Class 6 Science Ch Habitats and Adaptations Oxford Book Answers

This page provides complete solutions to Class 6 Science Ch Habitats and Adaptations Oxford Textbook Solutions. The answers include fill-in-the-blanks, multiple-choice questions, short and long answers, explained in a simple and student-friendly manner.

Class 6 Science Ch Habitats and Adaptations Oxford

Class 6 Science Ch Habitats and Adaptations Oxford Textbook Answers

I. Objective Type Questions

A. Fill in the blanks with suitable words

  1. Tropical forests receive heavy rainfall throughout the year.
  2. Walruses are found in Polar regions.
  3. Marine/Coastal habitat refers to a region where land meets the sea.
  4. Coral reefs are rock-like structures made from calcium carbonate secreted by corals.
  5. Trees of boreal forests have needle-like leaves to protect them from damage.
  6. Stems of aquatic plants have air chambers that allow them to float in water.

B. Choose the correct option

  1. Which of these are regions dominated by grasses?
    a. Grasslands
  2. Which of these are aquatic habitats?
    d. Both a and b (Freshwater and Marine/coastal)
  3. Which of these are found in coastal habitats?
    c. Jellyfish, whale, and lotus
    (Note: Lotus is freshwater; correct would be “Jellyfish and whale.”)
  4. Which of these are adaptations that organisms show?
    d. All of these
  5. Which of these adaptations helps a camel survive in the desert?
    d. All of these
  6. Which of these help a fish to survive in water?
    b. Fins to swim
  7. Which plant is found in tropical forests?
    a. Orchids
  8. Which region would you find rattlesnakes and kangaroo rats?
    c. Mountains (Correction: They are found in deserts.)
  9. Which habitat is the Sunderban Delta an example of?
    b. Estuary
  10. Which of the following regions would you find a yak?
    c. Mountains

II. Very Short Answer Type Questions

A. Give one word for the following

  1. Question: Forests found between the equator and the two tropics
    • Answer: Tropical rainforests
  2. Question: Trees that shed their leaves once a year (mostly in winter)
    • Answer: Deciduous trees
  3. Question: Areas that receive very little rainfall
    • Answer: Deserts
  4. Question: The largest habitat on the planet
    • Answer: Ocean (or Marine habitat)
  5. Question: Rainforests of the sea
    • Answer: Coral reefs
  6. Question: Certain changes that occur in an organism over a short period of time, which helps it to adjust to the changes in its surroundings
    • Answer: Acclimatization

B. Give two examples for the following:

  • Animals found in tropical forests: Monkeys, Tigers
  • Regions where temperate forests are found: Europe, North America
  • Countries with boreal forests: Russia, Canada
  • Animals found in boreal forests: Moose, Bears
  • Plants found in grasslands: Grass, Wildflowers
  • Deserts: Sahara Desert, Thar Desert
  • Places with coral reefs: Great Barrier Reef, Maldives

III. Short Answer Type Questions

Q1. What is a habitat? List the major habitats of the world.
A habitat is the natural home or environment of an organism. Major habitats:

  • Forests (tropical, temperate, boreal)
  • Grasslands
  • Deserts
  • Polar regions
  • Aquatic habitats (freshwater, marine/coastal)

Q2. Differentiate between tropical rainforest and boreal forest.

Ans:

FeatureTropical RainforestBoreal Forest (Taiga)
LocationFound near the equator (between the Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn).Found in the northern hemisphere (high latitudes), typically between 50°N and 60°N (e.g., Canada, Russia).

Q3. What is camouflage? Name two animals that show it.
Ans: Definition: Camouflage is the ability of an animal to blend in with its surroundings (environment) to make it difficult for predators or prey to see them. This can involve matching the color, pattern, or shape of the background.

Two animals that show camouflage:

Stick Insect: Its body shape looks exactly like a dry twig or branch, making it nearly invisible to predators. (Other examples: Polar bears blend with snow; Tigers’ stripes blend with tall grass.)

Chameleon: It can change its skin color to match the leaves or branches it is sitting on.

Q4. What are drip tips?
Ans: Drip tips are the narrow, elongated, and pointed tips found on the leaves of plants growing in tropical rainforests.

Function :

Quick Water Runoff: Since rainforests receive heavy rainfall, these tips allow water to slide off the leaves quickly and easily.

Q5. What do dolphins and whales use to breathe?
Ans: Dolphins and whales use lungs to breathe, just like humans. Since they are mammals and not fish, they cannot breathe underwater. They have blowholes located on the top of their heads, which act like nostrils. They must swim to the water’s surface to inhale air through these blowholes.

Q6. Define acclimatization.
Ans: Acclimatization refers to the small changes that take place in the body of a single organism over a short period of time, to help it adjust to new conditions in its surroundings.

Unlike adaptation, which is permanent and happens over thousands of years, acclimatization is temporary. If the conditions go back to normal, the body usually returns to its original state.

Common Example:

High Altitude: When people travel to high mountain regions, the air has less oxygen. Initially, they may struggle to breathe. However, after a few days, their body acclimatizes to the environment (e.g., by breathing faster or producing more red blood cells), allowing them to function normally.

