Adaptations — AQA GCSE Biology
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Adaptations explained
Adaptations are grouped by what they involve.
Read the full explanation
Structural adaptations are physical body features, such as the thick fur of a polar bear, the streamlined shape of a dolphin or the waxy cuticle of a leaf. Behavioural adaptations are actions or patterns of behaviour, such as migrating, hibernating, basking in the sun or hunting at night. Functional adaptations are internal physiological processes, such as producing concentrated urine, reducing metabolic rate during dormancy or tolerating high salt concentrations in cells. Some features can be described in more than one way, so classify by the main process involved and justify your choice. In an answer, name the adaptation, place it in the correct category and explain how it helps the organism survive in its habitat.
Your focus
- Distinguish structural, behavioural and functional adaptations.
- Classify named adaptations accurately with justification.
- Explain the survival value of each type of adaptation.
Adaptations exam tips
Marking Points
- States that structural adaptations are physical features of the body or surface of an organism.
- States that behavioural adaptations are actions or patterns of behaviour carried out by the organism.
- States that functional adaptations are internal physiological or metabolic processes.
- Classifies a named example correctly and justifies the classification with reference to the feature or process involved.
- Explains how the classified adaptation improves survival or reproduction in the organism's habitat.
Examiner Tips
- 💡Use the labels structural, behavioural and functional explicitly in your answer.
- 💡For each example, add one sentence explaining the survival benefit.
- 💡If an example could fit two categories, state your chosen category and justify it briefly.
Common Mistakes
- Calling a behaviour a structural adaptation; correct this by checking whether the feature is a body part or an action.
- Treating a functional adaptation as an external feature; correct this by identifying the internal process, such as water balance or metabolic rate.
- Giving an example without a category or explanation; correct this by naming the type and linking it to survival.