Adaptive FeaturesCambridge IGCSE Biology: Flashcards

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Define an adaptive feature.

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Define an adaptive feature.: An inherited feature that helps an organism to survive and reproduce in its environment.
What is a xerophyte?: A plant adapted to survive in a dry environment.
What is a hydrophyte?: A plant adapted to live in water or a very wet environment.
Give two adaptive features of a xerophyte.: A thick waxy cuticle and reduced leaf surface area (also sunken stomata and extensive roots).
Give two adaptive features of a hydrophyte.: Large air spaces in stems/leaves and a thin cuticle (also flexible stems).
Why do xerophytes have sunken stomata?: To trap moist air around the stomata and reduce water loss by transpiration.
Why do hydrophytes have large air spaces in their tissues?: For buoyancy and to aid gas exchange.
Define adaptation.: The process, resulting from natural selection, by which populations become more suited to their environment over many generations.
What drives the process of adaptation in a population?: Natural selection — individuals with useful adaptive features survive and reproduce more, passing those features on.
When explaining an adaptive feature in an exam, what must you always include?: How the feature specifically helps the organism survive or reproduce in its environment, not just what the feature is.