8.Biodiversity and Relationships Flashcards
identify the taxonomic ranks in order (broadest first)
domain
kingdom
phylum
class
order
family
genus
species
(Do Keep Ponds Clean Or Frogs Get Sick)
what is a species
species are organisms that can breed together to produce viable and fertile offspring
How are scientific names written
Genus species
what makes two organisms closely related
-if they share the same Genus
what are abiotic factors
+eg
a property of the environment relating to non living things
eg temperature
what are biotic factors
+eg
a property of the environment relating to living things
eg competition
what is an adaptation
A structural, behavioural or physiological characteristic of an organism that enables it to survive in its natural environment
identify the types of adaptations
structural, physiological and behavioural
identify structural adaptations for desert environment
-insulation
-surface area to volume ratio
identify physiological adaptations for desert environment
-metabolic heat
-surface blood flow
-increase water input
-decrease water output
-evaporative cooling
identify behavioural adaptations for desert environment
-evading extreme conditions
-enduring extreme conditions
how can insulation be useful in desert environment
-the more insulated an animal is, the harder it is for the animal to release heat into the environment
-therefore the less insulated an animal is, the easier it is to release heat into the environment
-thin insulating layer is preferred
advantage of high SA:V ratio in desert
can release heat into a cold area (like a burrow)
disadvantage of high SA:V ratio in desert
exposure to direct sunlight can quickly increase body temperature
advantage of low SA:V ratio in desert
doesn’t absorb as much heat if directly exposed to sunlight or cannot avoid the heat
disadvantage of low SA:V ratio in desert
they still need to be able to release wasted heat which can be more difficult with a low SA:V ratio
identify two strategies for which an organism can generate heat
-endotherm
-ectotherm
what is an endotherm
+eg
an animal that produces the majority of its own heat via metabolic processes
eg mammals, birds
what is an ectotherm
+eg
an animal that obtains heat primarily from the environment, rather than its own metabolic heat
eg. reptiles, amphibians
where are most ectotherms found and why
many ectotherms live in desert environment because permanently cold environments provide too little environmental heat for an ectotherm to survive
what is torpor
torpor is a physiological and behavioural adaptation for survival in which an animals metabolic rate is severely reduced
one animal that uses torpor
Australian water holding frogs
benefits of torpor
-little energy is required to fuel this state
-prolonged torpor helps animals to avoid extreme environmental conditions for extended periods of time
how can surface blood flow assist animals that live in desert environment
-when internal temperature rises after activity, blood vessels near the skin dilate and total surface blood flow increases (vasodilation)
-this hot blood releases heat into the environment (via radiation) cooling the animal down
how can desert animals increase their water input
-due to low water availability of surface water
-animals obtain water from food they eat, drinking dewfall, metabolic production of water (byproduct of metabolic processes-aerobic cellular respiration, condensation polymerisation)
how can desert animals decrease water output
-excreting concentrated urine (which contains very little water)
-reptiles and birds lose even less water by excreting uric acid with other wastes in a semi solid form
-faeces with low water content
what structure allows for the release of concentrated urine
extremely long loop of henle
how can evaporative cooling assist desert animals
-animals release huge amounts of heat via the evaporation of water
-sweating and panting are both examples of evaporative cooling
limitation of evaporative cooling
While the evaporation of water is an effective heat loss mechanism, it requires water and may cause dehydration in dry environments
what does evading consist of in a desert environment
-seek shade, although the temperature is still high, no sunlight is directly absorbed
-dig burrows
-nocturnal behaviour
what is meant by nocturnal behaviour
animal is active at night when it is cooler
what kind of animals evade desert conditions
small-medium sized animals
eg rock wallabies
what does enduring consist of in a desert environment
-inactivity during hottest parts of the day
-dig small pits-please heat into soil
-seek shade
-wallow in mud/water baths/lick arms-water evaporates from skin, heat is removed from body
what kind of animals endure desert conditions
larger animals usually
identify structural adaptations for cold environment
-insulation
-surface area to volume ratio
identify physiological adaptations for cold environment
-endotherms
-torpor
-circulation-vasoconstriction and countercurrent circulation
how can insulation be useful in cold environment
-animals in these environments often have a thick insulating layer covering their entire body
-this protects them against heat release into the environment
identify behavioural adaptations in cold environment
-reducing exposed surface area
-huddling
-seeking shelter
-migration
how can reducing surface area to volume ratio benefit animals in cold environment
-By reducing their surface area to volume ratio an animal will release heat slowly increasing the time it takes for body temperature to drop
-in a cold environment the more the organisms body shape resembles a sphere the easier it is to maintain a constant body temperature
what conditions are endotherms usually found in and why
There is a greater proportion of endotherms in cold environments, this is because animals cannot obtain heat from environment with a lower temperature than their body so maintaining a stable body temperature by internal metabolic processes is typically advantageous
what types of torpor are used in cold environments
hibernation and brumation
advantage of torpor in cold environments
