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New
New
Year 10
AQA

Plant and animal adaptations in cold environments

I can explain how plants and animals are well adapted to the physical conditions in cold environments and that there are issues related to biodiversity.

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New
New
Year 10
AQA

Plant and animal adaptations in cold environments

I can explain how plants and animals are well adapted to the physical conditions in cold environments and that there are issues related to biodiversity.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Cold environments are home to a variety of plants and animals.
  2. Animals in cold environments are well adapted to the physical conditions.
  3. Plants in cold environments are well adapted to the physical conditions.
  4. There are issues related to biodiversity in cold environments.

Keywords

  • Adaptation - evolutionary changes that improve an organism’s chance of survival in its environment

  • Hibernation - a state that certain animals enter to save energy during periods of unfavourable weather conditions or food shortages

  • Biodiversity - the variety of different types of life found in a particular area

  • Ecosystem - a community of living organisms and their interactions with their environment

Common misconception

That due to the extreme cold climate, particularly during the winter months, that all animals must hibernate to save energy.

Only two polar or tundra species enter full hibernation - the grizzly bear and arctic ground squirrel. Many other animals migrate to find food and warmth, while others are highly adapted to remain active and survive the extremely cold winters.


To help you plan your year 10 geography lesson on: Plant and animal adaptations in cold environments, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Watching short clips from wildlife programmes about animal and plant adaptations in the cold environment as a class helps to reinforce understanding of the link between challenges and adaptations.
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Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

6 Questions

Q1.
What are the two main types of cold environments?
Rainforests and deserts
Temperate and tropical
Correct answer: Polar and tundra
Grasslands and savannas
Q2.
Which of the following is an example of a polar environment?
The Sahara Desert
Correct answer: Antarctica
The Amazon Rainforest
The Gobi Desert
Q3.
Why are cold environments important?
Correct answer: They store large amounts of carbon and help regulate global temperatures
They have no impact on the planet
They provide warm habitats for many animals
They produce high amounts of oxygen
Q4.
What is a glacier?
A frozen lake
Correct answer: A large moving mass of ice
A deep ocean current
A type of snowstorm
Q5.
What type of animal is well adapted to life in polar environments?
Camel
Correct answer: Polar bear
Chimpanzee
Q6.
What type of trees are often found in cold environments?
Deciduous trees
Mangroves
Correct answer: Evergreen coniferous trees

4 Questions

Q1.
Match the lesson keywords to their definition.
Correct Answer:adaptation,evolutionary changes that improve an organism’s chance of survival
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evolutionary changes that improve an organism’s chance of survival

Correct Answer:hibernation,a state that animals enter to save energy during winter
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a state that animals enter to save energy during winter

Correct Answer:biodiversity,the variety of different types of life found in a particular area
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the variety of different types of life found in a particular area

Correct Answer:ecosystem,a community of living organisms interacting with the environment
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a community of living organisms interacting with the environment

Q2.
Why do animals in cold environments have thick fur or feathers?
To make them look bigger
Correct answer: To help them stay warm by trapping heat
To help them move faster
Q3.
Which of the following are ways in which cotton grass has adapted to tundra conditions?
Deep roots to tap into underground nutrient and water stores
Correct answer: Low-lying to shelter from strong winds
Correct answer: Fast-growing seeds to take advantage of the short growing season
Correct answer: Small seeds to be dispersed easily by the wind over a large area
Q4.
Which of these animals enter full hibernation during the winter?
Moose
Correct answer: Grizzly bear
Wolf
Correct answer: Arctic ground squirrel
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