Question

Q.8.Explain with examples, why we find animals of certain kind living in particular
climatic conditions.

Answer 1

Answer:

We find animals of certain kind living in particular climatic conditions because every living organism is adapted to live in the particular habitat. Every living thing develops their feature according to the area they live in.

For example, penguins have thick skin to protect themselves from cold and webbed feet to swim in water. It will not be able to survive in the hot climate of tropical regions as they developed thick skin for the protection from cold not from the hot and humid temperature.

Explanation:

$\bold{LET'S \: EXPLORE \: MORE}$

$\bold{Definition \: of \: Adaptation}$

“Adaptation is defined as the process where a species or an organism gradually becomes better acclimated to its environment.”

$\pink{\bold{Animal \: Adaptations}}$

The most significant animal adaptations entirely depend on the type of habitats they are found in. The earth has several natural environments that are spread across large geographic areas. In the broadest sense, this area, where life exists, is called the biosphere.

$\bold \blue{Animal \: Adaptations \: In \: Deserts}$

The desert has extreme temperature fluctuations – soaring heat during the day and sub-zero temperatures at night. It also has very limited water bodies and rain is rather scarce. But there are many animals that are well-adapted to life in the desert.

Various Desert Animal Adaptations:

• Camels are able to withstand ambient temperatures of 44℃ without sweating. Cold-blooded animals entirely lack sweat glands as they rely on the external environment to regulate body temperature.

Adaption to nocturnal life

• The average daytime temperatures in the desert often exceed more than 38°C. Nocturnal lifestyle helps to cut down the loss of water, especially in desert biomes. It also enhances osmoregulation.

Specialized Mode of Excretion

• Birds and reptiles in the desert retain water as their metabolic wastes are excreted in the form of an insoluble white compound called uric acid. When compared to mammals, the metabolic wastes are excreted through urea, a considerably more soluble compound.

Other Sources of Water

• Natural sources of water, such as lakes and river are almost non-existent or are seasonal. So, animals derive water from desert plants such as cactus. Some insects also tap fluids such as saps and nectars from various parts of the plants.

Specialized Appendages

• Animals like the jackrabbit have very large ears that have a network of blood vessels. When these animals rest in the shade, their enormous ears dissipate the excess heat from their bodies.

$\bold \blue{Animal \: Adaptations \: In \: Grassland}$

Grasslands are areas where the dominant vegetation is grasses. Grasslands are found throughout the world except for Antarctica. The largest grasslands are found in East Africa. One of the characteristic features of grasslands is its wide-open spaces.

Few of the Grassland Animals Adaptations

Specialized Digestive systems

• Animals that live in the grasslands like the bison have specialized teeth and digestive systems that help in breaking down the tough grass.

Camouflage

• Predators that ambush their prey have skin colours that closely resemble their environment. This enables them to blend in and sneak up to their prey.

Feeding Habits

• Grasslands near the equator have relatively high ambient temperatures. Hence, some herbivores such as antelopes graze at night, as this is when the vegetation has the most water content. The same can be said for some nocturnal predators too, as they can prevent unnecessary water loss.

$\bold \blue {Animal \: Adaptations \: In \: Tropical \: Rainforests}$

Tropical rainforests are generally hot and humid as it is located near the equator. The average temperature is higher than 15 °C even in the winter and crosses 40 °C in summer. Rainfall is also plenty, with average annual precipitation between 60 inches to 160 inches.

Significant Tropical Rainforest Animal Adaptations

Camouflage:

• This is an important aspect in almost all biomes, including the animals that live in the tropical rainforests. Primarily, animals need camouflage for either predation or to avoid becoming the prey.

• The Green-Eyed Tree frog has textured flaps of skin that is designed to resemble the tree barks on which it resides. This adaptation helps the frog to blend in and not become prey.

Mimicry:

• Sometimes, having a good camouflage is not enough. So, some animals resort to mimicry, where they change their physical appearance to mimic other animals, which are usually poisonous or venomous.

$\bold \blue{Animal \: Adaptations \: In \: Polar \: Regions}$

The polar regions represent extreme weather conditions and inhospitable environments. Polar regions include the north and south poles, countries such as Sweden, Iceland, Norway. These regions are usually covered in snow almost the entire year.

Prominent Polar Region Animal Adaptations

• Dense Fur
• Blubber

Answer 2

We find certain kinds of animals living in particular climatic conditions because-

• All animals are adapted to a particular climatic condition. They adjust themselves to the surrounding environment. The animals show physical, behavioural or biological characteristics that help them to survive in particular climatic conditions.

Examples are-

• Camels live in deserts. They have wide feet that help them to walk in sand. They can live for many days without food and water. The long legs of camels protect them from hot sand.
• Aquatic animals such as fishes have streamlined bodies that help them in swimming.
• Animals such as polar bears are adapted to cold climates due to the presence of fat layer and thick fur on their skin.