ShareParent and Offspring - Footnotes
All organisms need to be successful in
their environment. This is a major requirement if they want to live. If
an inherited trait, instinct, or physical ability helps a species get
more food, find better shelter, evade predators, or have more babies it
will aid survival.
What helps crocodiles survive in their environment?
The
snowshoe hare has white coloring that helps camouflage it in the snow.
Would this same white coloring help it in the jackrabbit’s habitat
below?
If you were a hungry eagle and saw the snowshoe hare in this habitat,
would you leave the snowshoe hare alone?
A trait, instinct or physical ability that gives a species an advantage in one environment can actually be a weakness in another environment.
Wild
sunflowers grow in often dry mountains. Their small leaves and small flowers
use less water. This variation helps them survive in their mountain environment,
but in a wet warm place they would be more successful with big leaves
and flowers.
Do it!
Look at the species listed below. Think just about their feet. How do the
variations in their feet help them survive in their environment? Then think
about a habitat in which they would have trouble surviving. The first one
is done for you.
| Species | Foot Trait | Home Environment | A Difficult Environment |
| Horse | hard, strong hoof to run and travel in herds | plains and grasslands | swamp |
| Cat | |||
| Tree Frog | |||
Duck  |
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Ground
Squirrel |
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Eagle |
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| House Fly | |||
| Monkey | |||
Deer  |
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Spider  |
