Types of adaptations
A kangaroo's powerful hind legs used for hopping.
Structural adaptation
What structural adaptation helps ducks swim?
Webbed feet allow them to move efficiently through water.
What structural adaptation helps eucalyptus trees survive dry conditions?
Waxy leaves help eucalyptus trees reduce water loss.
Living underground helps animals avoid this desert challenge.
Extreme heat
Because a koala faces the challenge of living and feeding high in trees, it has sharp claws and rough paw pads, which help ________.
Gripping branches securely while climbing and feeding
Migration of humpback whales along the Australian coast each year.
Behavioural adaptation
What structural adaptation helps a numbat obtain food?
The numbat uses its long sticky tongue to collect termites from logs and soil.
What adaptation helps Banksia reproduce after fire?
Banksia seeds are released after bushfires.
Thick fur helps alpine animals survive this environmental condition.
Cold temperature
Because a red kangaroo faces the challenge of extreme daytime temperatures, it is most active at dawn and dusk, which helps ________.
Avoid overheating and conserve water?
A camel reducing water loss through concentrated urine.
Physiological adaptation
What structural adaptation helps the thorny devil obtain water?
The thorny devil channels water through grooves in its skin to its mouth.
What structural adaptation helps desert plants obtain water?
Long roots allow some desert plants to reach underground water supplies.
Camouflage helps prey species avoid this threat.
Predators.
Because a eucalyptus tree faces the challenge of limited water availability, it has ___________.
Waxy leaves which help it reduce water loss through evaporation
What is a structural adaptation?
An adaptation involving a physical body feature
What physiological adaptation helps saltwater crocodiles live in salty environments?
Saltwater crocodiles can survive in both freshwater and saltwater because special glands remove excess salt from their bodies.
What physiological adaptation helps mangroves survive in salty environments?
Mangroves filter salt from seawater.
Many Australian desert animals have adaptations that help them survive this challenge of finding enough water.
Water scarcity
Because a lyrebird faces the challenge of attracting a mate in dense forest habitats, it has the ability to mimic a wide range of sounds, which helps ________.
Attract mates and increase reproductive success
What is a physiological adaptation?
An adaptation involving an internal process rather than a body part or action.
What behavioural adaptation helps a platypus hunt underwater?
The platypus closes its eyes, ears, and nostrils when diving underwater.
What behavioural-like plant response helps Acacia survive hot conditions?
Some Acacia species fold leaves during extreme heat to reduce water loss.
How do some Australian trees resist bushfires?
Fire-resistant spongy bark, underground lignotubers to regrow from.
Because a leaf-tailed gecko faces the challenge of avoiding detection by predators during the day, it has a body shape and colouration that closely resemble tree bark, which helps ________.
Camouflage itself and avoids predation