State of torpor is beneficial as the reduction in metabolic rate allows the animal to survive on very little food or water, and remaining inactive in shelter allows animals to avoid harsh weather
example of organism that uses torpor in cold environment
pygmy possums hibernate in colder months
identify two methods of circulation to prevent heat loss
vasoconstriction and countercurrent circulation
how does countercurrent circulation help prevent heat loss
-Cools blood heading to the outer surface and heats blood heading back to the body’s core
-uses the heat in blood travelling from the heart to heat cool blood returning from the animals outside structures like arms, legs or skin meaning the core body temperature is not lowered
-as a result this then cools the blood heading towards the outside structures so less heat is released to the environment by radiation
how can reducing exposed Surface area help animals in cold environments
Object with lower surface area to volume ratio release less heat so many animals will reduce their surface area to volume ratio by hiding or protecting their outside structures as temperature drops
eg by standing on one leg
how can huddling help animals in cold environments
Huddling artificially decrease the individual surface area to volume ratio, decreasing in the amount of heat released by the animal into the environment
eg emperor penguins huddle
how can seeking shelter help animals in cold environments
By seeking shelter (eg dens or rocky outcrops) animals can surround themselves in a stable environment with little or no wind and slightly higher temperatures
how can migration help animals in cold environments
Rather than adapting to the cold, many animals will simply migrate to a lower altitude or more moderate latitudes where resources are more readily available
identify the adaptations for plants in hot environments
-decreasing heat uptake
-increasing water uptake
-water storage
-minimising water loss
how can plants decrease heat uptake in hot environment
-having lightly coloured or reflective leaves
-producing leaves with smaller surface area
-orientating leaves vertically to minimise surface area exposed to the sun
how can plants increase water uptake in hot environment
-Desert plants have extensive deep root systems capable of reaching ground water reserves
-other desert plants spread roots horizontally to absorb the maximum amount of surface water during brief periods of rain and store this water for later use
eg baobabs
how can water storage help plants in hot environment
To increase the availability of water, rather than developing highly complex roots systems to gain water all year around some plants collect huge amounts of water during the rainy season and store this water for use in the dry season
how can plants minimise water loss in hot environment
-Plants can minimise water loss by reducing their stomatal density
-using sunken stomata that produces pockets of humid air
-by maintaining a humid environment around the leaf by folding or rolling their leaves
how can plants prevent freezing in cold environments
-when the temperature drops plant cells receive signals to increase the concentrations of solute such as glucose in the cells which increases the plant cells resistance to freezing
-some plants can also produce antifreeze proteins these proteins disrupt the formation of ice crystals within the cell enabling water to remain liquid at lower temperatures
identify the adaptations for plants in cold environment
-preventing freezing
-decidous tree
-seed dormancy
what is a deciduous tree
Tree that seasonally drops all of its leaves at once to avoid harsh conditions
advantages of deciduous tree in cold environment
-avoid frozen leaf tissue during winter
-requires less energy and water to survive during winter months
-experience less branch breakage during periods of heavy snowfall and strong winds
what are dormant sees + how can seed dormancy help plants in cold environments
Dormant seed is one that is unable to develop during a specific time under certain environmental conditions
-seed dormancy is a trait of many cold adapted plants, where seeds will be dispersed before the winter months and then remain dormant until warmer spring weather
-when the seeds detect increases in temperature or light availability they quickly sprout and grow during the favourable living conditions of the summer months
what is a population
the number of one species in a geographic location
what is a community
a group of interacting populations of different species in the same geographical region
what is a ecosystem
multiple communities interacting with one another and their physical environment
what is population size
the number of individuals in a population
what is carrying capacity
the maximum population size that an environment can sustain indefinitely
identify two types of migration
immigration and emigration
what is immigration
migration of individuals into a population
what is emigration
migration of individuals out of a population
identify two reproductive strategies
‘r-Selection’ and K-Selection
what is r selection
-Often referred to as the quick and many strategy
-this method involves producing large numbers of offspring more regularly while placing little or no parental care into each offspring,
-this typically leads to a higher death rate
-species who employ r election strategy will reach sexual maturity quickly and will become self-sufficient adult earlier than other organisms
-population growth in r strategists is often boom and bust, where large explosions in the population are often followed by a massive die off
examples of r selection animals
-aquatic animals-turtles
-insects
-rodents
what is K-Selection
-Often referred to as the slow and few method this method involves producing much smaller numbers of offspring, which are often larger in size and more dependent on parental care
-species who employed the K selection strategy will reach sexual maturity much slower and will therefore breed later in their lifespan and other organisms
