Extreme Environments

The animals below show organisms that live in one of four extreme environments:

a) polar region
b) deep-ocean hydrothermal vent
c) desert
d) high mountain slope.

1 - Write down which environment it is found in.
2 - For each of the four extreme environments, describe why the environment is extreme.
e.g. low temperature, high temperature, high ultraviolet radiation level, no light, high pressure, little food, low oxygen, level low rainfall, poor soil.
3 - For each organism, write down as many adaptations as you can which help it to live in its
environment. e.g. long roots, huddle in large groups, hairy spreading feet, insulating layer of fat, thick fur, leaves as tiny spines, don’t need light, can tolerate high pressure, gets water from food.

Mountain Hare
Polar Bear
Snow Leopard
Bactrian Camel
Emperor Penguin
Weddell Seal
Elephant Seal
Thorny Devil Lizard
Giant Tube Worms
Hot Vent Crab

Saguaros Cacti
Desert Rose
Basin Bristlecone Pine