Adaptations, Habitats, and Food Chains

STUDY GUIDE

ADAPTATIONS:

BEHAVORIAL ADAPTATION – behaviors that allow animals to survive

(hibernation, migration, instinct, learned behavior)

PHYSICAL ADAPTATION – a change in an animal’s body that helps it survive

(examples include camouflage and mimicry)

CAMOUFLAGE – a physical adaptation such as an animal’s skin or fur coloring

that allows the animal to blend into its natural surroundings

MIMICRY – when one animal imitates the physical characteristics of another

animal to avoid being eaten (for example, the caterpillar that looks like a snake)

HIBERNATE – a behavioral adaptation when an animal becomes inactive or

dormant for periods of time (usually in winter)

ESTIVATE – a behavioral adaptation when an animal becomes inactive or

dormant for periods of time (usually in summer)

LEARNED BEHAVIOR – a behavior that organisms must be taught. They

cannot be passed on from one generation to the next. These behaviors must be
learned through interacting with the environment

INSTINCT – a behavior that organisms are born with. They do not need to be
taught.

MIGRATE – to travel, generally during a season, from one region or climate to

another. Animals do this to find food or to have babies.

FOOD CHAINS:

AQUATIC HABITAT - a home found in the water, such as ponds, marshes,

swamps, rivers, or oceans

AQUATIC ORGANISM – an animal or a plant found in a water habitats

TERRESTRIAL – relating to the land

TERRESTRIAL ORGANISM – an animal or a plant found in land habitats, such

as deserts, grasslands, or forests
FOOD CHAIN – a series of organisms that depend on one another for food. It is
made of producers, consumers, and decomposers.

FOOD WEB – several food chains that are connected.

PRODUCER – an organism, such as a plant, that makes its own food

CONSUMER – an organism that eats producers and/or consumers; these can be

carnivores, herbivores, or omnivores.

DECOMPOSER – an organism that breaks down dead plants and animals

ORGANISM – another word for a plant or an animal

CARNIVORE – an organism that eats only other animals (meat)

HERBIVORE – an organism that eats only plants

OMNIVORE – an organism that eats both plants and animals (meat)

HABITAT – the natural home of a living organism. It provides the food, water,
shelter, and space that a plant or animal needs to survive.

PREDATOR – an animal that hunts other animals for food

PREY – an animal that is hunted and eaten by another animal

INTERDEPENDENCY – the relationship between living things; depending on

each other to survive.

And don’t forget to review the

related second grade SOLs on
the next two pages:
 Science Study Guide: SOL 2.5

The student will be able to investigate and understand that living things are part of a system.

Key concepts include the following:

1. Living things are dependent on their habitats, other living organisms in their habitats, and non-living things in their
habitats.

2. Animals need food, air, water, shelter, and the ability to adapt to environmental changes.

3. When an animal's habitat changes and it cannot leave, it must adapt.

4. Animals and plants that do not adapt to their habitats die.

5. Many animals use camouflage to protect themselves from danger. Camouflage is when an animal is able to hide from
its enemies by blending into its surroundings.

6. Habitats, such as forests, grasslands, rivers, and streams, change due to many influences. Habitats change from
season to season.

7. Weather, fire, and humans (ex. pollution) can cause changes in a habitat over time.

Living things are interdependent with their living and non-living surroundings!!
 Science Study Guide: SOL 2.7

*The student will be able to understand that weather and seasonal changes affect plants, animals and their surroundings.

migration - when animals move regularly from one region or climate to another

• move to warmer or cooler climates

• move to have their babies

• examples of animals that migrate: arctic tern, salmon, wildebeests, humpback whales, loggerhead turtles, red land
crabs, Canada geese

hibernation - when animals adapt to the cold weather by going into a deep sleep to survive the winter without food

• body temperature is lower than normal, heartbeat and breathing slow down
• a bear is not a true hibernating animal because he wakes up sometimes and his breathing, heartbeat, and
temperature do not change very much

• examples of animals that hibernate: bats, groundhogs, prairie dogs, ladybugs, box turtles, chipmunks, ground
squirrels

estivation - when animals adapt to hot, dry seasons when food and moisture are scarce by going into a dormant state
similar to hibernation

• examples of animals that estivate: snails, mud turtles, Nile crocodile, some types of spiders and frogs

dormancy - a period of inactivity

• example: bears, some animals such as hummingbirds are active during the day and dormant at night

All of these are examples of the ways animals adapt!

Adaptation is a change an animal goes through to fit its environment.