Interdependence and adaptation Flashcards
In order to survive and reproduce organisms need what from their surroundings?
A supply of materials from the surroundings and from the other organisms living there.
Plants often compete with each other for what?
Moisture, light, space and nutrients.
Animals often compete with each other for what?
Food and territory.
Organisms including microorganisms have what that allows them to survive?
Adaptations.
What is an adaptation?
A feature that allows them to survive in the environment that they live in.
What its an extremophile and how is it adapted to its environment?
An extremophile lives in extreme environments. They may be resistant to high levels of salt, high/low temperatures or high pressures.
An animal may be adapted to live in the desert/arctic by…
…changes in surface area; thickness of insulating coat; amount of body fat and camouflage.
A plant may be adapted to live in desert conditions by…
changes to surface area (particularly that of leaves); water storage tissues and extensive root systems.
Animals and plants may deter predators by…
thorns, poisons and warning colours.
An example of a change in environment causing a change in distribution of living organisms.
The changing of the distribution of bird species because of the disappearance of polluting insects, such as bees.
Animals and plants can be subjected to environmental changes such as…
…change in competitor or average temperature/rainfall.
What is an indicator species?
An organism that will change/die out when there is a change to its environment.
Examples of indicators of pollution include…
…lichens dying due to increases in sulphur dioxide and invertebrate animals being used to detect changes in pollution and oxygen levels in water.
Environmental changes can be measured using non-living indicators such as…
…temperature, rainfall and oxygen levels.
