AP BIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -Polar bears live in the Arctic. Ice in the Arctic is melting rapidly, reducing the range in which the polar bear can live. If polar bears do not have adaptations that allow them to survive these changes, what may happen to the polar bear? They may overpopulate.

Detailed explanation-2: -Polar bears live in one of the planet’s coldest environments and depend on a thick coat of insulated fur, which covers a warming layer of fat. Fur even grows on the bottom of their paws, which protects against cold surfaces and provides a good grip on ice.

Detailed explanation-3: -Polar bears are considered to be vulnerable to extinction, largely due to the rapid decline of sea ice brought on by climate change. One study has suggested that most polar bears could disappear by 2100 if the world continues to rapidly warm.

Detailed explanation-4: -To live in an extremely cold climate, the polar bear has many adaptations, such as: (a) The layer of fat under the skin for insulation. (b) Long curved and sharp claws to walk and run on slippery ice. (c) Thick white fur.

Detailed explanation-5: -A group of polar bears in south-east Greenland have adapted to hunt via blocks of freshwater ice from glaciers when sea ice retreats in the warmer months. This suggests the animals may be more resilient to climate change than we thought, although loss of sea ice remains the greatest threat to their survival.