Vocabulary
What is an adaptation?
A trait that helps an organism survive in its environment.
What is an adaptation used for?
To help an organism survive.
What biome is hot and receives very little precipitation?
Desert.
What is an environmental factor?
Something in an organism's surroundings that can affect it.
A camel lives in a hot, dry environment. What biome does it most likely live in?
Desert.
What is a biome?
A large region with a specific climate, plants, and animals.
A polar bear has thick fur. How does this adaptation help it survive?
It helps keep the polar bear warm.
What biome is extremely cold, has little precipitation, and has few or no trees?
Tundra
Name two environmental factors that can affect an organism.
Temperature, water, sunlight, food, shelter, etc.
A penguin has thick feathers and a layer of body fat. What do these traits help it do?
Stay warm in a cold environment.
What is an ecosystem?
An ecosystem is a community of living and nonliving things that interact with each other in an area.
Why does a cactus have features that help it store and conserve water?
It lives in a dry environment where water is limited.
What biome is known for warm temperatures, heavy rainfall, and many different plants and animals?
Rain forest.
How can temperature affect where an organism lives?
An organism needs temperatures it can survive in.
A rain forest receives lots of rainfall and has many different organisms. How could the environment support so many organisms?
There is plenty of water, sunlight, food, and shelter.
What do we call the young or descendants of an organism?
Offspring.
An arctic fox has white fur during winter. How could this help the fox survive?
It helps the fox blend into the snow and avoid predators or sneak up on prey.
What biome is dominated by evergreen trees and has long, cold winters?
Taiga
How could a lack of water affect plants and animals in an ecosystem?
They may have difficulty growing, finding food, or surviving.
Two foxes of the same species live in different environments. One lives in the tundra and one lives in a warmer biome. Name one trait or behavior that might be different?
Different environments create different survival challenges, so different traits may be helpful.
What is the difference between latitude and longitude?
Latitude measures north and south; longitude measures east and west.
Why might an adaptation that helps an animal survive in the tundra not be helpful in a desert?
The two environments have different conditions, so the animal would need adaptations suited to the desert.
What is the main difference between a biome and an ecosystem?
Biome = WHERE
Ecosystem = WHAT IS INTERACTING THERE
Imagine the temperature of an ecosystem suddenly becomes much colder. How could this change affect the plants and animals living there?
Some organisms may not survive, plants may grow differently, and animals may migrate or need different adaptations.
Two locations have the same longitude but different latitudes. Would you expect their climates to be exactly the same? Explain.
No. Latitude affects how much direct sunlight a location receives, which can affect climate.