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Organisms are adapted to live in a certain environment. An organism’s
adaptations don’t help if an organism is not in its environment. For
example, the barnacle’s rake is an adaptation for getting tiny food
particles in the ocean environment. The rake helps the barnacle survive.
But what if the barnacle is moved to an environment that has only large
food particles? The rakes won’t work. The barnacle will die because it is
not adapted for eating large food particles.
Adaptations make it possible for many different kinds of organisms to
live in the same environment. Each different organism has adaptations
that allow it to use different resources in the environment.
Thinking about Adaptations
1.
What is an adaptation?
2.
What are some adaptations crayfish have for survival in their
environment?
3.
What are some adaptations organisms have for movement in
their environments?
4.
What are some adaptations organisms have for protecting
themselves in their environments?
5.
What are some adaptations organisms have for getting food
in their environments?
6.
What are some adaptations organisms have for successfully
producing offspring?
What adaptation
do you see here?
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