B4.1- adaptation to environments Flashcards
Habitat (3 descriptions)
A place where an organism lives
1. geographical location= localised region of habitat
2. physical location= characteristics of geographical area where habitat is found
3. type of eco system= where species interact with other species and abiotic environment
Population
1 or more species in 1 location at a specific time
Community
Different species living and interacting with each other in a habitat
Interactions= mutualism, parasitism, herbivory, prey/preditor
Ecosystem
Location where a community of organisms interacts with each other and abiotic environment
Adaptations of organisms to abiotic environment of habitat (marram grass and red mangrove)
- Marram grass in sand dunes
-Marram grass is a xerophyte adapted to live where water is scarce
- leaves roll into tubes with stomata on inside which traps moist air in tube and maintains high humidity
-stomata found in sunken pits traps moist air
-thick waxy cuticle
-deep root system and surface root system - Red mangrove trees in mangrove swamp
-adapted to living in unstable anoxic soil with sea water (anoxixc= low 02)
-deep roots descend from trunk for stability
-aerial roots grow above soil during low tide allowing gas exchange transporting air to underground roots
-plasma membranes prevent salt from entering
Examples of abiotic variable affecting species distribution
-water availability
-temp
-light intensity
-soil composition
-PH range
-salinity
Shelford’s Law of tolerance
states that organisms have optimal survival rates for abiotic factors as organisms move from areas with optimum conditions survival rates decrease
GRAPH= optimum range, zone of stress, zone of intolerance
Limiting factor
A biotic or abiotic factor that limits the population size
Belt transact
Observes the gradual change of an organism along a fixed path with an abiotic factor
Natural and semi natural habitats
Natural= no species cultivated by humans
semi natural= species in habitat are wild, but has been influenced by human activities
Condition required for coral reef formation
- formed as a result of a symbiotic relationship, by sessile animals which have a mutualistic relationship with zooxanthallea
-specific abioticc conditions;
1. water clarity= zooxanthallea are photosynthetic, light is needed
2.water depth=zooxanthallea require adequate light levels (50M)
3. temperature= extreme temps kill reef and exile zooxanthallea
4. PH= 8-8.3 ocean acidification is a threat
5. Salinity= right amount of salt is needed
Biome
Large, naturally ocuring community of organisms occupying a major habitat
Whittakers climograph
predicts terrestrial biomes according to temperature and rainfall
SEE IMAGE
Biomes and convergent evolution
If you visit a biome anywhere in the world even though they are geographically isolated, species evolve similar characteristics to survive the abiotic conditions which are similar
Characteristics of all 6 biomes
- tropical forest= high rainfall and high temp all year round
- temperate forests= moderate rainfall, hot summers and cold winters
- grasslands= temp varying on location, relatively low rainfall
- hot deserts= low rainfall, hot days, cold nights
- tiaga= low rainfall, often snow, cold snowy winters and humid summers
- tundra= low rainfall, frozen for most of the year and short summers
Adaptations to biomes (hot desert -plant and animal)
Hot desert
Saguaro cactus
1. Thick waxy cuticle
2. spines as modified leaves to reduce surface area for transpiration
3. water storage tissue
4. deep root system/shallow root system
Camels
1. produce concentrated urine to conserve water
2. fat storage in humps to be metabolised to produce energy plus H2o
3. large SA for sufficient heat loss
4. Long legs to keep body above hot sand
5. Long nasal passage to trap moisture
6. broad feet for walking in sandy terrain
Adaptations to biomes (tropical rainforest -plant and animal)
Dipterocarp tress
1. tall to access sunlight
2. fast growth rate to reach canopy
3. buttress roots to prevent toppling
4. large leaves
5. large fruit quantity to increase reproductive success
6. leaves contains toxins to deter insects
Sumatran orangutan
1. long arms/legs for grasping
2. opposable fingers/toes
3. color vision to recognize edible fruits
4. camouflage
5. intelligence, uses tools
6. strong jaws and teeth
