1.3.15

Adaptations of Plants

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Adaptations of Plants

Adaptations are changes in an organism. Adaptations allow the organism to survive in its environment.

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Definition of adaptations

  • Adaptations are changes in an organism.
    • Adaptations allow the organism to survive in its environment.
  • Adaptations are changes that occur over millions of years.
    • Changes occur through natural selection and evolution.
  • Organisms pass on characteristics to their offspring.
    • Organisms pass on characteristics in DNA.
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Cacti

  • Cacti live in the desert.
  • The desert environment is harsh with:
    • Very little rainfall
    • High day temperatures
    • Very low night temperatures due to lack of cloud cover
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Cacti's adaptations

  • Cacti have the following adaptations for the desert:
    • Spines instead of leaves to reduce water loss and offer protection
    • Fleshy stems that store water
    • Waxy coating to prevent water loss
    • Deep roots to reach water underground
    • Wide roots to absorb rainwater from the surface
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The Venus flytrap

  • The Venus flytrap is a carnivorous plant.
    • The Venus flytrap is native to the wetlands of the United States.
    • The Venus flytrap likes moist acidic soil.
  • The Venus flytrap lives in nitrogen-poor environments.
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Adaptations of the Venus flytrap

  • The Venus flytrap is adapted to get nutrients like nitrogen from insects.
    • The Venus flytrap has short hairs.
  • The hairs trigger the plant's trap if insects bend them.
    • The plant's trap closes when triggered.
  • The plant's digestive acids start to digest the insect.

Jump to other topics

1Biology

1.1Cells, Tissues & Organs

1.2Reproduction & Variation

1.3Ecological Relationships & Classification

1.4Digestion & Nutrition

1.5Plants & Photosynthesis

1.6Biological Systems & Processes

2Chemistry

2.1Particles

2.2Chemical Reactions

2.3Atoms, Elements, Compounds

2.4The Periodic Table

2.5Materials & the Earth

2.6Reactivity

2.7Energetics

2.8Properties of Materials

3Physics

3.1Energy

3.2Forces & Motion

3.3Waves

3.4Electricity & Magnetism

3.5Matter

3.6Space Physics

4Thinking Scientifically

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