Adaptations 2 How do plants and animals survive

Adaptations (2) • How do plants and animals survive? • How do they adapt to survive in their chosen habitats?

Adaptations : Black Widow Spider • Venom is about 15 times as toxic as the venom of a diamondback rattlesnake • Prey includes a variety of insects and other arthropods. • It makes small punctures in the victim's body and sucks out the liquids. The female eats the male after mating! • Resistant to many insecticides

Adaptations : Collared Peccary • Tough snout to overturn dead vegetation to look for roots and shoots. • Can eat prickly pear cactus, including the spines. • Can go for days without drinking water • Powerful musk can aid communication between individuals

Adaptations : Coati • Strong curved front claws to move rocks and dig for food • Powerful smell to detect prey • Long bushy tail used for balance • Can easily climb trees to forage for fruit, berries and birds eggs.

Adaptations : Roadrunner • Can adapt the surface area of wings and plumage to absorb or emit heat. • Usually nests twice in a year, during the seasonal rains. • Vibrates its throat lining to move air past moist respiratory tissues during very high temperatures. This increases evaporation from within the bird.

Adaptations : Roadrunner • Able to run at up to 15 miles an hour, to outrun predators. • Its speed also helps it to catch prey, such as scorpions, lizards, and other small animals. • Can also kill and eat rattlesnakes. It uses its wide rings to deflect any striking fangs.

Adaptations : Diamondback Snake • Has a pair of pits between eyed to detect heat from mammals, even at night. • Brown/grey colour to blend in with its surroundings. • Uses a rattle in its tail for a warning when alarmed.

Adaptations : Gila Monster • Very toxic venom, used against predators. • Its pink or orange colour provides perfect camouflage in its natural habitat. • Lives in cool burrows during hot days. • Thick tails provide food and water reservoirs.

Adaptations : Round-tailed Ground Squirrel • Its tawny coat blends well with its surroundings • Lives in its cool burrow during the hottest times of the day. • Stands on its hind legs to look out for predators • Makes its home near creosote bushes, where the roots bind the soil together.

Adaptations : The Jojoba Plant • A waxy coating reduces water loss by evaporation. • Seeds are toxic to many animals if eaten…except Bailey’s pocket mouse! • Leaves face the early and late sun, but not the midday sun. This helps to conserve water. • Bailey’s pocket mouse collects and stores the seeds : so many seeds can germinate.

Adaptations : The Ocotillo • Loses its small leaves during dry spells. • New leaves can grow within five days after receiving water. • Wide and shallow root system to collect ground water. • Stems are capable of photosynthesis during dry spells

Adaptations : Teddy Bear Cholla • Covered with sharp spines to stop animals from eating the tissue. • The spines cool the cholla’s tissue in hot weather • Stem consist of segments. The segments provide water storage, and allow photosynthesis to happen.