HabitatsHabitats

What is a habitat ?What is a habitat ?

A A habitathabitat is the place where living things is the place where living things live.live.

It is more than just a home it includes the It is more than just a home it includes the whole surrounding area.whole surrounding area.

The habitat provides the animal or plant The habitat provides the animal or plant with with foodfood or or sheltershelter..

People and their habitatsPeople and their habitats People can live all over the People can live all over the

world.world.

We can do this We can do this because we are because we are able to build able to build homes for different homes for different conditions. conditions.

Also we can change our Also we can change our clothes to best suit the clothes to best suit the temperature around us.temperature around us.

White clothes reflect the heat

Animal skin and fur act as insulators and keep heat in.

Animals and plantsAnimals and plants

Most plants and animals are specially Most plants and animals are specially adapted to survive in a adapted to survive in a particularparticular habitat. habitat.

They have developed They have developed special featuresspecial features to to suit the demands of their environment.suit the demands of their environment.

This is called This is called adaptionadaption..

Some examples of Some examples of adaptionadaption

All birds have All birds have similar similar characteristics.characteristics.

But many water But many water birds have features birds have features that are different that are different from those birds from those birds live on land.live on land.

Long legs are good for wading

These wings act as flippers

Webbed feet for swimming

Some animals are Some animals are camouflagedcamouflaged to blend in to blend in with their surroundings.with their surroundings.

This keeps them safe as it This keeps them safe as it is more difficult for other is more difficult for other animals to see them or animals to see them or catch them for food.catch them for food.

This lizards skin is so similar to the rock colour.

These zebra could easily be mistaken for bushes from a distance.

This lion blends in well with the grassy background.

Aquatic animals Aquatic animals have streamlined have streamlined bodies to move bodies to move more easliy in the more easliy in the water.water.

These animals These animals have adapted to have adapted to live in the hot live in the hot climate of the climate of the desert.desert.

Camels store water in their humps.

Ostriches have long eyelashes to keep out the sand.

Snakes glide across the hot sands and can shed their skin

These animals These animals have adapted to be have adapted to be more suited to cold more suited to cold temperatures.temperatures.

Layers of fat keep the seals body warm, and small ears stop heat loss.

Polar bears are kept warm by their body fat.

Deer have a warm layer of fur.

Even plants have Even plants have adapted to their adapted to their habitats.habitats.

The cactus has fleshy stems that store water.

The water provides support for this lily as it has less developed roots to hold it in place.

Dandelions seeds are easily dispersed.

Animals and plants help each otherAnimals and plants help each otherPlants and animals depend on Plants and animals depend on each other for a wide variety of each other for a wide variety of things.things.

Food

Nests to reproduce

Shelter

Protection

Gas exchange