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Weather, Climate and Adaptations of Animals to Climate Class 7 Science Notes - Chapter 7

Weather, Climate and Adaptations of Animals to Climate Class 7 Science Notes - Chapter 7

Preview of the chapter

Weather affects our lives in different ways. During summer, we switch on fans to keep ourselves cool, use light coloured clothes to reflect the heat, use dark coloured clothes to protect us from cold, and use umbrellas or raincoats during the rainy season. The weather of a place changes day after day and week after week, so daily activities are planned according to the predicted weather. Daily reports of weather are provided on television, radio, and even in newspapers 

Weather

The weather of a location refers to the daily atmospheric condition of that location in terms of factors such as humidity, temperature, wind-temperature, rainfall, wind speed, and so on.


Elements of Weather 

Weather is created by the interaction of several factors, including:
  • Temperature
  • humidity, or the amount of water vapour in the air, 
  • wind, and atmospheric pressure are all factors to consider. 
  • precipitation (the amount of rain) cloudiness (the amount of cloud cover) visibility (the distance you can see into the horizon)
  • The wind and atmospheric pressure

Climate

  • The average weather pattern taken over a long time, is called the climate of that place.'
  • Different places in the world have different types of climate.
  • The annual record of long term average temperature and rainfall at a particular place is called climate chart.
  • It gives an idea about the climate at a particular place during a specific period of the year.
  • The major factor which determines the climate of a place is called latitude (imaginary lines on earth).

Factors that Determine the Climate

  • Distance from the sea Climate of a place varies according to the closeness of the sea.
  • While the places that are away from the sea have extreme climate, having very hot summer or too cold winter, e.g. Delhi.
  • Altitude or height above sea level Climate also varies according to the altitude.
  • Humidity It also determines the climate of a place.
  • Kolkata and Kerala have high humidity, while.

Climate and Adaptation

Animals are adapted to survive in their environment by developing features that improve their chances of survival. An adaptation is a trait of an organism that has been favoured by natural selection.

Adaptations are of three types

(i)  Structural adaptations are special body parts that help an organism survive in its natural habitat.
(II) Behavioural adaptations are special ways in an organism that help it survive in its natural habitat.
(III) Physiological adaptations are body systems that allow an organism to perform certain biochemical reactions, such as keeping a constant body temperature.

The Polar Regions

The polar regions are situated near the poles and are home to Canada, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Alaska in the USA and Siberian region of Russia. The climate is extremely cold and covered with snow for most of the year. Animals living in these regions are adapted to cope with the conditions of temperature, light and moisture and the availability of food. Polar bears, penguins, whales, seals, fishes, foxes, musk oxen, reindeer and birds live in these regions.

Adaptations in Polar Bear


The polar bear is a large and white bear that lives in the north polar region of the earth. It mainly feeds on fishes and seals and can survive in the extremely cold climate due to its adaptations.
  • They have a thick coat of white fur covering their entire body.
  • A thick coat of fat lies beneath the fur, insulates the body from cold, and keeps the bear warm.
  • A polar bear is a good swimmer, thanks to its large and wide paws.
  • These paws also make it easier for the bear to walk on the snow.
  • When a mother polar bear hibernates with her young cubs beneath the snow during the winter, the food (fat) she has stored also aids in her survival.

Adaptations in Penguins


The penguin is another well-known animal that can survive in the polar regions thanks to the following adaptations:
  • Because they are black and white, they blend in well with the snowy and icy backdrop.
  • They are protected from extreme cold by having thick skin and a layer of fat beneath it.
  • They have a streamlined body, wings that resemble flippers, and webbed feet that make them good swimmers
  •  Penguins can catch fish as prey thanks to this adaptation. They cohabitate in great numbers and group together to stay warm.

Migration

Migration is the seasonal journey taken by animals or birds to escape extreme climatic conditions and search for food. Siberian cranes migrate towards warmer regions in the autumn by travelling several thousands of kilometers. Migratory birds can travel as much as 15000 km to escape their habitat. They have a built-in sense of direction and use landmarks, the sun, stars, and the magnetic field of the earth to guide them. Fishes, insects, and mammals also migrate seasonally in search of more hospitable climates.

The Tropical Rainforest

The tropical region lies near both sides of the equator line on the earth. It is hot and humid, with days and nights almost equal throughout the year. It is home to a large diversity of animals, such as monkeys, apes, gorillas, tigers, elephants, leopards, lizards, snakes, birds and insects. Animals in the rainforest are adapted to survive by eating different kinds of food and living in different places.

Adaptations in Red-eyed Frog


The red-eyed frog lives on trees in tropical rainforest and has sticky pads on their feet that help them climb. It is nocturnal and has big and bulging bright-red eyes that protect it from its predator. The green colour of the frog helps it hide within the green leaves of the tree and protects it from predators.

Adaptations in Monkey


Monkeys in tropical rainforests have long tails for grasping branches, hands and feet adapted to hold them, and eyesight that helps them leap between branches to escape predators. They eat fruits, seeds, leaves, root and insects.

Adaptations in Lion-Tailed Macaque


The lion-tailed ape is a beard ape that lives in the rainforest of Western Chats in India. It has a silver-white mane around its head and a tail like that of a lion. It mainly feeds on fruits, seeds, young leaves, stems, flowers and buds, as well as insects under the bark of the tree. It is a good climber with its hand and feet adapted to hold the branches of trees firmly.

Adaptation in Toucan


A long, robust, and sizable beak is a feature of the tropical rainforest bird known as the toucan. This bird has different adaptations for tropical rainforests. The bird is colorful and has an unusual beak. It spends the majority of its time living in large trees' holes. The toucan's long and robust beak makes it easier for it to get to the fruits that are attached to the ends of even weak tree branches that can support its weight. This bird has adapted to obtain the inaccessible fruits. Large beak also aids in the temporary storage of fruits that toucans gather. These have feet that are designed for firmly grasping tree branches. 

Adaptations in Lion and Tiger

These are also called as big cats and are carnivore which eat only flesh of other animals. These have following adaptations to survive in tropical rainforest:
  • They can camouflage (the ability of an animal to blend into its surroundings, such as a chameleon or butterfly) thanks to their thick skin and skin color.
  • The lion's yellow-brown color and the tiger's black stripes help them blend in with their surroundings and remain hidden in the forest. It facilitates the capture of prey by these carnivores.
  • They can locate their prey thanks to their keen sense of smell.
  • They also acquire sensitive hearing abilities to locate their prey.
  • Because they have eyes in front of their heads, they can accurately estimate where their prey is. 
  • They have sharp eyesight as well.
  • Their long, lean legs and sharp, powerful claws in front of their legs enable them to run quickly and distance. 

Adaptations in Elephant

A well-known animal of the tropical Indian rainforest is the elephant. These animals, which consume plants, have evolved in a variety of amazing ways to survive in tropical rainforests. The following are some examples of these adaptations:
  • Elephants have a strong sense of smell and a long trunk that serves as their nose. It aids the elephant in picking up the food as well. Breathing is done through the long trunk as well. It can reach the tree branches and assist in eating the leaves. It is employed to extract water for drinking from lakes or rivers.
  • The elephant has tusks, which are long, pointed teeth that are used to rip apart tree bark, which the elephant enjoys eating as food. Moreover, it aids elephants in
  • he elephant has tusks, which are long, pointed teeth that are used to rip apart tree bark, which the elephant enjoys eating as food. Moreover, it aids elephants in fight their enemies and protecting themselves.

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