Selection Pressures and Adaptations Flashcards

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What is a selection pressure in biology?

A selection pressure is any factor that affects which organisms survive and reproduce.

Give three examples of biotic selection pressures.

Three biotic selection pressures are predators, competition with other organisms, and infectious disease.

Give three examples of abiotic selection pressures.

Three abiotic selection pressures are temperature, the amount of water, and light level.

What is an adaptation?

An adaptation is a feature that helps an organism survive and reproduce in its environment.

What is a structural adaptation? Give one example.

A structural adaptation is a physical feature of the body, such as thick fur on a polar bear to reduce heat loss.

What is a behavioural adaptation? Give one example.

A behavioural adaptation is a way an organism acts, such as birds migrating to warmer areas in winter.

What is a physiological adaptation? Give one example.

A physiological adaptation is a process inside the body, such as producing very concentrated urine to save water in desert animals.

How do selection pressures make some adaptations more common in a population?

Organisms with helpful adaptations are more likely to survive and have offspring, so over time more individuals inherit these adaptations.

Why is camouflage an important adaptation for some animals?

Camouflage helps animals blend into their surroundings, so predators are less likely to see them and they are more likely to survive.

How can a change in the environment act as a new selection pressure?

If the environment changes, such as becoming colder or drier, organisms without suitable adaptations are less likely to survive, so those with useful features are favoured.

What is the difference between a selection pressure and an adaptation?

A selection pressure is a challenge from the environment, while an adaptation is a feature that helps an organism cope with that challenge.

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