key area 2.5 - adverse conditions

Question 1

dormancy

Answer 1

• allows survival during a period when the energy costs of normal metabolic activity would be too high
• growth and development are temporarily suspended
• reduces metabolic rate, heart rate, breathing rate and body temperature

Question 2

predictive dormancy

Answer 2

• occurs when an organism becomes dormant before the onset of adverse conditions
• common where environment is predictable and consistent

Question 3

consequential dormancy

Answer 3

• type of dormancy where the organism m becomes dormant after the onset of adverse conditions
• typical response of organisms living in unpredictable environments

Question 4

hibernation

Answer 4

• response to the treat of a metabolic energy crisis brought about by low, winter temperatures and a lack of food
• mammals
• eat extra food before hibernation and stores it as fat
• metabolic rate greatly reduces to save energy expenditure to allow survival
• can be consequential or predictive

Question 5

aestivation

Answer 5

• dormancy which allows animals to survive periods of high period of high temperature or drought
• process usually involves burrowing into the ground where temperature are lower
• metabolic rate reduced
• consequential strategy

Question 6

daily torpor

Answer 6

• short period of reduced metabolic activity, within each 24 hour cycle
• common in organisms with high metabolic rates to help conserve energy
• during torpor, organisms have greatly reduced metabolic rate during times of inactivity or when they are unable to get food
• reduces energy required to maintain high metabolic rates

Question 7

migration

Answer 7

• the seasonal movement from one place to another
• enables organisms to avoid metabolic adversity by expending energy to relocate to a more suitable environment
• migration can be triggered by photoperiod, temperature and hormonal changes

Question 8

innate behaviour

Answer 8

• migratory behaviour that is inherited and inflexible
• plays a primary role in behaviour
• occurs in response to an external stimulus eg photoperiod

Question 9

learned behaviour

Answer 9

• begins at birth and gained by experience
• flexible as a result of trial and error
• plays a secondary role in migratory behaviour

Question 10

individual marking - tracking migration

Answer 10

• ringing - uses a metal band with a unique number which can provide information when an animal is recaptured
• tagging - attached to the underside of a wing with a code which is put into a database, on recapture the route and distance can be acquired

Question 11

transmitters - tracking migration

Answer 11

• transmitters attached to animals body send out a signal that can be picked up by a receiver
• satellite - excellent method however expensive and may cause drag in small animal
• radio - can be used for small and large animals however when invertebrates shed it becomes difficult, requires a tracking radio signal