WWA - Adaption

Adaptation is an evolutionary process that results in organisms being increasingly well suited to their habitat or ecological niche.

ADAPTION

There are many types of adaptations, but these can be classified into three main categories –structural, behavioural or physiological:

·        Structural (or morphological) adaptations are the physical features of the organism. These include things you can see, like its shape or body covering, as well as its internal organisation.

·        Behavioural adaptations are learned or inherited behaviours that help organisms to survive.

·        Physiological adaptations relate to how an organism’s metabolism works. These adaptations enable the organism to regulate their bodily functions, such as breathing and temperature, and perform special functions like excreting chemicals as a defence mechanism.

Adaptation cards

For Each card, state whether it is Structural, behavioural or Physiological

Birds have different shaped beaks and feet suited to the habitat they live in.	Kiwi hatch with an internal yolk sac. This sustains the chick in its first week of life.	The bill of the takahē extends onto its forehead as a shield.
If there is thick snow cover on the ground during winter, takahē will nest in forested areas to provide shelter.	Kiwi have fine whiskers at the base of their beak to aid their navigation in the dark.	The breeding cycle of kākāpō is tightly linked with the fruiting of the rimu tree. In abundant fruiting years, more chicks are often born.
Kererū are one of the few birds to produce ‘crop milk’ – a protein-rich milky secretion from the walls of their crops to sustain their chicks.	Kiwi have nostrils at the ends of their beaks	The kākāpō has a ‘freezing’ response to danger.
Kererū fledglings spend 1–2 weeks with their parents before becoming independent.	Kiwi plumage blends in with the undergrowth to allow them protection from predators through camouflage.	The kererū has the widest gape of any New Zealand forest bird. This enables it to swallow the large berries of native trees.
Kiwi and takahē have vestigial wing buds, which are incapable of flight.	Male kākāpō let out a ‘booming’ noise from dug-out bowls in the earth to attract a female.	The tūī has a long curved beak and a fine brush-tipped tongue that enables it to extract nectar from forest tree flowers.
Kiwi are nocturnal birds.	Many birds such as the kererū and tūī perform display dives to attract a mate.	Tūī have hollow bones and no teeth, which makes their body light for flight.