Animal Adaptations

Which of the following is an example of a learned behavior in a living thing?

• humans beginning to speak between 1 - 2 years  old
• a sunflower turning to face the sun to help it grow
• bees protecting the hive and  the queen bee
• moths attracted to light

When humans cut down the forest and build roads through the Everglades, this causes the Florida Panther to lose its territory and affects their population.  This is an example of__________?

• competing for resources
• interdependence
• adaptation
• imitation

The Brazilian Pepper plant was introduced to the Florida wilderness by accident.  It has no natural predators and grows fast.  How can this be damaging for native Florida plants?

• it will take up the native plants space and resources making it hard for them to reproduce
• it is prettier than the native plants causing more to grow
• animals eat the pepper plant helping to spread its seeds 
• the pepper plant helps pollinate the native plants

The American Black Bear in Colorado can hibernate for over 3 months during winter.  Black bears in Florida may hibernate for only a few weeks or not at all.  Why?

• the weather is not as cold in Florida
• it has less territory
• it eats different food
• they are smaller than the bears in Colorado

Why would camels be a better choice for soldiers in the old west to transport supplies across a desert instead of using horses?

• camels are adapted to thrive in a hot and dry environment
• camels were native to the old west
• camels eat less food
• camels are stronger and faster than horses

A bittern bird and the Key deer both live in Florida. The bird blends with its environment in the tall sawgrass and freezes when it feels threatened and points its head into the air to imitate the sawgrass.  The Key deer  lives in the forests, is brown and freezes when it senses danger.  What adaptations are similar between these two animals?

• they both blend in their environment and they don't move
• they both huddle together in other groups of animals to blend in
• they both use their small size to hide from predators
• they both use their speed to escape predators

A collard lemming has thick white fur and sharp claws, and a marsh rabbit has brown fur and is a good swimmer. Which animal would be best adapted to survive in the Florida forests?

• the rabbit's brown fur helps it blend with its envrionment
• the lemming's thick fur keeps it warm in the winter
• the rabbit's swimming would scare predators away
• the lemming could use its claws to defend itself

What is the best way to reduce the amount of air pollution in animal environments?

• reduce burning fossil fuels
• recycle more paper and plastic
• use less energy in your home
• drill for more oil

The camo moth blends in with its environment by looking like the leaves on the trees they land on.  How is this most helpful to this species of moth?

• it gives it a better chance of survival
• it doesn't need to reproduce as much
• it uses less energy
• it catches more food

On the African savannah, elephants and giraffes feed on the acacia trees. What most likely will happen if the giraffes and elephants are removed from that ecosystem?

• the trees would over grow and would crowd out other plants
• other large animals would move in and eat the trees
• the amount of trees will decrease
• small animals would increase because there would be less predators