Adaptive feature
Exam-ready definition
An inherited feature that helps an organism to survive and reproduce in its environment.
How this is marked
The two paying words examiners want are 'inherited' and 'survive and reproduce' (not just 'survive'). Students lose marks describing a behaviour or a feature that develops during life rather than one passed on in the genes. This definition links directly to natural selection and is commonly asked at the start of Paper 4 ecology or selection questions.
In an exam answer
Defining the term for a desert plant: 'A thick waxy cuticle is an adaptive feature because it is an inherited feature that reduces water loss and helps the plant survive and reproduce in a dry environment.'
Full topic guide: Variation & selection
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