Adaptations

A characteristic or trait that helps an organism survive in its environment is a/an ​ ​ (a)  

• adaptation
• skill
• variation
• natural instinct

what is an adaptation?

• a change in behavior or physical aspect of an organism in order to be better suited to survive in a particular environment.

• a change that an organism quickly develps to survive

• a unique characteristic that makes an organsism more dominant

• a shift in an organisms behavior

Josie likes to visit the park in her neighborhood to watch hummingbirds. Based on the beak of the hummingbird, what does it most likely eat?

• Fish

• Nuts

• Insects

• Flower Nectar

The picture shows flowers with an unusual shape. Which beak shape would best allow a bird to reach the nectar inside the flower?

• Long and thin

• Short and thick

• Short and thin

• Long and thick

Bullfrogs are Florida’s largest frog. Frogs spend part of their life cycles in water and part on land. Which physical characteristic is most useful for a water environment?

• Thin skin

• Large eyes

• Webbed feet

• Long, strong legs

Water lilies live in lakes and ponds. The lilies have very long stems. The picture shows a water lily in a pond. How do long stems help water lilies live in ponds?

•   They absorb food for the plant.

• They absorb water from the pond.

• They enable the pads and flower to reach sunlight.

•   They prevent the plant from floating away.

Pelicans are birds that live in many water environments. They can live in large lakes, in marshy wetlands, and along beaches near the ocean. The picture shows a pelican. What does the pouch on its bill most likely help the pelican do?

•   Catch fish

•   Store water

• Attack other animals

• Balance when it walks

Rivers are home to many kinds of birds. Which foot is most likely the adaptation of a bird that swims in water to find food?

• 
• 
• 
• 

In the fall, a ground squirrel will store the energy from food as a thick layer of fat. What is most likely the reason for this adaptation?

• It keeps the animal from being exposed to diseases in winter.

•   It keeps the animal from being eaten by predators that hunt during winter.

•   It helps the animal get exercise during winter when it is snowing.

• It helps the animal survive a cold winter when there is very little food.

Tom sketched this picture of an epiphyte from a book about tropical forests. How is this plant adapted to the ecosystem in which it lives?

•   It has a trunk tall enough to reach above nearby trees and compete for sunlight.

•   It has long roots that reach deep enough into the dry soil to reach underground water.

• It has roots that attach to trees so that it can reach sunlight that is scarce on the forest floor.

• It has leaves that capture and digest insects, which it needs for nutrients missing from soil.