IV. Long Answer Type Questions

Q1. Explain different kinds of coastal habitats with plants and animals.

Ans: A coastal habitat is the place where the land meets the sea. Life here is tricky because the water is salty, and the tides change every day (sometimes the land is underwater, sometimes it is dry!).

Here are the main coastal habitats and how life survives there:

  • Rocky Shores: The coast is made of hard rock. Animals like barnacles and starfish cling tightly to rocks to resist crashing waves, while seaweeds anchor themselves with strong holdfasts.
  • Sandy Beaches: The ground is shifting sand. Animals like crabs and clams burrow underground to hide from the sun and birds. Beach grasses grow on dunes to hold the sand in place.
  • Mangroves: These are tropical “swamp forests.” Mangrove trees grow on stilt roots above the water, creating a safe nursery for baby fish and shrimp underneath.
  • Coral Reefs: Found in warm, clear water. Built by tiny coral polyps, these reefs support thousands of species, including colorful fish, sea turtles, and sharks.

Q2. Describe adaptation. Explain how animals adapt.

Ans: Adaptation is a physical trait or behavior that helps an animal survive and reproduce in its environment. It happens slowly over many generations through Natural Selection (survival of the fittest).

There are three main ways animals adapt:

  • Behavioral (Actions): Things animals do, like migrating to warmer places or hunting in packs.
  • Structural (Body): Physical changes to the body, like camouflage, sharp claws, or thick fur.
  • Physiological (Internal): Internal body functions, like a snake producing venom or a bear slowing its heart rate to hibernate.

Q3. Compare grasslands and deserts (plants and animals).

Ans:

FeatureGrasslandDesert
Annual RainfallModerate (50–90 cm). Enough for grass but not forests.Scanty (Less than 25 cm). Evaporation exceeds rainfall.
VegetationContinuous grass, wildflowers, and few trees. Roots run deep to hold soil.Sparse & scattered. Cacti, thorny bushes, and succulents with waxy coatings.
Soil QualityDeep and fertile. Rich in nutrients from decaying grass; excellent for farming.Sandy, rocky, or gravelly. Very poor nutrients and holds little water.
Animal LifeLarge grazing herds (Bison, Zebras) and fast predators (Lions, Cheetahs).Small, nocturnal animals (Snakes, Lizards) and burrowers to escape heat.
Adaptation FocusAnimals adapted for speed and grazing; plants adapted for fires and grazing.Organisms adapted to save water and tolerate extreme heat.
ExamplesAfrican Savanna, North American Prairies.Sahara (Africa), Mojave (USA).

Q4. Discuss the various Modifications in cactus for survival.

Ans: how a cactus is modified for survival:

  • Night Breathing: They only open their pores at night to take in air, avoiding water loss during the hot day.
  • Leaves into Spines: Leaves are modified into hard spines to stop water loss and protect against animals.
  • Fleshy Stem: The stem becomes thick to store water and green to handle photosynthesis (making food).
  • Waxy Coating: A thick, waxy layer covers the stem to seal moisture inside like plastic wrap.
  • Shallow Roots: Roots spread out wide near the surface to soak up rainwater instantly before it evaporates.

Q5. Explains how a polar bear is well suited to live in the polar regions.

Ans:

The polar bear’s primary challenge is retaining body heat against freezing temperatures.

  • Thick Blubber: They have a layer of fat up to 11 cm (4 inches) thick under their skin. This insulates them so well that they often have more trouble with overheating than freezing.
  • Black Skin: Beneath their white fur, their skin is jet black. This allows them to absorb heat from the sun more efficiently.
  • Compact Features: Their ears are small and rounded, and their tail is short. This minimizes surface area, reducing the amount of heat lost to
  • Swimming Ability: They are powerful swimmers. Their front paws are slightly webbed for paddling, while their hind legs act as rudders. Their nostrils can also close completely to prevent water from entering when they dive.
  • Super Sense of Smell: A polar bear can smell a seal’s breathing hole from 1 km (0.6 miles) away, even if the seal is under the ice.
  • Camouflage: Their fur appears white (though it is actually transparent), allowing them to blend perfectly with the snow and ice to ambush seals.

Optional image : Polar Bear

Q6. How does a yak survive in mountains?

Ans:

  • Super Insulation: They have a dual-layered coat (dense wool underneath, long hair on top) that keeps them warm down to -40°C.
  • Oxygen Efficiency: To handle thin air, they have lungs 3x larger than a cow’s and specialized blood that absorbs oxygen much faster.
  • Natural Crampons: Their broad, split hooves spread out to walk on top of snow and grip icy rocks without slipping.
  • Internal Heating: Their massive digestive system ferments food, which generates internal body heat to keep them warm from the inside out.

Optional image : YAK

How does a yak survive in mountains?

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In conclusion, the Class 6 Science Ch Habitats and Adaptations Oxford solution helps students understand how different organisms adjust to their surroundings through unique adaptations. The Class 6 Science Ch Habitats and Adaptations Oxford book solution also explains the importance of various habitats like deserts, forests, mountains, and water bodies in supporting life. By reading the Class 6 Science Ch Habitats and Adaptations Oxford book solution, learners can relate how plants and animals develop special features to survive.