold.
Penguins can insulate their eggs by balancing them on their feet during winter, protecting them from the frozen ground.

8. Adaptations to Cold Environments: PenguinsAQA

Notes

Penguins live in the Antarctic and must survive in wind-chill temperatures of around −60°C.
They have a thick layer of blubber and waterproof feathers that provide insulation against the extreme cold.
Penguins can insulate their eggs by balancing them on their feet during winter, protecting them from the frozen ground.

Symbiotic Relationships in Extreme Environments

A symbiotic relationship is one in which two organisms interact with and depend upon each other to survive.
The relationship between deep-sea bacteria and tubeworms at volcanic vents is an example of symbiosis, where bacteria provide food and both organisms benefit from the partnership.

9. Symbiotic Relationships in Extreme EnvironmentsAQA

Notes

A symbiotic relationship is one in which two organisms interact with and depend upon each other to survive.
The relationship between deep-sea bacteria and tubeworms at volcanic vents is an example of symbiosis, where bacteria provide food and both organisms benefit from the partnership.

Key Tips for Exam Questions on Adaptations

When answering questions about extremophiles in cold environments, think about insulation — blubber, thick fur, waterproof feathers, and surface area to volume ratio are all relevant.
Remember: spikes and thorns are structural adaptations, not physiological ones.
Penguins are adapted to Antarctic (not Arctic) conditions — a common trick question in exams.
The most common type of extremophile is bacteria, not animals.

10. Key Tips for Exam Questions on AdaptationsAQA

Notes

When answering questions about extremophiles in cold environments, think about insulation — blubber, thick fur, waterproof feathers, and surface area to volume ratio are all relevant.
Remember: spikes and thorns are structural adaptations, not physiological ones.
Penguins are adapted to Antarctic (not Arctic) conditions — a common trick question in exams.
The most common type of extremophile is bacteria, not animals.