-population growth in K-Selection strategists will remain constant at the carrying capacity of environment
examples of K-Selection animals
humans, chimpanzees and elephants
what is a population distribution
the range of geographical areas that members of a population can be found in
identify different arrangements for population distribution
uniform, random or clumped
what is population density
the number of individuals in a population per unit area
identify two factors that can influence population density
-density dependent factors
-density independent factors
what are density dependent factors
-environmental factors that affect population growth but are not affected by population density
examples of density dependent factors
-climate
-natural disasters
-functionally unlimited resources
what are density independent factors
Environmental factors that affect population growth and become stronger as population density increases
examples of density independent factors
-disease
-population
-competition
-resource availability
what is mutualism
when both organisms benefit from a symbiotic relationship
example of mutualism
Honey bee receives honey and pollen which are an energy source whilst the flower is pollinated
notation for mutualism
+/+
what is commensalism
when one organism benefits while the other is unaffected in a symbiotic relationship
notation for commensalism
+/0
example of commensalism
Certain species of orchards grow in the high branches of tropical trees this allows them to access sunlight
-the tree is not affected
what is predation
when one organism (predator) kills and eats another organism (prey)
notation for predation
+/-
example of predation
cheetah (predator) hunts and eats impala (prey)
what is parasitism
when one organism (parasite) benefits and the other is harmed in a symbiotic relationship
notation for parasitism
+/-
identify two categories of parasites
-endoparasites
-ectoparasites
what are endoparasites
organisms that live inside another organism and feed from it
what are ectoparasites
organisms that live outside an organism and feed from it
what is amensalism
When one organism is unaffected while the other is harmed in a symbiotic relationship
notation for amensalism
-/0
example of amensalism
Cows walk on small shrubs which kills or damages them, however the cow themselves receive neither benefit nor harm
example of endoparasite
Tapeworms live in a host like a dog and take the nutrients from the host
example for exoparasite
ticks can feed off a human
what is competition
interactions between two or more organisms competing for the same pool of resources
notation for competition
-/-
example of competition
-weeds growing in a vegetable garden compete with vegetables by absorbing water and nutrients, thereby limiting vegetable growth
-however vegetables absorbing water and nutrients also limit weed grow the exact same way
identify types of competition
-interspecific competition
-intraspecific competition
what is interspecific competition
Interspecific competition describes competition between two individuals of different species
what is intraspecific competition
intraspecific competition is competition between two individuals of the same species
eg of interspecific competition
weeds and vegetables competing for water and nutrients in garden
example of intraspecific competition
two male red kangaroos fighting to establish dominance and win over a female mate
what is an autotroph
make their own food
what is a heterotroph
cannot make their own food so feeds on other organisms
what is a carnivore
feeds only off other animals
what is a herbivore
feeds only on plant matter
what is an omnivore
feeds on both animal and plant matter
what is a predator
animals that kill and eat other animals (their prey)
what is prey
animals that are killed and eaten by other animals
what is a keystone species
a species whose effects on an ecosystem are greater than expected relative to its population size
what is an apex predator
a predator that has no natural predators and is at the top of its food chain
what are ecosystem engineers
an organism that creates, significantly alters or maintains the structure of an environment
what are indigenous Australian ways of knowing
a system of knowledge and beliefs cultivated and preserved by indigenous Australians
what is the stingray adaptation and how was it utilised by IA
-an adaptation of the sting ray is a barb located on the tail
-weapons and fishing tools constructed have demonstrated the use of stingray defence mechanisms in their structure
what is the shark adaptation and how was it utilised by IA
-the sharp serrated teeth of sharks are highly adapted to cut flesh
-IA have crafted knives using shark teeth fixed onto wood etc
what is the water holding frogs adaptation and how was it utilised by IA
-these frogs are able to store water underneath their skin which can be absorbed into the body in times of water scarcity
-In times of drought or emergency squeezing the frog released water that was fit for human consumption
what is the adaptation for lawyer cane plant and how did IA utilise it
-curved hooks along the leaf sheath that can help it catch onto other plants
-used by IA for hooking prawns and extracting witchety grubs
-prepare meat
-saw through soft timber to harvest insects
-manufacture fishing hooks
what is the possum adaptation and how was it utilised by IA
-possum fur- hollow structure that traps air to provide insulation, fur can also draw moisture away from the skin
-exploited possum fur to manufacture possum cloaks and other clothing
-echidna quills were used in combination to possum fur as it was more sustainable
what is a pyrophilic plant
plant for which fire is a necessary part of its life cycle
what is the quandong used for by IA
food, medicine, fire and increase distribution of seeds
what is a structural adaptation
evolved modification to an organisms physical structure
what is physiological adaptation
Evolved modifications to an organism’s internal functioning or metabolic processes
what is behavioural adaptation
Evolved modifications to an organism’s actions
