GCSEBiologyWJECRevision Notes2. Variation, Homeostasis & Micro-organisms2.1 Classification & BiodiversityMorphological & Behavioural Adaptations

Morphological & Behavioural Adaptations (WJEC GCSE Biology): Revision Note

Exam code: 3400

Written by: Naomi Holyoak

Reviewed by: Lára Marie McIvor

Updated on 2 July 2026

Morphological & Behavioural Adaptations

An adaptation can be defined as:

A feature of an organism that aids survival in its environment

Adaptations can be:
- Morphological: the physical features of an organism that aid survival
- Behavioural: things that an organism does that aid survival

Adaptations table

Type of adaptation	Example	How it aids survival
Morphological	Arctic foxes have short, rounded ears and thick fur	Reduction of heat loss to the environment
	Cacti have spines instead of leaves	Reduced leaf surface area means that less water is lost by transpiration
	Dolphins have a streamlined body shape	Swimming efficiency is improved
Behavioural	Desert rodents are nocturnal	Remaining in underground burrows during the heat of the day prevents overheating
Behavioural	Lions hunt together in groups	There is an increased chance of catching prey and having enough food

Morphological and behavioural adaptations diagram

Adaptations can be morphological or behavioural, as shown here in fennec foxes (top) and emperor penguins (bottom)

Examiner Tips and Tricks

It is always a good idea when writing about adaptations to (1) state the feature and then (2) explain how it aids survival; many students lose marks by identifying adaptive features and then failing to explain how they are useful for survival

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