ABUDHABI INDIAN SCHOOL – BRANCH 1, AL WATHBA
GRADE – 7 Notes - Ch-6 Climate and Adaptations
Answer the following questions:
1. Why do some desert animals live in burrows?
A) In desert the temperature during the day is high and low at night. There is hardly any rain, so the climate is dry. So some animals like snakes and kangaroo rats live in burrows to escape from the heat of the sun and also go for aestivation when the weather is harsh and food is scarce.
2. What keeps the animals in cold region warm?
A) Most animals living in cold regions have a thick fur to keep them warm. They also have a thick layerof fat called blubber below their skin which acts as a heat insulator and does not allow the body heat to escape.
3. What do penguins do to keep themselves warm? ( Stick picture )
A) Penguins tend to remain in groups to be close to each other to keep themselves warm and secure.
4. Differentiate between weather and climate.
A) Refer T.B pg no: 61
5. Mention the factors on which the climate depends.
A) The climate of a place depends on the latitudes, earth’s tilt on its axis,heightabove sea level, distance from the sea, wind and humidity.
6. Define adaptation.
A) Refer T.B pg no:64
7. Write any three adaptations of the following animals:- ( Stick pictures of these animals in your N.B )
a) Polar bear in polar region:
i) It has white fur to sneak in the snow and hunt seals lying on the ice packs.
ii) It has a thick layer of called blubber under the skin that keeps the body warm.
iii) It also has flat feet with curved and sharp claws which help it to walk on ice freely.
b) Elephant in tropical rainforest:
i) It has a long trunk to pick up the food and for sucking up water.
ii) It has big and long pointed teeth called tusks which help them for fighting and protecting itself from enemies.
iii) It uses its large ears as fans to remain cool itself in the hot and humid climate.
c) Beard ape ( Lion-tailed Macaque)in tropical rainforest:
i) It has dark-brown or black fur.
ii) It has silver-white mane which surrounds the head from the cheeks down its chin and so the name.
iii) It also has a medium sized tail with black tuft at the end similar to a lion’s tail.
8. Why camel is called the ‘ship of the desert’? Mention any four ways in which camel adapts itself to survive in a desert.
A) The camel is an animal which travels around in a desert climate and so it is called the ‘ship of thedesert’.
Adaptations in camels (copy any 4 adaptations from T.B pg : 67)
( Stick picture of a camel in your note book)
9. Define the term‘Migration’. Give examples of living organisms which shows this phenomenon. Give two reasons for why they migrate.
A) The process of movement of animals from one place to another to tide over adverse climatic conditions is called migration. Some birds like Siberian crane and Arctic tern living in extreme cold climate cannot tolerate the cold and migrate long distances along a flyway to warmer places. They also migrate for breeding and in search of food.
10. What is camouflage? Why is camouflage important for animals?
A) Some animals have skin colour that helps them to blend with the natural surroundings. This phenomenon is called camouflage. This helps them to hunt their prey and to protect themselves from the predators.
11. Rainforests offer hospitable climatic conditions to support huge population of animals. Explain how?
A) Tropical rainforests are located in a band around the equator and are found in South America, Africa, Australia and Southeast Asia which includes southern India as well. The temperature ranges between 35oC and 40oC in summer accompanied with heavy rainfall. Hence tropical rainforests are dense, warm and wet forests. The regions support a wide variety of plants and animals. Common animals found here are monkeys, apes, gorillas, lions, tigers, elephants, snakes, birds and insects. There is a competition among animals for food. These animals show adaptations of different kinds to get food or save themselves from being eaten.
12. How are human beings able to live in all kinds of climatic conditions?
The human body readily responds to changing environmental stresses in a variety of biological and cultural ways.As we come under warm blooded animalswe can adapt to a wide range of temperature and humidity. When travelling to high altitudes, our bodies adjust so that our cells still receive sufficient oxygen. We also are constantly responding in physiological ways to internal and external stresses such as bacterialand viralinfections,air and water pollution, dietary imbalance, and overcrowding. This ability to rapidly adapt to varying environmental conditions has made it possible forusto survive in most regions of the world. We live successfully in humid tropical forests, harsh deserts and even in extreme coldregions. Most other animal and plant species are restricted to one or relatively few environments by their more limited adaptability.
( Write the notes in your note book and submit it on next week )