Morphological & Behavioural Adaptations (WJEC GCSE Biology)

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Naomi H

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Naomi H

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Morphological & Behavioural Adaptations

  • An adaptation can be defined as:

A feature of an organism that aids survival in its environment

  • Adaptations can be:
    • Morphological: the physical features of an organism that aid survival
    • Behavioural: things that an organism does that aid survival

Adaptations table

Type of adaptation Example How it aids survival
Morphological Arctic foxes have short, rounded ears and thick fur Reduction of heat loss to the environment
Cacti have spines instead of leaves Reduced leaf surface area means that less water is lost by transpiration
Dolphins have a streamlined body shape Swimming efficiency is improved
Behavioural Desert rodents are nocturnal Remaining in underground burrows during the heat of the day prevents overheating
Lions hunt together in groups There is an increased chance of catching prey and having enough food

Morphological and behavioural adaptations diagram

adaptations-morphological-behavioural

Adaptations can be morphological or behavioural, as shown here in fennec foxes (top) and emperor penguins (bottom)

Examiner Tip

It is always a good idea when writing about adaptations to (1) state the feature and then (2) explain how it aids survival; many students lose marks by identifying adaptive features and then failing to explain how they are useful for survival

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Naomi H

Author: Naomi H

Expertise: Biology

Naomi graduated from the University of Oxford with a degree in Biological Sciences. She has 8 years of classroom experience teaching Key Stage 3 up to A-Level biology, and is currently a tutor and A-Level examiner. Naomi especially enjoys creating resources that enable students to build a solid understanding of subject content, while also connecting their knowledge with biology’s exciting, real-world applications.