B1.4 Interdependence and adaptation

Question 1

What do plants compete with each other for?

Answer 1

light, space, water, nutrients

Question 2

What do animals compete for?

Answer 2

food, mates, territory

Question 3

Why do animals have adaptations?

Answer 3

enable animals too survive in the conditions in which they normally live

Question 4

What are extremophiles?

Answer 4

Organisms that live in an environment that is very extreme

Question 5

What may extremophiles be tolerant to?

Answer 5

high levels of salt, high temperatures, high pressures

Question 6

How may animals who live in warm dry environments be adapted?

Answer 6

• Large surface area compared to volume- lose more body heat
• Thin layers of body fat and thin coat
• Camouflage
• Efficient with water- small amounts of concentrated urine

Question 7

How may animals be adapted to live in arctic environments?

Answer 7

• Small surface area compared to volume- reduces heat loss
• Well insulated- thick coat and layer of blubber
• Camouflage- white fur

Question 8

How may plants be adapted to survive in dry conditions?

Answer 8

• Small surface area compared to volume- small leaves- reduce water loss
• Water storage tissue
• Extensive root system-absorb water quickly over a large area

Question 9

How may animals and plants adapted to reduce the risk of being eaten by predators?

Answer 9

• armour- thorns, spikes, shells (eg cacti)- sharp, are likely to hurt a predator or makes it hard for them to eat it
• poisons/bad taste- predator will find this unpleasant and not attack the same pry again
• warning colours- predator is likely to confuse the prey with a poisonous organism
• camouflage- (eg chameleon) when animal fits in with its surroundings. predator is less likely to see its prey
• streamlining- increases speed and makes it more likely that prey will out run the predator
• Large ears/ position of eyes- predators will be detected earlier so the prey can escape sooner

Question 10

What living factors cause environmental change?

Answer 10

• disease
• change in numbers of predators
• change in numbers of prey
• change in numbers of competitors

Question 11

What non living factors cause environmental change?

Answer 11

• average temperature
• rainfall
• change in level of air/water pollution

Question 12

What 3 ways does environmental change affect populations?

Answer 12

1) population size decreases
2) population size decreases
3) population distribution changes

Question 13

Describe how living organisms can be used as indicators of pollution.

Answer 13

lichens- air pollution indicators, particularly of concentration of sulfur dioxide in the atmosphere.

Invertebrate animals- water pollution indicators, used as indicators of the concentration of dissolved oxygen in water.

Question 14

Describe how environmental change can be measured by non living indicators.

Answer 14

Dissolved oxygen meters

weather stations

satellites

rain gauges

Question 15

To survive and reproduce, organisms require a…

Answer 15

supply of materials from their surroundings and from other animals living there.

Question 16

Suggest why a desert animal feeds at night

Answer 16

• less easily seen by predators

- it is cooler so less likely to sweat. This helps them conserve precious water

Question 17

What is the term used to describe organisms that can survive in severe conditions?

Answer 17

extremophiles