Survival Skills
These are traits that help an organism stay alive in its environment.
What are survival traits?
This human trait allows for better grasping of tools and objects, which helped early humans survive.
What are Opposable Thumbs?
(They allow humans to grasp tools, climb, and handle objects)
While survival traits help an organism stay alive, these specific traits focus on helping an organism find a mate and pass on DNA.
What are reproductive traits?
Apart from food and water, name two other substances or resources plants need that traits help them obtain.
What are sunlight and Carbon Dioxide?
What is likely to happen to a species if its members are unable to reproduce?
What is the population will decline and the species will eventually face Extinction.
Name three essential things that survival traits help all organisms obtain.
What are helping organisms obtain food, water, and shelter/protection from threats?
This sea creature uses its leaf-like appearance to blend into seaweed, protecting it from predators.
What is the sea dragon?
(Its leaf-like body provides camouflage in seaweed.)
This male bird has a large, colorful tail that helps attract mates but might actually make it harder to hide from predators.
What is the Peacock?
(Its large tail attracts mates but makes it easier for predators to spot them.)
What is the term for when a seed begins to grow and develop?
What is germination?
Some traits are Behavioral rather than physical. Name one behavioral trait a bird might use for survival and one behavioral trait it might use for reproduction.
What are
Survival: Migration (moving to find food/warmth) or hiding from a predator.
Reproduction: Performing a courtship dance or building a nest?
List three environmental threats an organism might face that survival traits help protect them against.
What are predation, starvation, and suffocation?
Even with a great survival trait, an organism might still not survive. Why is a trait not a 100% guarantee?
What is a trait only increases the probability of survival?
(an organism can still be caught by a faster predator or die from an environmental disaster.)
Name the specific term for behaviors—like the dancing of a Blue-footed Booby or the calling of a Bull Frog—used to attract a mate.
What are courtship behaviors?
Flowers like the Daisy have bright colors and produce nectar. How does this physical trait help the plant reproduce?
What is it attracts pollinators (like bees or butterflies)?
(When the animal drinks the nectar, it picks up pollen and carries it to other flowers, allowing the plant to create seeds.)
Define the difference between Criteria and Constraints when scientists or engineers study how traits affect survival.
What are
Criteria: The requirements or goals (e.g., the trait must help the animal catch food).
Constraints: The limitations or restrictions (e.g., the trait cannot weigh so much that the animal can't fly).?