Lecture 3: Plant Adaptations Flashcards
What is an ecozone?
A significant area of the planet that has its own unique fauna and flora
How many ecozones are there on Earth?
8
What is an ecosystem?
Geographical area that consists of organisms and non-living things (weather or landscape)
What is a habitat?
Environment where animal or plant usually lives and grows
What characteristics make a desert, a desert?
Hot, dry
Direct sunlight
Sandy/rocky soil
Strong winds
Extreme temperatures
What are xerophytes?
Plants that exist in the desert.
What are the features of xerophytes?
Water storage in stems/leaves
Leafless plants
Long root systems
Short life cycles
Hairy leaves
Spines for plant protection
Waxy coating
Flowers open at night
Slow growing
What are hydrophytes?
Plants that grow in aquatic environments.
What are the characteristics of hydrophytes?
Flexible leaves and stems
Air spaces in stems
Nutrients and gases absorbed by the leaves directly from water
Reduced or absent roots and root hairs
Floating leaves
Upper surfaces have chlorophyll and waxy coating
What are the characteristics of tundra ecozones?
Cool summer, long severe winters
Permanently frozen sublayer of soil
Poor drainage
Little precipitation
Long days in the growing season with long nights in the winter
What are the plant adaptations of tundra?
Low growing
Dark in colour
Covered with hair
Grow in clumps
Dish like flowers to reflect sun into the centre
What are the characteristics of tropical rainforests?
Hot
Heavy rainfall
Poor, shallow soil
Little sunlight reaches forest floor
Canopy receives 12 hours of intense sunlight daily
What are the adaptations of plants in tropical rainforests?
Smooth bark with waxy surfaces that allow water runoff
Buttresses and prop roots to keep plants upright
Flowers near forest floor to lure animal pollinators
Shallow roots
Climbing plants, epiphytes with water reservoirs
