Interdependence and adaptation Flashcards
For what might plants and animals in a given habitat compete?
Plants - Light, water, space and nutrients from the soil
Animals - Food, mates and territory
What is an adaptation?
A feature that enables an organism (including microorganisms) to survive in the conditions in which they normally live.
What is an extremophile?
Give examples of the kind of extreme conditions they may be adapted to.
An organism that lives in an extreme environment.
High levels of salt, high/low temperatures, high pressures
Give four adaptations animals may have in arctic environments.
1) Small surface area : volume (i.e. large animals with small ears, etc.)
2) Thick fur (polar bear)
3) Lots of body fat (seal, whale)
4) Some animals such as the arctic fox are white in winter and brown in summer, this means that they are camouflaged.
Give three possible adaptations a plant could have to survive in a dry environment, such as a desert.
1) Small surface area : volume (large, flat leaves)
2) Water-storage tissues (cacti can store huge amounts of water) - may have swollen stem to store water.
3) Extensive root systems (increase surface area and reach of roots, more water can be absorbed) close to the surface to absorb water quickly
Give three ways in which both animals and plants could be adapted to reduce the risk of being eaten by predators.
Explain how the risk of being eaten is reduced.
Give examples if possible.
1) Camouflage - animals are able to blend in with their environment and predators are less likely to see them.
2) Thorns - these could hurt predators (rose)
3) Poisons - the predator is unlikely to attack the same prey again as it will find the poison unpleasant. (frogs, mushrooms)
4) Warning colours - the predator is likely to confuse the prey with e.g. poisonous organism. (wasps, frogs)
Give four non-living and four living factors which may affect the distribution of organisms in an area.
Non-living factors: 1) Temperature 2) Rainfall 3) Light 4) Oxygen levels Living factors: 1) introduction/decline of a predator 2) Spread of disease 3) Introduction/decline of a competitor 4) The introduction of new plants which might provide new food or habitats.
How can living organisms be used as indicators of pollution in air and in water?
Indicator species such as:
Lichen can be used to indicate the concentration of certain gases in the atmosphere, particularly of sulphur dioxide, the more lichens growing the cleaner the air.
Freshwater Invertebrates can be used to indicate water pollution and dissolved oxygen concentration, the wider the range of invertebrates, the cleaner the water in streams, rivers or ponds. Some freshwater invertebrates only live in polluted water.
What five pieces of equipment can be used to monitor non-living changes in environment?
Rain gauges Thermometers pH sensors Oxygen sensors Data loggers
In what three ways might animals be adapted to hot, dry conditions?
1) Animals are adapted to conserve water.
2) Animals are adapted to stop themselves getting too hot. (large surface area to volume ratio)
3) Animals in the desert may hunt or feed at night so that they remain cool during the day.
How do plants lose water?
They lose water as water vapour through holes in the leaves called stomata.
In what three ways might plants spread their seeds over a wide area so that they do not compete with themselves?
Examples if possible.
1) Some plants use animals to spread their fruits and seeds.
2) Some plants use the wind to spread their seeds, e.g. sycamore
3) Some plants use mini-explosions to spread their seeds, e.g. broom
What affect may climate change have on birds?
Birds may fly further north if the climate gets warmer, other birds may then have a new competitor.
What may have caused the large fall in the bee population?
The use of chemical sprays by farmers, a viral disease or possibly changes in flowering patterns in plants due in turn to climate change.
