Adaption And Survival

Question 0

What are extremophiles?

Answer 0

Organisms that survive and reproduce in the most difficult conditions are known as extremophiles.

Question 1

What aids meant by adaptations?

Answer 1

Living organisms have special features that make it possible for them to survive in their particular habitat.

Question 2

Give an example of an extremophile

Answer 2

Animals from deep oceans are adapted to cope with enormous pressure, no light and very cold, salty water. If these extremophiles are brought to surface too quickly, they explode because of the rapid change in pressure.

Question 3

What do plants need to survive?

Answer 3

Light, carbon dioxide, water and oxygen and nutrients to produce glucose energy in order to survive.

Question 4

What do animals need to survive?

Answer 4

Food from other living organisms, water and oxygen.

Question 5

Why do plants need to photosynthesise?

Answer 5

To produce the glucose needed for energy and growth. They also need to have enough water to maintain their cells and tissues.

Question 6

How are animals living in cold conditions adapted for them?

Answer 6

Animals that are adapted for cold environments are often large with a small surface area: volume (SA:V) ratio. They have thick insulating layers of fat.

Question 7

What are the adaptations for a animal in hot climates?

Answer 7

A large SA:V ratio, then fur, little body fat and behaviour patterns that avoid the heat of the day.

Question 8

How is camouflage an important adaptation?

Answer 8

Camouflage is important both to predators (so their prey doesn’t see them coming) and to prey ( so they can’t be seen).

Question 9

Give an example of colour chaining coat animals

Answer 9

Many Arctic animals including the Arctic fox have grey or brown summer coats that change to pure white in the winter.

Question 10

What is a herbivore?

Answer 10

Plant eating animals

Question 11

What is a carnivore?

Answer 11

Animals that eat other animals.

Question 12

What would happen if animals weren’t adapted to survive in the areas they live in?

Answer 12

They’d die

Question 13

Why do large animals find it difficult to cool down?

Answer 13

They have small surface area: volume ratio

Question 14

Where do plants lose water vapour from?

Answer 14

The leaf surface through holes in the leaves called stomata

Question 15

How can plants survive in dry conditions?

Answer 15

Plants have adapted to reduce the surface area of the leaves and to have tissues which store water and extensive root systems

Question 16

How can water be conserved in plants?

Answer 16

If it has very small or waxy leaves. A plants might have a swollen stem to store the water.

Question 17

How can plants deter animals?

Answer 17

Some plants have developed thorns, poisonous chemicals and warning colours to put animals off.

Question 18

Give three ways a plant can conserve water

Answer 18

Curled leaves
Stomata situated away from heat and wind
Waxy leaves
Small leaves
Water storage in stems

Question 19

What do animals compete for?

Answer 19

For food, mates and territory

Question 20

Why do animals need a territory?

Answer 20

So that they can find enough food and water. They also need space to protect and rear their young.

Question 21

What do plants compete for?

Answer 21

Plants compete with each other for light ,water and mineral ions from soil.

Question 22

What does a plant need so that it can reach deep underground to find water?

Answer 22

Deep roots

Question 23

Why do plants try to spread their seeds as far as possible?

Answer 23

To avoid competition for water, light and mineral ions.

Question 24

What affects the distribution of living organisms?

Answer 24

Changes in the environment.

Question 25

What can these changes be caused by?

Answer 25

Living or non living factors

Question 26

Give examples of non living and living factors

Answer 26

Non living- temperature, rainfall , light and oxygen levels

Living- arrival of new predator, diseases or the introduction of new plants which might provide new food or habitat

Question 27

What do lichens indicate?

Answer 27

Lichens indicate the level of air pollution ,particularly sulphur dioxide. The more species of lichens growing, the cleaner the air. They can also indicate carbon monoxide.

Question 28

What do freshwater invertebrates indicate?

Answer 28

They indicate the level of water pollution in the same way, in particular the concentration of dissolved oxygen in the water. The wider the range of these invertebrates the cleaner the streams, river or pond. Some freshwater invertebrates only live in polluted water.

Question 29

Why do some animals move North during summertime and return South the winter?

Answer 29

The climate further south gets too warm in the summer. It is too cold for them in the northern winter.

Question 30

Why is it difficult to interpret data about changes in the distribution of animals and plants?

Answer 30

There are so many possible variables. It may be obvious that the climate has got warmer but this might lead to other changes. For example, if a plant flowers earlier in the year the insects which feed on it may not be around to pollinate the flowers. This could lead to a fall in the number of plants and also in the number of insects which would not be able to feed on the nectar.

Question 31

What is an extremophile?

Answer 31

An organism that can live in extremely difficult conditions where most other organisms cannot survive.

Question 32

Why do plants need water?

Answer 32

For photosynthesis and to keep the plant upright.

Question 33

What is a thermophile?

Answer 33

A bacterium which can survive at temperatures over 45 degrees.

Question 34

Why are so many Arctic animals large?

Answer 34

Keeps the SA:V as small as possible and so helps them to reduce heat loss.

Question 35

Why do mammals try to cool down without sweating in hot, dry conditions?

Answer 35

Because sweating results in loss of water from the body. There is not much water in the desert ,so they cannot rely on finding more to drink.

Question 36

How do plants lose water from their leaves?

Answer 36

By evaporation through the stomata.

Question 37

Why do plants often reduce the surface area of their leaves

Answer 37

To prevent excess water loss. Water is lost through the surface of the lead so if the surface area, there will be less waste lost.