Question

“A fish dies when taken out of water whereas a wall lizard will die if kept underwater.” Mention the term used to describe such abilities that allow fish and lizard to survive in their respective habitats.

Answer 1

1. A fish dies when taken out of water whereas a wall lizard will die if kept underwater because fishes usually respire with the help of their gills.
2. Fish exchange gases by taking in the dissolved oxygen through their mouths and pumping it over their gills, where carbon dioxide is given out.
3. When taken out of the water, the gill collapses due to no more availability of dissolved oxygen for respiration and also the fishes cannot absorb and breathe using the atmospheric oxygen.
4. Hence, the fishes die after sometime when taken out of the water, hence it cannot survive
5. Similarly, the lizard do not have gills to perform respiration under water
6. A fish is able to survive underwater due to its adaptation of having gills in place of lungs, for taking in dissolved oxygen and a streamlined body and fins for swimming.
7. A lizard will die underwater because it doesn't have body modifications as in the case of fish.
8. So, the adaptation is the physical or behavioral characteristic of an organism that helps an organism to survive better in the surrounding environment.
9. Adaptation is essential for the survival of living organisms.
10. Animals, which are unable to adapt to changing environmental changes, they will die.